[AuRavelling79]

Good ole HSBC have hiked there charges for me, closed down a nearby branch so's its mega queues (usually for Mrs Malc).

Do any of you know a good bank/building society for my type of business.

Business Account
Mainly cash and cheques in over the counter.
A few larger s/o from business customers and a couple from private customers.
We do some transfers on-line.

I also have a current account there too.

I'd really like to leave HSBC, but having said the above, the branch is in fairly convenient place although there is Lloyds/NatWest/Nationwide there too.

Any ideas?

[Duke]

I use NatWest.....ok so far...and the online banking site is good.  (Most of mine is cheques too )

[martin19842]

hi there,

i use barclays and they seem to be OK no issues evern get a phone call from the business manager every now and then.  Perhaps someone actually cares, dont be wrong i am not that niave.

regards

martin

[matt]

bank of scotland, i just post thema evelope full of cheques every few weeks

[riz]

I refuse to have a business account due to being charged to use any of it.

Riz

[rosskesava]

A lot of banks have free bank charges for the first year for business accounts.

We opened an account last year with Lloyds and have had no charges which ends March this year.

Come March we will change banks (I hope) to another 'freebie'.

It is worth searching the internet.

[Walter Pole]

I agree with Riz...why have a business account if you can use a personal one for free.  Obviously depending on volume of turnover this may not be an option for everyone, but whilst my business is small and growing I am not going to place the extra financial burden of paying bank charges.  I will keep it that way until my bank tells me otherwise.

[Fox]

Hi

I think banks are much the same throughout it's the business manager that runs your account that can make the difference.

I am with Lloyds TSB and had free banking for year one, 50% off year two and 25% off year three.

I'd make an appointment with several banks and see how you feel about the person you will need to deal with and what they can offer.  Most banks will move your DD's for you so you've got less hassle. 

I wouldn't recommend changing banks every year, it would make your financial history uncertain so when you want to expand and need to talk to Mr Lloyd/Natwest etc you will be turned down.

Also talk with your current business manager, if your business is valued he has the power to do a deal with your charges.

Fox

[Andrews_Water]

Hi,

We switched from Natwest to Abbey National a few years ago.  Business banking is FREE, within certain limits, and we've never paid a penny.  We pay cheques in to a "hole in the wall", and have an arrangement with a local post office to handle our cash.  The on-line facilities at Abbey are great.

Andrew

[Ian_Giles]

I had a business account with Lloyds for years, I'm still with Lloyds but I no longer have a business account with them.
I got totally...........(trying to find a clean word I can use to express my disgust ) fed up with being increasingly charged for everything, cash in, cash out, cheques, standing orders ad infinitum
For me the final straw was the 'small' business manager charge (or whatever it was they called it ) I had to pay every month. This of course is so you can have a business expert on call that can help with your window cleaning business (yeah, that'll happen) and of course there has to be a fee to manage your account.

I cut down my costs so that when my statement came through each month there would only be about half a dozen entries on  a single page and it WAS STILL costing several quid a month in charges (not much agreed, under a tenner) but my private account needed a forklift truck to deliver it and it was (and still is) FREE!!! A free £200 overdraft facility too, I sure as hell didn't have a free overdraft with my business account
I am a small business, at that time I was paying in less per week than what was then claimed to be the national average weekly wage (I'm still paying in less than the average wage ) and I detested the fact that I was being forced to pay for everything.

I hate banks with a vengenge, they screw you every which way they can (thanks for that one Clint ) They make many billions of £s in profit every year and they mostly give us a lousy service, there first concern is their shareholders and the 'bottom line'.
After a certain point you have no option but to have a business account, but I'm damned if I am going to swell their profits any more than I have too

And don't you just hate being called in for the 'annual' review? And how they will try and charge you for the priveledge of getting you to borrow money, take out a pension or life insurance/health insurance/house insurance/ mortgage and of course they like to explain how the cost of running your account is actually in deficit, so they have to increase the monthly charges

So sod business accounts, I'll stick with my FREE private account with the FREE £200 overdraft

Oh, one other gripe Ever noticed how if you go in for a loan (car, van whatever) how they pressure you to take out loan repayment insurance? Ever been out of work long enough to try and CLAIM on that insurance?

This is a commision driven insurance and very, very profitable for everyone bar YOU.

Mind how you go,

Ian

[AuRavelling79]

Thanks for your help chaps! Especially Ian!

Oh and Ian, do you like banks then?

[Ian_Giles]

Malc,
I love Banks, it shines through in my reply doesn't it

Ian

[sinbad]

use barclays and open an ordinary account , not a busines account and put your cash and cheques  in there , never had a problem in 8 years .  get a phone banking card of them and use their internet banking to switch between accounts , works for me.

[rosskesava]

Hi

The above postings gave me food for thought.

I agree with Ian_Giles - banks are parasitical vermin who generally do not give a damn about anything other than the share holders and profits with the greasy slimey 'we care' adverts. Ever noticed how  the advert for the 'Scottish Widows' lady has gone from some old miserable hag, because her hubby has died and she's at the end of her days, to some alluring young beauty with that seductive smile who is happy hubby is dead.

Anyway, back to banking.

I wrote the above posting about free of charges for one year at Lloyds. When today, I asked about the charges for the 2nd year (with 50% off ) I nearly had a fit of 'smash the place up' at the cost. And the annual review??? I don't want an annual review with my 'account manager' and I certainly don't expect to pay for something I don't want or need. I nearly blew a gaskit. Bunch of ******************** etc etc,.

The only bank I asked in who did not care how many cheques I paid in and did not care it was for business or private use was Abbey National. And they don't charge per cheque etc. Basically a free service.

Guess where we will be going come March when our free year with the 'Black Horse' ends.