Current Accounts
From Seller
Rejecting Customers
First Direct Hell
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"DISCRIMINATION ... I have never felt in my life that I am labelled as working class or lower class. You just don't face that attitude often nowadays. I live in a nice village in my own house, divorced with two children. I feel proud what I have achieved in life. Upper class? Middle class? Who cares? I'm happy just being me, not labelled. That is until I need to leave First Direct soon, when my savings account is dry. They have made me feel that I need to look elsewhere for my banking as I don't meet their expectations—they have notified me that I don't earn enough money a month to be awarded the choice to bank with them for free.
They CHARGE people like me to want to use a first-class banking service. They make me look at my life and make me feel I have been a failure. I SHOULD be earning in excess of £1500 a month—if not then I'm obviously part-time or not a very skilled worker. So a single mum who works damn hard for a living (part-time), who is very qualified and would prefer to put her career on hold so that she can spend quality time with her children, is deemed "not good enough" for First Direct!
Maybe I should get married again, work full time and put my children into before/after school clubs so that I can meet the monthly minimum required. NO WAY. I am moving to another bank who acknowledges that ALL people are different and have different needs. A bank who will not DISCRIMINATE. I was good enough for them once... I obviously don't conform to their expectations, even though I have NEVER used an over-draft with them. I have to say I have spent at least 12 years with First Direct and their service has been excellent. But THEN, I was married and had no children. I could concentrate on my career. So, my review ends with First Direct provide a 10/10 service to those who are middle class. For anyone lower, choose a more suitable bank who won't discriminate against who you are and what you earn."
- See 3rd April 2008
Account Charges
"I have just received my monthly statement. For each of the five days on which I exceeded my overdraft limit, first direct has charged me £25. Total charge: £125 Plus, of course, there's the debit interest -- just over £8. How can this have any relation to the costs that first direct have incurred in servicing my overdraft???
I joined first direct 15-20 years ago, because I was so upset about Nat West charging me around £30 twice for sending me a letter to tell me I was overdrawn.
But this is far worse. Not just is the sum significantly larger, but first direct haven't been sending me a letter each time I exceed my limit. Instead, they accumulate the charges and tell you the total at the end of the month.
I hope that customers desert first direct in their thousands. Can anyone suggest an alternative bank with online and telephone banking?"
- See 28th April 2008
More First Direct Hell
Beware. If you are unlucky to enough to fall into any financial difficulty, they are like cut throat pirates ahead of the pack. Without mercy, laying on charge after charge, inflexible, intolerable telephone manner.
I was with First Direct Internet Banking for 7 years. I never needed a over draft. Then I was unlucky enough to be hit hard financially by a totally unexpected change in my life. After being a model customer for 7 years, for a total of nine months First Direct drove me deeper into despair, high charges, threats, withdraw of cards, all because I was going into a unagreed overdraught by a misly £100, When I asked them for a overdraft to cover the £100 they refused. Lucky I explained things to Natwest and they Helped me through the year with a extended overdraught and did not write me any letters or threats. All banks are mostly the same but some are worst than others and First Direct is NO!
For being a unlistening-unsympathetic-quick charge bank. So beware if YOU ONE DAY HAVE A FINANCIAL BLIP IN YOUR LIFE, leave first direct and open a Natwest account fast.
- [See http://www.reviewcentre.com/review332179.html 5th March 2008]
