The Barclays and other non-Lloyds/TSB Bank thread

[Pete]

I have a current account with Halifax for two reasons

1 - I can pay cheques into it using my phone, since they closed the TSB near me and took the cash machine away with it.
2 - I have a Halifax credit card I use when abroad, and its quicker to pay off using a Halifax current account as the balance updates the same day not some random amount of days later if I transfer from another account. So I transfer to the Halifax account then pay it off internally.

One thing I really like about Amex is when you pay towards the balance using a debit card it updates instantly.

[Martin Phillp]

I also used the Barclays self-service terminal yesterday. I was surprised at how easy it was to use to deposit cash in. Compare that to NatWest where I had to ask the staff member for assistance.

[WillPS]

Some of the NatWest brands have put their new card artwork online:

Curiously, they've updated the designs and have gone portrait:





Has anyone received theirs (in either orientation) yet?

This example of how it'll look in Apple Pay isn't very good though. My Virgin Money debit card is portrait, but the graphic that shows up in Google Pay is a landscape version.

It's real:

[BBC TV Centre]

One thing I really like about Amex is when you pay towards the balance using a debit card it updates instantly.

They do seem a cut above the rest in terms of service level and their computer systems.

I'm also an Amex card holder and when I signed up on a Saturday afternoon, the card was in my door by Tuesday morning.

A very good first impression, compared to other companies that give all the 5-10 working days rubbish.

Where on earth are the other companies sending the card from?!

The balance also updates within a few hours too if you pay via Faster Payments from your bank account.

Transaction-wise, they all appear to be received and processed on the same day, if my statement is anything to go by.

[WillPS]

Their insistence on taking direct debits a week before the due date of statements annoys me. Also the fact you can only store one debit card for payment, and since an update a couple of months ago that is the only debit card you can then use (so you have to delete it and add another one, but you can only do that after any payments have been processed which seems to take an hour or so).

Both of these aspects Tesco Bank does a better job with - direct debits come out on the statement due date and you can store several debit cards for payment (which is handy for quickly fulfilling multiple Halifax Reward accounts' requirements).

Amex are a quality operator though, generally. I miss the Costco partner card they used to offer. The Platinum Cashback ones used to be great but are pretty meh now. One day they'll finally launch a Hilton card over here...

[thegeek]

I just received my replacement Halifax debit card in the post and it's got the old branding (as below), 2.5 years after the new logo started appearing on TV ads.

3 years after the logo launch, I've just had an insurance renewal letter (nearly double the premium lol no) with the old logo. The people who give you extra, indeed.

[WillPS]

I just received my replacement Halifax debit card in the post and it's got the old branding (as below), 2.5 years after the new logo started appearing on TV ads.

3 years after the logo launch, I've just had an insurance renewal letter (nearly double the premium lol no) with the old logo. The people who give you extra, indeed.

They are now issuing cards with the new logo. Big improvement on the old ones:

[Martin Phillp]

15 Barclays branches to close.

Finchley
Welshpool
Newtown
Consett
Gainsborough
Congleton
Leek
Holt
Morpeth
Totton
Corringham
Melton Mowbray
Tavistock
Clitheroe
Rickmansworth.

[Jonwo]

Natwest is taking their sweet time replacing cards at the moment, I have a debit card that is due to expire in August and a credit card in September and still have yet to receive the replacements. Weirdly, My Mum who has a card that wasn't due to expire for a few years has already got her Mastercard debit card before I did.

[Martin Phillp]

Natwest is taking their sweet time replacing cards at the moment, I have a debit card that is due to expire in August and a credit card in September and still have yet to receive the replacements. Weirdly, My Mum who has a card that wasn't due to expire for a few years has already got her Mastercard debit card before I did.

I'm with Natwest and usually get my new card within a month of the old one expiring.

[thegeek]

However, I did get something fancy from them: I selected the Fleet Street RBS branch (which is one of my nearest) and got a swanky looking Visa Debit card from Child & Co, the world's third oldest bank.

Just had a letter from RBS saying they're closing their Fleet Street branch - the end for Child & Co?

I really should find a reason to go and visit before June, because it looks rather swanky inside.

I had a bit of time to spare today and a paper Scottish £20 note burning a hole in my wallet, so paid them a visit today to pay it in. It really is very nice in there - lots of comfy sofas to wait on, lots of discreet consultation booths, a Child & Co ATM/paying-in machine (out of service) and a display case of antique guns(!)

They had some leaflets about the closure, which had some usage stats - it was actually doing a bit more footfall than an average RBS branch in 2019, but only had two "regular" counter customers. It did seem to imply that the brand would continue, though I'm not sure if that would just be for existing clients or how they'd get new business.

Shame to see it go, as there can't be many traditional banking halls left. I wonder what'll replace it? A few doors along there's the poshest looking Pret I've ever seen, which is in another former bank branch.