Northern_Lad
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Bank accountsI'm thinking of switching my accounts as my bank tried to blind me last night with an etire wall changing from orange to blue...
Thing is, I don't know whether to go for Smile or Co-op. I know they're pretty much the same, and I've got accounts with both already.
I'm tempted to go with the Co-op just because they've got a presence on the high street, so if I get a cheque I can still pay it in.
What say the masses?
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Chez
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We are with Smile and they are brilliant customer-service and facilities-wise. Their online banking engine is good - better than the Co-op I think, we actually moved our business banking away from them it was so crap.
For paying-in-and-getting-out-huge-wodges-of-cash -on-the-high-street purposes, you just use Co-Op branches, because they're a part of it. Or you can use Post Offices - they get points towards staying open I think, if you do.
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Treacodactyl
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Erm Smile is part of the Co-Op. Worth checking if you can pay in cheques in Co-Op branches, however you can use post offices to pay in cheques or post them off.
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marigold
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I thought Smile was part of the Co-op anyway  . I think it's useful to have access to a branch, though presumably you can pay cheques into Smile by post?
Edited: As chez and TD said 
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Northern_Lad
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Yeah, they are the same, and if you phone either up they can see the other's accounts, but you log in seperatly.
My main concern was the physical presence, but if you can use the Co-op anyway...
The main reason I've got the Co-op account is for the woodland Trust credit card.
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mark
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Smile and co-op are the same - just different window dressing.
the online banking facilities are much the same with a different skin.
I bank with co-op and never go to a branch - use post office or their prepaid envolopes for paying in.
My g/f uses smile and does exactly the same.
mark
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dpack
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halifax personal ,seems ok over 30 years
bo scotland business ,too early to tell
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Northern_Lad
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Halifax can sod off - they're responsable for probably the most annoying set of adverts out there - don't care what the accounts are like.
I think I'll phone Smile at some point and see if they want to move a load of DD around.
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dpack
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fair point on the adverts but the seem professional in branch and on the phone
unlike some such as nat west ,barcleys and loyyds all of whom have let me deal with muppets til i moved elsewhere
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Northern_Lad
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| dpack wrote: | fair point on the adverts but the seem professional in branch and on the phone
unlike some such as nat west ,barcleys and loyyds all of whom have let me deal with muppets til i moved elsewhere |
I'd never go with any of the Big Four. I did at university, 'cause I was a mercenary student and they gave me free stuff, but times change.
There's nothing really wrong with my current bank, but they appear to be going down a flashy road that I'm not happy with, so I shall speak with my money.
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lassemista
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I've used Nationwide for years with no complaints.
No shareholders to pay 
Andrea
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pookie
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| Northern_Lad wrote: | Halifax can sod off - they're responsable for probably the most annoying set of adverts out there - don't care what the accounts are like.
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agreed, actually downright greedy....Halifax have charged my dd1's and ex partner's bank account £1000 in the last 5 months. 
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mark
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co-op/smile is definitely best if you are concerned about the ethical stuff.
i swpped to them from barclays years ago when i was a student and involved in teh anti-apartheid disinvestment campaign. (barclays and oth big bankd had heavy investment in apartheid regime)
been reasonably happy since - i know i am not supporting wars or oppresive regimes
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jema
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The co-op can be right nasty on bank charges, are generally incompetent at paying in any unusual cheques, and the internet banking has a horrible interface.
I am a fan of Nationwide.
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mark
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| jema wrote: | The co-op can be right nasty on bank charges, are generally incompetent at paying in any unusual cheques, and the internet banking has a horrible interface.
I am a fan of Nationwide. |
oh i'm surpised - never had any problems at all with co-op over a very large number of years !
Good to hear nationwide is good too though - any info on their environmental and ethical policies??
mark
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AnneandMike
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We've used smile for years. Absolutely no problems and the website is fine. You can pay in cheques at the post office. Definitely recommend them.
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wellywoman
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Smile every time. Our business account is with Coop and the internet banking is rubbish, but the smile one is really easy to use. Bizarre. By the way - Coop charity banking online (just in case anyones thinking of going for that account as its fee free) is only workable in internet explorer which is totally nuts.
smile did the transfer from my last babk without a single hitch - we had about 20 DD's.
Go Smile!!
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2steps
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I'm with co op and have never had any problems with them at all. I like being able to pay cheques etc in at the post office so I don't have to go into town just for that. I think their internet and phone banking is pretty good.
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wizz
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We are with nationwide and whilst we haven't had any probs since we got switched, the switch itself was full of hassles. Things got lost in the post, and 3 or 4 DDs didn't work. When we tried to claim the £50 on offer if we had any problems they told us that we weren't eligible because the problems hadn't been their fault...
If it hadn't been for the fact that we were so fed up of the hassle of moving we'd have switched again...
wizz
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