What would make you switch current account?

Over the years, I’ve switched dozens of times, mainly the ‘old-fashioned’ way (ie before this new ‘7-day switching service’ came in).

In recent years I’ve switched for many of the £100 to £150 bonuses that banks will give you, as well as for higher interest rates (commonly 4% to 6%). But I’ve still kept my ‘main’ account in the same place, partly for continuity and partly because it works OK.

Without ‘switching’, I would certainly be a few thousand pounds worse off and it’s all been no hassle at all. I can definitely recommend it.

I have switched, easily, trouble free and at a profit several times. Why stay with a bank that insults long term loyal customers by rewarding new customers with deals? The days are gone when we knew our local Bank Manager, at least by sight, and were able to discuss any situation that required his/her help. At that time we paid 1% above Bank Rate for loans and received interest on our savings of 1% below Bank Rate. Now banks pay pathetically low interest rates, typically less than 1%, whilst charging us typically 18.9% for loaning us another depositor’s cash! It’s a whole new, offensive ball-game. Without depositors the bank could not operate. It has no money. It borrows yours, the investor, the saver, and makes huge profits for virtually no returns. It also lowers its operating costs considerably when customers subscribe to on-line banking and manage and print their own account information at their own cost. Yes, switch whenever possible for a good deal; keep them on their toes, use social media to highlight your banking concerns – it works well!

I have banked with B……….. for 50 years plus, and never had any reason to complain. However, when I asked my local Bank manager why the bank didn’t want to compete with banks paying interest on current accounts, he just shrugged and said ‘ if you want interest, you’ll have to change banks, won’t you ?’
I am therefore considering switching, but feel it is unusual to say the least to be urged to do so by my own bank !

I’ve had a current account for 50 years. In this time I’ve switched twice. The first time about 20 years ago (to a Which best buy provider), and the second time about 10 years ago. As others have said, I have never been entirely happy with service offered by the banks. What usually happens is that there is an accumulation of niggles that build up until a final niggle “breaks the camel’s back” and I switch to a new provider. The problem is that current accounts are still very much a sellers market. The banks feel their customers are privileged to be banking with them, and treat them accordingly. I can’t see this attitude changing any time soon.

I’ve not been sufficiently dissatisfied with my energy supplier to switch, and in any case I’m not convinced any small pecuniary advantage in doing so wouldn’t soon be overtaken by events. When it comes to banks, however, I did earlier this year leave NatWest after many decades. My financial affairs being relatively simple, I wasn’t that dissatisfied with them either. Except that they pay no interest, whereas TSB pays 5% on up to £2,000 subject to a few simple conditions, so I switched to them and have not been disappointed. The switching process was very smooth and I had to do very little.