HI
Just read this in the times - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2848046.ece
If its true i am closing my bank account and stopping anything supported by them.
Cambourne7
::)
Barclays has a long history of involvement with dodgy regimes. South Africa during the apartheid era, for instance.
Case rested, I believe...
;)
In the seventies my place of work used to pay my salary into Barclays. I objected to their policies at the time, particularly their bankrolling of apartheit. It was holy hell trying to get the company to shift it (they didn't want anyone upsetting their relationship with the bank) but I did it in the end.
Quote from: cambourne7 on November 11, 2007, 00:45:12
HI
Just read this in the times - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2848046.ece
If its true i am closing my bank account and stopping anything supported by them.
Cambourne7
Me as well although I have only a small account with them, doing little business.
Vony.
which bank would everyone reccommend ?
The Co-Op Bank publishes its Ethics Policy - you find it by googling 'Co-Op Bank, UK'.
They took over Woolwich just recently where I have
a few savings. A huge great envelope came through
the door with their rules, regulations and charges,
which I was expected to sign.
I went to see them and took a list of my rules, regulations
and charges. I had written in that I would charge them £15
for any junk mail they sent me.
The manager would not sign my aggreement so I said I would not
sign his. Loads of letters later I had a bill for administration, I went
straight down to the bank and gave them a bill for all the letters and
mailshots they had sent me. They would not pay me my fees as they
said they had not signed my aggreement. So I said fair enough, I will
not pay mine as I have not signed theirs.
I then closed my account and transfered my savings to my other bank.
Now it gets better, they sent me a credit card, which I did not request
or sign any aggreement for. I phoned up the number given with the card
and all I got was a 'press 1' for registering the card. So I did and I am very
tempted to use it for something small and then dispute it, asking them for
a copy off my aggreement, before I pay them.
co op took our house off us, though, their ethics were very dodgy then >:(
I'll look into others though, we've been with barclays for 12 years now and never been that happy with them, trouble is, most of them seem the same :-\
I worked for a building society for a few years, before becoming a mortgage broker, and deal with most banks & building societies on a regular basis. It is my firmly held belief that they're all a bunch of greedy useless *fatherless children*.
Way to go Ace! Love your style 8)
Dunno, but wondering....small print anywhere that says that by activating your card you're bound by their rules? Handy Hint----you'll need a Hubble telescope to read it ;D
I'm with TSB ( I refuse to say LLoyds/tsb) from the sixties when they were a Trustee Savings Bank not part of some anonymous multi-national.. might as well be with HSBC (Midland) the Lotties are with NatWest and their service is dreadful so I'm with Ollie C on this one!
>:(
Quote from: Alishka_Maxwell on November 11, 2007, 12:50:43
Way to go Ace! Love your style 8)
Dunno, but wondering....small print anywhere that says that by activating your card you're bound by their rules? Handy Hint----you'll need a Hubble telescope to read it ;D
Nothing anywhere about activating the card makes me liable, after all it could have gone to anyone, (our current postman is
illegitimate illiterate) nor anything with the pin number. I have found another demand for administration charges, so I will pay it with my new Barclaycard. Minus the admin charges for my time taken.
LloydsTSB are the second biggest scum bank. Barclays pip them to the post of first biggest scum bank - they also bankrolled the diamond industry that has caused so many horrific problems in other parts of Africa (Sierra Leone etc). We have moved all that we can move at the moment to Co-Op and are only using our old bank (LloydsTSB) for a few essential things. Having worked in defending mortgage repossession business as a defendant representative, I cannot believe that the courts would have allowed possession of a home without there being a good and provable reason. The court do not see it as their job to chuck people out of their homes unless all other avenues have been exhausted.
Quote from: redclanger on November 11, 2007, 14:38:57
LloydsTSB are the second biggest scum bank. Barclays pip them to the post of first biggest scum bank - they also bankrolled the diamond industry that has caused so many horrific problems in other parts of Africa (Sierra Leone etc). We have moved all that we can move at the moment to Co-Op and are only using our old bank (LloydsTSB) for a few essential things. Having worked in defending mortgage repossession business as a defendant representative, I cannot believe that the courts would have allowed possession of a home without there being a good and provable reason. The court do not see it as their job to chuck people out of their homes unless all other avenues have been exhausted.
we didn't have anyone fighting in our corner and didn't know we had been given wrong advice until it was too late :(
I've just transferred my main account to the Nationwide Building Society. So far, so good. Most importantly they seem to realise it is my money, not theirs. Their current interest rate is pretty good too.
I was with the Abbey (National) for years, but their customer service could hardly be worse if they manned the desks / phones / branches with penguins. I demanded my money back last week, after waiting three weeks for them to confirm they had closed the account - turns out they hadn't even started the process.
Quote from: manicscousers on November 11, 2007, 16:17:43
Quote from: redclanger on November 11, 2007, 14:38:57
LloydsTSB are the second biggest scum bank. Barclays pip them to the post of first biggest scum bank - they also bankrolled the diamond industry that has caused so many horrific problems in other parts of Africa (Sierra Leone etc). We have moved all that we can move at the moment to Co-Op and are only using our old bank (LloydsTSB) for a few essential things. Having worked in defending mortgage repossession business as a defendant representative, I cannot believe that the courts would have allowed possession of a home without there being a good and provable reason. The court do not see it as their job to chuck people out of their homes unless all other avenues have been exhausted.
we didn't have anyone fighting in our corner and didn't know we had been given wrong advice until it was too late :(
The District Judge should have taken that into consideration and if he didn't, it is he that is (seriously) at fault. There are some very shoddy DJ's though. I was once in front of one as a defendant in a motoring insurance case - it was about 5 years since I had appeared professionally in the court and had had 2-3 appearances before this DJ on minor matters. The claimant in my case drove a Mercedes and the DJ kept looking at me as if he recognised me from somewhere. I am sure he thought I was a frequent defendant, and that and the Mercedes swung it, wrongly, for the claimant.
Were you not advised by the court as to any rights to appeal the order.
didn't go that far, we had to sell to a mortgage rescue scheme , 60% of the market price and rent the house back at an extortionate price, couldn't see another way, anyway, water under the bridge, move upwards and onwards ;D
Yes Abbey are terrible "Your call is important to us thankyou for your patience" over and over for 30 mins and still got to talk to no one. I'm going to local branch tomorrow to close the account. Highly recomend first direct you speak to a real person straight away.
We've been with First Direct for nearly 15 years and have found the customer service very good. Don't like some changes they've made recently, and no doubt if we delved deep they'd be as corrupt as the rest (they are part of HSBC after all), but we'll stick with them for now.
Left Barclays over 30yrs ago after their goings on in South Africa, joined Williams&Glynns who became Royal Bank of Scotland and have enjoyed a good relationship ever since!! Totally reccommended
yes we had an abbey account for years until maybe the last 2 and the charges for nothing and the crappy service has all been a bit of a joke. Were going though the process of claiming all the intrest back.
I work for the Royal Bank of Scotland so i have had to have a bank account from them but i have to say the service is amazingly good the staff are actualy people you can speak to and they dont have any silly charges. Hubbies with natwest which is treating him well but are now charging for cheque books. I am also going to open a cambridge building society account with is a local BC so only helps and support local people and businesses.
charging for cheque books??????????????? Cheeky bas********
Quote from: cambourne7 on November 11, 2007, 19:31:07
yes we had an abbey account for years until maybe the last 2 and the charges for nothing and the crappy service has all been a bit of a joke. Were going though the process of claiming all the intrest back.
I work for the Royal Bank of Scotland so i have had to have a bank account from them but i have to say the service is amazingly good the staff are actualy people you can speak to and they dont have any silly charges. Hubbies with natwest which is treating him well but are now charging for cheque books. I am also going to open a cambridge building society account with is a local BC so only helps and support local people and businesses.
I'd forgotten about Williams & Glynn's- think my parents used them.Haven't BOS been taken over now- HBOS?
I hear that Northern Rock are looking for new/replacement customers.
Theire rates are quite attractive too.
Since Llods and TSB merged I'm charged £7 pm for my current account...
>:(
I was with Williams Deacons which became Williams and Glyns which became Royal Bank of Scotland (who now also own NatWest).
Service has gradually got worse and worse (I no longer have a manager) but they don't seem to be profiteers in terms of charges.
No relation to The Bank of Scotland, by the way.
No - the way I understand it is that RBOS are still a better firm to deal with than HBOS who are another organisation with a terrible reputation.
We have been with the Royal Bank of Scotland for 40yrs and have never had any problems at all, at all. ;)
I'm with RBS and HBOS and Smile (internet branch of Cooperative Bank) and Cahoot for savings (Abbey/banco de Santander).
For savings I go for the interest rate although I do read the small print so don't necessarily go for the highest interest.
My main current account is smile who seem to do a good and ethical job. HBOS current account is for easy access to savings (good cash isa rate) and RBS (3 minute walk). We used to have everything with RBS but their interest rates are lousy.
I go to the Motley Fool website regularly and have found their advice helpful (although I don't always take it.)
done it, changed today to RBS..much better bank account, looking for the best isa now, any ideas ;D
Quote from: saddad on November 11, 2007, 21:54:35
Since Llods and TSB merged I'm charged £7 pm for my current account...
>:(
I am not. Still current...
manics have a look at the motley fool website..fool.com. I have my cash isa with HBOS _ 5.7%
Hmmmmmm. I've just started work for this particular company so no comment! :-X
Quote from: grawrc on November 16, 2007, 22:50:23
manics have a look at the motley fool website..fool.com. I have my cash isa with HBOS _ 5.7%
thanks, anne, will do ;D