Flying Group bank account

[Readability5]

Loooks like we're set to part company with our bank after another cock up on their part.

We're a syndicate running a PA28 and have a current account with cheque book which everybody pays in to and is used to pay for hangarage, maintenance etc. We also have an interest bearing account which we transfer money into quarterly and is used as an engine fund/capital projects account.

We can't be unusual in our banking requirements!

Does anyone have a good story about their bank and be happy to recommend them?

R5.

[BRL]

What was the 'cock-up on their part'??????????

[IO540]

There isn't a decent bank around in the consumer market. To cut costs, all have become staffed with morons at the customer interface end.

Personally I bank with a certain "private bank" - they require a min £10k balance if you want to avoid charges, but they have really good courteous people on the phone, you can always get through, there are no c0ckups.

For a "business" purpose like this one, I would be content with a bank that is staffed by morons but which has a reliable website through which one can do the usual transactions. There is probably a fair number of them. I use Bank of Scotland for several such purposes; nobody in there with a brain but who needs one when you have internet access? First Direct is another good one.

Just avoid Citibank. They do a substring comparison of every electronic payment sender/recipient against a US Govt list of known undesirables, and my name is on there :) :) As will be many others I am sure. And their staff is a total bunch of morons, based in the Phillipines.

[Readability5]

The loss of a number of documents over a period of time. The latest being a full copy of our signed syndicate agreement including information on who we are and how we're organised. Then they lied about it.....

[stickandrudderman]

I've used Alliance & Leicester for years, and they've always been excellent because everything is done by post or at the post office.
However, I opened a business account with them a couple of years ago which was a total disaster and had me threatening them with court action.
IO540,
I'd be interested to hear more about your bank.
PM me if you will.
Stick.

[astronaut97]

I bank with Barclays and have never had a problem with them (I also work for them, so I might be a little biased :})

I know they do a free business bank account (if you don't want a personal account), but you need to have three or fewer signatories on the account, and have a turnover of less than £100k.

If you need anymore info, PM me, and I'll see what I can find.

(I hope the Bank you are with now isn't Barclays)

Regards

[Kolibear]

We have a Treasurers Account at the HSBC - except its not called a Treasurers Account anymore. Its specifically desgned for small clubs & organisations like flying groups. Apart from the inevitable hassles involved in setting it up, it seems to work OK.

[Humaround]

Quote (Barclays)"I know they do a free business bank account (if you don't want a personal account), but you need to have three or fewer signatories on the account, and have a turnover of less than £100k.

Really?

I have a small business account with Barclays which fits your description but it's anything but free...

Our syndicate has an account like th one above with HSBC. Can't recommend their internet banking, which is tortuous in the extreme. Their "charity/club" type account fits the bill but the deposit account pays only about 2,5% (from memory).

They're all sharks...

My wife's "free" First Direct account recently charged her £85 for going above the overdraft limit briefly. We complained, and they refunded it. Hooray!!

Then mysteriously, the next month, they started deducting £10 per month "service charge".

And they wont refund that, so we closed the account.

You've got to watch the bu££ers.

[S-Works]

I bank with Coutts, Classic old fashioned service. However you are not there type of business. The best option is one of these internet banks for free banking and simplicity. Cahoot or egg or that 1st direct lot all seem to work well.

I also use Carter Allen which are a subsidiary of Abbey or Bank Santander as they are now. Not a bad account for the low end of Private Banking with a good Jersey office.

Barclays are a pretty shocking, they make money despite themselves. It will be interesting to see how things pan out if the merger with ABN Amro goes ahead.

I think that times have moved on and the classic banking experience you are looking for is a thing of the past.

[Slopey]

Regarding FD: Then mysteriously, the next month, they started deducting £10 per month "service charge".


Nothing mysterious about it, they started charging £10 per month unless you have a certain balance in the account at all times, or you have a FD Visa card. Made quite a splash in the press - from el beeb:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6148776.stm

[astronaut97]

I have a small business account with Barclays which fits your description but it's anything but free...

Humaround: Yeah, looking at who the account is for, it says it is designed for 'non-profit making organisations that will benefit the community'. Although, next time you see you account manager, ask him/her about it, and see what they can do.