Recommendations on small business banking account?

[pikey]

Any thumbs up or thumbs down comments would be handy.

Something like FirstDirect (for business)

Thanks!

[SystemParanoia]

abbey ( thumbs down )

cant use the counter for any reason at all

and they wont let you increase the daily withdrawal limit.

[SGirl]

Definitely not Abbey. When I tried to close my business account with them, they sent me someone else's direct debit listing!

And First Direct don't do business accounts. Mine is with HSBC. They're okay. They haven't impressed me with their brilliance, but then they haven't annoyed me with their incompetence. Yet, anyway.

[nekrum]

Currently use HSBC, not had any problems.. Also used Lloyds without issues..

[stepej]

The problem with this is that you'll get good and bad reviews for most of the high street names.

As for me, Barclays were great until they changed my business manager...
HSBC were absolute rubbish and Abbey have been excellent so far...

[dcb]

pikey said:

Any thumbs up or thumbs down comments would be handy.

Something like FirstDirect (for business)

Thanks!

Depends if you want a checking account or a deposit
account - some traders need all sorts of facilities
on their checking account.

Abbey - mostly useless and lousy rates

HSBC - barely competent and will try to force feed
abysmal radio when you visit the branch.
They use the "bait & switch" policy to get customers
in, then reduce the rates a year later.

Nationwide - middling

[E36GUY]

FD don't do business (sadly)

Mine is with HSBC. I've had no problems so far and they offered 2 years free banking which was a result. Having said that, I've not had to contact them about much in the year that I've been a customer. Queen Victoria Street (City) branch has been fine so far.

[jas xjr]

co-op through fsb. i dont need a loan or overdraft .so fine for me.

free banking forever through fsb

[shadowninja]

I'm trying to work out what Barclays is charging me for. It's somewhere to store my company's money while they lend it to people who can't pay them back. Why am I being charged?

[Harsh]

love first direct,

so assumed HSBC would be fine for my company accounts.

sadly they have been incompetent to the point of distraction.

i'm going to switch but will be doing research and interviewing any potential businesss manager before they get any of my company accounts.

[Zen.]

I've Been very happy with HSBC, on an 18 month free banking deal, but looking to change to Abbey as they are offering free banking for life.

[Chassis 33]

I use Abbey as a contractor, don't get brilliant rates etc, but it's free and does everything I need from a business account...it receives my money until I transfer it to savings, pension, personal accounts etc.

Probably not ideal for folks receiving large amounts of cash and cheque income due to the aforementioned lack of counter services etc, but that can be done via deposit machines and post...if you trust the post...only needed to once and the cheque reached my account.

Regards
Iain

[anonymous-user]

What transactions are you likely to be doing? Lloyds have two good accounts, one is ideal for internet & electronic transactions as the fees are zero, however they have another one that pays half decent interest if you have £50K+ in the account which more than covers the fees and gives you some cash for doing nothing.

[henna777]

Lloyds very good especially their elads system which lets you do your own deposits or foreign exchange, no charges and very good forex rates. I also bank with RBS in scotland, I say that because I am norfolk and my branch way up north, excellent funding and good rates borrowing or deposit, often play one off against the other for longer term but short term then lloyds with elads.

[ginettag27]

HSBC do have a free business banking account... There's a sticky at the top of this forum and it's worth checking on moneysupermarket.com for business finance..

HSBC account is Business Direct or similar.. Free if you've got a minimal amount of cheques going in and out...