A bank that is not closing branches. - That is unusual.
Discussion
Handelsbanken in the UK, offers full-service banking for individual and corporate customers.
Local relationship banking is provided from 160 branches.
'In the UK, Handelsbanken is built on satisfied customers, financial strength and traditional values. We invest time to get to know our customers, and we aim to provide the best service we can. We give sound advice, are empowered to take decisions within the branch and we aim to deliver solutions to match our customers' needs.'
When most banks and many building societies are rapidly contracting their vast branch networks, in that respect, the Swedish Handelsbanken stands out in the UK as being different. Their 'traditional values' claim might even give the impression of the fictional bank manager Captain Manwaring, offering his customers a sherry. It does seem strange that one bank should appear to operate in a very different way from the majority.
However, when looking a little closer, it is not quite like Walmington-on-Sea at all.
Arrive at a branch, possibly an office in multi-occupancy block, and you are faced with a locked door and a bell push.
The 'best full-service banking' claim does slip somewhat, if you want to pay cash in to your current account, or withdraw cash.
"Find a Post Office" and join the queue.
Want to pay in cheques to your Handlesbank current account. "Find a branch of NatWest and deposit your cheques over the counter".
If any PHers reading this, do have a Handlesbank account, perhaps you can tell us how well you are being looked after, what are the benefits, and from a customers point of view, how different from the main-stream UK banks their service actually is.
Jon39 said:
Handelsbanken in the UK, offers full-service banking for individual and corporate customers.
Local relationship banking is provided from 160 branches.
'In the UK, Handelsbanken is built on satisfied customers, financial strength and traditional values. We invest time to get to know our customers, and we aim to provide the best service we can. We give sound advice, are empowered to take decisions within the branch and we aim to deliver solutions to match our customers' needs.'
When most banks and many building societies are rapidly contracting their vast branch networks, in that respect, the Swedish Handelsbanken stands out in the UK as being different. Their 'traditional values' claim might even give the impression of the fictional bank manager Captain Manwaring, offering his customers a sherry. It does seem strange that one bank should appear to operate in a very different way from the majority.
However, when looking a little closer, it is not quite like Walmington-on-Sea at all.
Arrive at a branch, possibly an office in multi-occupancy block, and you are faced with a locked door and a bell push.
The 'best full-service banking' claim does slip somewhat, if you want to pay cash in to your current account, or withdraw cash.
"Find a Post Office" and join the queue.
Want to pay in cheques to your Handlesbank current account. "Find a branch of NatWest and deposit your cheques over the counter".
If any PHers reading this, do have a Handlesbank account, perhaps you can tell us how well you are being looked after, what are the benefits, and from a customers point of view, how different from the main-stream UK banks their service actually is.
Our local HB is (or was when I last checked) staffed mostly by redundant HSBC staff.
They ARE based in a low-rent office / business centre. There IS a bell push.
Twice we were invited in to speak to them about doing business that we later established they had no intention of doing.
We asked them for a quote to handle our current account banking. Their quote was on a par with a Ferrari on PCP, a serious coke habit and a Russian prostitute as a girlfriend.
So, ostensibly a solution to the banks who are closing branches. In reality, an organisation without the substance they like to project.
Jon39 said:
If any PHers reading this, do have a Handlesbank account, perhaps you can tell us how well you are being looked after, what are the benefits, and from a customers point of view, how different from the main-stream UK banks their service actually is.
Being kind, I suspect much seems to depend on the individual branch but I would recommend a friend looked elsewhere.
LooneyTunes said:
Jon39 said:
If any PHers reading this, do have a Handlesbank account, perhaps you can tell us how well you are being looked after, what are the benefits, and from a customers point of view, how different from the main-stream UK banks their service actually is.
Being kind, I suspect much seems to depend on the individual branch but I would recommend a friend looked elsewhere.
Simpo Two said:
Jon39 said:
Want to pay in cheques to your Handlesbank current account. "Find a branch of NatWest and deposit your cheques over the counter".
Can you post it to them? An envelope, paying-in slip and stamp may seem like well old granddad etc but it's probably the most efficient way.Yes John, I think that is one option they permit for their customers, assuming they trust (that famous saying) cheques in the post.
But isn't a bank saying go to the Post Office and NatWest, the same as Aston Martin saying, "Our dealers don't do servicing, but we have made arrangements, so you can go to Kwik Fit for all your service requirements?
An envelope and stamp (1st class £1-10
) is not the most efficient way though. During the pandemic I was paying in cheques to a mainstream bank account, without even leaving home. We are in the 21st century now. Simple with electronics. Well they do close branches they closed mine and merged with the next branch last year.
The typical feedback you'll see with HB is that your experience will depend on your account manager. We started out with an amazing one who was above and beyond really exceptional guy. Then we got one that was the opposite in fact absolutely useless now we have a decent one again. They are in the main a business bank and probably won't have much appetite for civilian accounts. Again this can depend on the branch.
They are good to deal with in most ways certainly in terms of getting hold of someone we deal with a lot of high value time critical payments so I don't have time to be on hold and we never are.
Lending can be a chore the local decision making is a bit smoke and mirrors we had to wait on a very very small commercial loan to be approved by head office.
Overall though they are very good way better than any high street bank. Coutts for poor people I call them. Can be tricky getting a foot in the door I was introduced by one of their customers rather than going in cold.
The typical feedback you'll see with HB is that your experience will depend on your account manager. We started out with an amazing one who was above and beyond really exceptional guy. Then we got one that was the opposite in fact absolutely useless now we have a decent one again. They are in the main a business bank and probably won't have much appetite for civilian accounts. Again this can depend on the branch.
They are good to deal with in most ways certainly in terms of getting hold of someone we deal with a lot of high value time critical payments so I don't have time to be on hold and we never are.
Lending can be a chore the local decision making is a bit smoke and mirrors we had to wait on a very very small commercial loan to be approved by head office.
Overall though they are very good way better than any high street bank. Coutts for poor people I call them. Can be tricky getting a foot in the door I was introduced by one of their customers rather than going in cold.
Edited by fridaypassion on Saturday 2nd December 08:03
fridaypassion said:
Overall though they are very good way better than any high street bank. Coutts for poor people I call them.
I don’t bank with them, but they’re a client of mine in other countries - Coutts for poor people is a neat tag line. 
My understanding is they deal with the “mass affluent” sector - people who need and want more than “just” a high street bank (and are willing to pay for it), but who aren’t yet ready for or don’t qualify for private banking from someone like Coutts. If you want someone who’s not closing branches, Nationwide have been advertising exactly that recently: https://www.nationwide.co.uk/about-us/branch-promi...
Whether that’s because they’ve already closed all the branches they needed to or not I couldn’t say!
I think it can be a bit hard to get out of them what they do want I have known a few people that have attended an "interview" and then been refused an account a lot of the online reviews reflect this they are certainly more business focussed though obviously that's where they make a decent amount out of the transaction fees. It would probably help them if they were a bit more transparent about exactly what the entry requirements are.
They do lend but usually at 50% LTV so they are a bit hit and miss depending what you want. You probably aren't going to build a BTL empire with them but if you have a bit of a portfolio they can lend looking across all your assets which is pretty good as they might do lending without actually having a deposit on the specific property via commercial loan route rather than mortgage this is what I did with my own premises (although we only borrowed 40%) So there is flexibility there that a high street bank just wouldn't be able to do.
Some of the properties we have looked at they actually want direct input which can be good if they get a boner for a particular site but can work the other way if they don't see what you see in something.
Overall I'm happy with them I wouldn't want to go to a normal bank and due to the ease of contacting them to sort issues out I'm happy to pay a premium on the fees and get that enhanced level of service. The lending side in these tougher times might well now be easier but in the middle of the Covid boom they still had a very very reserved approach to lending they are extremely conservative.
They do lend but usually at 50% LTV so they are a bit hit and miss depending what you want. You probably aren't going to build a BTL empire with them but if you have a bit of a portfolio they can lend looking across all your assets which is pretty good as they might do lending without actually having a deposit on the specific property via commercial loan route rather than mortgage this is what I did with my own premises (although we only borrowed 40%) So there is flexibility there that a high street bank just wouldn't be able to do.
Some of the properties we have looked at they actually want direct input which can be good if they get a boner for a particular site but can work the other way if they don't see what you see in something.
Overall I'm happy with them I wouldn't want to go to a normal bank and due to the ease of contacting them to sort issues out I'm happy to pay a premium on the fees and get that enhanced level of service. The lending side in these tougher times might well now be easier but in the middle of the Covid boom they still had a very very reserved approach to lending they are extremely conservative.
fridaypassion said:
I think it can be a bit hard to get out of them what they do want I have known a few people that have attended an "interview" and then been refused an account a lot of the online reviews reflect this they are certainly more business focussed though obviously that's where they make a decent amount out of the transaction fees. It would probably help them if they were a bit more transparent about exactly what the entry requirements are.
They do lend but usually at 50% LTV so they are a bit hit and miss depending what you want. You probably aren't going to build a BTL empire with them but if you have a bit of a portfolio they can lend looking across all your assets which is pretty good as they might do lending without actually having a deposit on the specific property via commercial loan route rather than mortgage this is what I did with my own premises (although we only borrowed 40%) So there is flexibility there that a high street bank just wouldn't be able to do.
Some of the properties we have looked at they actually want direct input which can be good if they get a boner for a particular site but can work the other way if they don't see what you see in something.
Overall I'm happy with them I wouldn't want to go to a normal bank and due to the ease of contacting them to sort issues out I'm happy to pay a premium on the fees and get that enhanced level of service. The lending side in these tougher times might well now be easier but in the middle of the Covid boom they still had a very very reserved approach to lending they are extremely conservative.
We have had two commercial finance relationships which brought with them FOC premier banking, in effect. One with Yorkshire Bank and one with CoOp Commercial. Okay, both imploded, but whilst it lasted we could get whatever we wanted with one call to our local office.They do lend but usually at 50% LTV so they are a bit hit and miss depending what you want. You probably aren't going to build a BTL empire with them but if you have a bit of a portfolio they can lend looking across all your assets which is pretty good as they might do lending without actually having a deposit on the specific property via commercial loan route rather than mortgage this is what I did with my own premises (although we only borrowed 40%) So there is flexibility there that a high street bank just wouldn't be able to do.
Some of the properties we have looked at they actually want direct input which can be good if they get a boner for a particular site but can work the other way if they don't see what you see in something.
Overall I'm happy with them I wouldn't want to go to a normal bank and due to the ease of contacting them to sort issues out I'm happy to pay a premium on the fees and get that enhanced level of service. The lending side in these tougher times might well now be easier but in the middle of the Covid boom they still had a very very reserved approach to lending they are extremely conservative.
I wonder whether there is a similar relationship we can start up with another bank. I don't think HB would be the first choice though.
Simpo Two said:
Jon39 said:
Want to pay in cheques to your Handlesbank current account. "Find a branch of NatWest and deposit your cheques over the counter".
Can you post it to them? An envelope, paying-in slip and stamp may seem like well old granddad etc but it's probably the most efficient way.eliot said:
Simpo Two said:
Jon39 said:
Want to pay in cheques to your Handlesbank current account. "Find a branch of NatWest and deposit your cheques over the counter".
Can you post it to them? An envelope, paying-in slip and stamp may seem like well old granddad etc but it's probably the most efficient way.GT03ROB said:
eliot said:
Simpo Two said:
Jon39 said:
Want to pay in cheques to your Handlesbank current account. "Find a branch of NatWest and deposit your cheques over the counter".
Can you post it to them? An envelope, paying-in slip and stamp may seem like well old granddad etc but it's probably the most efficient way.Glosphil said:
Nationwide have pledged not to close any branches until at least the end of 2024. They have staffed branches with all the banking services and a decent website for online banking.
They have no branch near here, otherwise we'd try them. Not that we NEED a branch, but we'd support a "local" bank. I also have not hear any bad stories about them.Glosphil said:
Nationwide have pledged not to close any branches until at least the end of 2024. They have staffed branches with all the banking services and a decent website for online banking.
I do still have some accounts with that shower, never need to visit a branch though.
Each time that I log on, I am reminded that I ought to move the money, because the interest rates are hopeless.
They must be thrilled to have customers who never get round to checking market savings rates.
It is reflected in their profits.
They have an unwieldy arrangement of having to first move money from a savings account to a current account, before it can be withdrawn. Wonder how many of their current accounts have just a 10 pence balance, purely to keep the account open?
Presumably without a current account, no other money can be withdrawn.
Gassing Station | Finance | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff