First Direct lose 20, 000 customers

[Nattie]

FT.com / Companies / Financial services - Almost 20,000 close First Direct accounts
and additional article
FT.com / Companies / Financial services - Customer service comes at a cost

[Tempty]

Makes for interesting reading, tis a little worrying though! First Direct have gone after a specific customer type and were not worried about losing the customers that were in effect dead to the bank. Great all sounds simple enough....... if you have 1,500 available to pay into an account to start with that is!!!

First direct were'nt bothered about losing the little people! in fact I'd say that's what they wanted.....I'm sure all the big high street banks would love to do the same...... and there's my worry!! I don't come anywhere even close to that amount each month, I would'nt be allowed to have a credit card on the amount's I've got coming into my account each month.... even if I wanted one.. (i dont).. so ....because I'm low income (along with most of the south) not only do I have to struggle to pay the bills each month... I now have to pay to bank..... something I can't avoid doing......everyone needs a bank account these days. talk about punish the poor reward the rich.

I can see it coming though.......and it sucks!!
Temptyxx

[StoneLaughter]

I was going to close my last First Direct account; but there are no strings to the "...use another product of ours..." clause. I opened a savings account, put £10 into it, and I still get free banking...

[iancognito]

I managed to get round the charge rather conveniently when A&L closed my account after my claim. I rate FD very highly (even tho I have had a charges claim against them) I still recommend them to people looking for a parachute account, although obviously this policy stops some people opening an account.