I want a current account which...

[AMCDan]

Looking to change my current account - i've yet to find a bank i was pleased with and i've had RBS, HBOS, Natwest and Cahoot. I'm currently with Cahoot and growing tired of not being able to go in to a branch. I'm also irritated by their 2.25% charge on foreign transactions (i spend ~£5k a year or so abroad, 90% US$ transactions).

So basically i want a bank which is represented on the high street, offers a Visa Debit card (not switch or maestro), very low or 0% on foreign transactions, and no monthly/annual charge.

Was thinking along the lines of Lloyds TSB / First Direct / HSBC etc..

Has anyone got any ideas?

[baptistsan]

Alliance and Leicester. Good interest rates too. Plus we can both get some cash if you sign up with them and I've introduced you

[TheCarpetCleaner]

I can recommend Lloyds, have personal, savings and business account with them

Have found them very good and if you need to see an account manager on business or personal side, you can normally get hold of one very quickly and they are very good

However on posting this on here before loads of people said they have had problems with them, but I guess its the same for all major banks and companies these days...

[TheCarpetCleaner]

swerni said:

its all down to the branch rather than the bank.

IMHO

Fair comment - in that case I can recommend Wokingham and Winnersh Triangle as branches specifically

[gopher]

Although not a bank I'm fairly certain Nationwide offer everything you have asked for. We've been with them for well over a decade now and never had any issues.

[$nake eye$]

The MSE Website is pretty useful for anything relating to finance. I followed the advice and went with A&L as it was most suited for my needs. Have a gander at the link below...

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/compare-b...

[Gizmo535]

Nationwide don't charge for Maestro cash withdrawals (Cirrus) abroad. I'm currently trying to decide whether that and the 4.x% interest, or the Abbey 8% interest rate but cash machine charges, will be a better deal for me.

[Onz]

Nastionwide offer all that, can't fault them for service either.

[AMCDan]

it's not so much withdrawals abroad i'm concerned about, it's purchases with the card - does the same apply?

i'll have a look at their website

[AMCDan]

..sorry, thanks for the move!

Nationwide appears to be ticking all my boxes. Does anyone know if it is a Visa Debit card or a switch/maestro?

[Piglet]

It's a Visa Debit card.

We've just opened a Nationwide account predominantly because I'm pissed off with the charges from lloyds for cash withdrawals and overseas purchases. I'm not planning to ditch lloyds entirely but we will use the Nationwide account as a travel account.

I set ours up over t'internet and it was pretty straightforward, the account was approved swiftly and they managed to do their ID'ing of us through a system so we didn't have to take in ID docs.

So far so good, it's taken a couple of weeks for all the docs to come through but it seems OK

[gopher]

AMCDan said:

..sorry, thanks for the move!

Nationwide appears to be ticking all my boxes. Does anyone know if it is a Visa Debit card or a switch/maestro?

It's a Visa Debit