First Direct Current Account Review

Overall Rating

Am I the only one who thinks First Direct is rubbish?

Strange and confusing business practices
Call centre hell. Nightmare to get to grips with.

I switched to a First Direct Current Account two years ago, just after I started a new job.

I am very disappointed with the whole experience, and I feel First Direct are confusing and difficult to work with, and frankly rubbish.

Just a few of the problems I encountered:

1) First Direct debit cards have the longest number EVER. 18 numbers vs. 12 on most cards.

2) Your account number is inconveniently hidden in the card number (not to be confused with a second card number, also written on the front of the card). It took me ages to work this out, and no-one ever explained it to me.

3) After hooking you with a £50 freebie, unless you specifically asked for it at the beginning, you are not entitled to any overdraft. I had to put down a deposit for a flat at this time, despite the fact I had a £1500 overdraft on the Barclays account I had just closed, First Direct refused me any overdraft. They did however cynically offer me a credit card instead. I would imagine this happens a lot.

4) I now have a large balance c. £2000. However, First Direct is inconveniently routinely rejected for no apparent reason. Probably something to do with the ridiculous card numbers.

5) You are not as welcome at HSBC branches as you would think. Every time you go there you have to telephone the First Direct call centre to get authorisation. This becomes a real drag, unless you happen to like call centres.

6) When you call the First Direct call centre. There are about 80 levels of security: passwords, mothers maiden names, memorable addresses etc, etc ad finitum. It is as if you were trying to get into Fort Knox. I have genuinely never experienced anything like it. And remember, if you EVER forget or get one of these codes slightly wrong, you enter call centre hell.

7) If you ever order a statement it takes AGES. They say 5 to 8 days, but don't count on it.

8) The internet banking, like everything else at First Direct is difficult to get used to and confusing. In fact, I believe it is worse than the system at Barclays, which was not exactly user friendly.

First Direct claim to be a modern efficient e-bank. In fact, it is a call centre masquerading as a bank. I do not rate the service! In fact, I think it is pretty poor, and I also found their practices very odd and difficult to get to grips with.

I can see no reason for moving to First Direct, as all banks now have an internet service. The only difference being, First Direct does not have a high street bank (although they could easily afford one given the amount of fees you pay), and if you naively think you are an HSBC customer like I did, you are wrong. You are about as welcome as a fart.

If you must take the plunge, make sure they give you an overdraft, because once they have their claws into you, your old account is but a memory, and if you do need an overdraft you will only have recourse to an FD credit card.

Members' Comments ontastyle19's Review

• James rc on 23rd Apr 2009

  >> "First Direct claim to be a modern efficient e-bank. In fact, it is a call centre masquerading as a bank." <<
  
  That one sentence by tastyle19 is genius. It PERFECTLY sums up First Direct.
  
  They are all about the phone banking service, while their appalling on-line internet banking facility is left to fester, totally neglected.
  
  Someone should tell First Direct it's not the 1990's any more.