I just don't like them

Although I'm still banking with them, I don't know why. You can never get to speak to anyone easily and they have a very bad telephone system. And there everyone works in another country!

I have had no problems

I see all these bad reviews but mine has been fine. The good thing is the customer service and the online banking is the easiest one out of the banks I have used to far but there could be less clutter.

Very secure as I have soooo many security questions and pins.

Kicking you while you're down! :o/

I've been busy looking after both myerly parents and as I'm self employed this has hit hard - I forgot my Equity Union fees were going out of my account and went £1.96 overdrawn. Just opened a statement with a notification that I will be charged £112 charges for going overdrawn!!!

What a rip off!

Seeing as I have little money coming in that account I will obviously go overdrawn again and so expect I'll get another clobbering to the tune of £112. What a disgusting rip off practice. Many friends and family warned me about the terrible reputation of this global fat cat company - I really should have listened!
This review site want a star ratting but won't let me give no stars - or a minus star reveiw, lol!

This review site could do with a minus star rating, lol!

Good customer service and very good website

Have been with the Bank for over 20 years as what they call a Premium customer. Very occasionally I have not been 100% impressed with them, but I would say that generally they are a very competent outfit. Their website works very well. Last year I opened a business account and so far everything has gone well. (They called me back when I registered my interest in a business account. Lloyds TSB and Nat West did not bother to return my calls.) The only situations where I have not been impressed is when I have encountered a member of staff who 1.) is not fully aware of what can or cannot be done, 2.) needs training in how to deal with the public or 3.) is in a call centre in India and talks to me like I am an imbecile. In general the staff I deal with in the UK are polite, helpful and diligent.

Ex customer

I banked with these crooks for around 20 years, little did I know they were shifting money for drug cartels in South America. I closed my accounts yesterday, as I walked into the York branch there was 3 employees stood in the main foyer just chatting, holding there so important clip boards. No thanks HSBC not anymore, I'm not paying into your bull s*** anymore.

Rubbish Service

I visited the branch inArgyle Street today. What a terrible service. All I wanted to pay was some bills that had to be paid into this bank. They have loud music blasting. A lot of Employees walking around with bottles of water in their hands chatting to each other. Had to wait in queue for over 40 minuets even though only a few customers were in the queue. Thank God I don't have a account in this branch.

One word - Pricks

All I have to say, I was recently scammed about £600 from a con artist (who is in prison now by the way).

When this happened, I asked them for advice on what to do, and on the lovely outsourced to India phone line to which I couldn't understand a single word of what the operator was saying "This is YOUR fault, you need to sort this out YOURSELF, since you paid with a bank transfer, we can't offer you anything".

I was nothing but nice, and kind about this, I asked them if there was anything I could do, reporting it to whoever, contacting the bank the money went to, what exactly could I do in my situation "Work it out for yourself, it's your fault you lost your money" is what I was told over and over again.

Well, congratulations you utter pricks, you've now lost a user of 5 years, and I recently set up a business account to which will be closed very soon :) all I did was ask for advice, not for my money back, learn to listen.

Stop outsourcing to illiterate and ill-spoken Indian call centres, it's ridiculous. That just added insult to injury.

Why can't I give zero stars?

I've had the misfortune of dealing with HSBC for many years and once in a blue moon, when you ring them, you'll get through to a call centre in the UK and you might find your call is dealt with satisfactorily.

Unfortunately the majority of the time your call/web note/email ends up being dealt with in some third world backwater by people who couldn't give a stuff about your enquiry. It's almost like they know they're having to deal with your request because HSBC are misers and not because they have anything that could be remotely interpreted as people skills.

Appaling, revolting, crap

This is a pathetic bank providing a pathetic service to costumers. Honestly, how can we trust a call from someone speaking as fast as they can with an accent only they understand, on a Saturday (!) prompting you to confirm all your card details to them? I can hardly believe HSBC contacts their costumers this way, but yes, they do.
To top it off, this is the 3rd or 4th time within a year that my card is blocked due to "suspicious transactions" (such as £20 cash withdrawals in the shopping centre, £16 payment to Abel & Cole - suspicious indeed!) and I am told that my card has been cloned. So, what's all that "security" about? The 3 passwords, numbers and the tacky calculator? For a guy to call you from wherever and tell you that your card has been cloned AGAIN?
The "excellent" costumer service have offered me a new card, but I've had bad experiences the other many times my card was blocked and cloned and I don't know what else. HSBC sent one of the cards to another address once, on another occasion they 'forgot about it' and I had to call and remind them it had been 15 days I was waiting for my card and then when they did, the card was broken right on the magnetic strip (I think they have a strange sense of humour there).
I'm fed up. It's been long 3 years and it's high time I had gone banking somewhere else. That's what I'm doing right now.

used to like them

Now I don't true them. This Mexican scandal is incredible. I thought they were the last trustworthy bank in the world...

Thieves... breaking the whole system down.

Longterm Customer, Not very happy right now....

I've been with HSBC since it was Midland Bank PLC! It was where my Dad took me to open my first bank account when I was just a child.

At the beginning of June I was able to successfully log into my current account via the online portal they have. No problems.... come the end of the Month, my online access is no longer in place. Several failed attempts to access my account resulted in the account becoming blocked. So I've called the Customer Services and the person on the end of the phone can't tell me why my account is no longer accessible online. She can see there has been an instruction to remove the service.... but it didn't come from ME - the account holder, and just so you know, I run a pretty good account! Anyway, I'm given the option to go into a branch to pick up one of their security devices to access the online service or have it sent out to me. OK, but still doesn't answer the question - Why was my access removed in the first place. I await the response from their "investigations team". Not impressed.

Abysmal

My experience suggests that after years of good relationship with a Premier account holding, the final outcome has been disastrous on changing to a new branch.

It continued with a litany of errors for years without my knowledge only to be discovered by accident. It admits its mistake and failing in its customer charter but refuses to return my money sent to a third party through negligence. Even the third party has refunded a portion that is permissible within the statutory limits. All that HSBC provides is verbal diarrhoea. It has been one and a half years now.

I live overseas and planning a trip to the UK so that I can sue the bank for refusing to return my money with interest, all costs as well as loss of income due to attendance.

Good Reliable Bank

Been with HSBC 20+ years now and would love to give them 5 stars but over the years i have a few issues though they have got sorted eventually. But saying that they have looked after me when i've needed a loan or two. I would love to have everything handled by HSBC like mortgage, insurances but there just slightly of the competitive side of things, fingers crossed for the future

Disgusting!

After taking financial strain we called HSBC for help. They declined. Then we called some months later to sort out a payment plan. They declined. All the while we were being charged over draft fees and interest.
In the last 12 months we have paid over £2000 which if we hadn't paid we wouldn't been in the financial situation we now are in. I feel it is disgusting that we are expected to pay the charges but when we are transparent about our predicament and ask for help we are told no. They were not willing to help except send us to a debt management website.
The website suggested we ask the bank for a payment plan. ..... Which we had already done. Ironic.
HSBC are brilliant to start. I see why they could post a £11 billion pre-tax profit. They abuse their customers!

HSBC Website - Always easy to use.

I find the HSBC website the easiest of the banks to use for onilne banking. Having moved from Natwest and from using Barclays for my business banking I can say I find HSBC without doubt the easiest of the major banks and the one offering most online support if you need it.

Ok!

Ordered a new bank card as mine snapped recieved it 3 days later in the post was awaiting a new pin to come which never did after ringing them i found out I wouldn't recieve a new one. Which was fine just wished they would have told be before hand.

Very hard to understand anyone as they seem to be located everywhere but england!

Still have not be able to sort out an issue with the ammount i caan withdraw per day either. Been 'sent' out forms that have never arrived.

The worlds local bank, answering your call in pakistan or wherever

Can't understand a word they mumble. They talk over you. Rude. Very rude. And now their internet banking requires you to carry with you a tacky kiddie calculator to gain access, made in china and works for a few minutes before dying, that's if it even turns on in the first place. Ask them to revert back to the non-secure key era as they have alienated so many customers with it and their answer is "since you have made a complaint regarding the secure key we will be de-activating your access to the service within 60 days". Well done the Listening Bank that was - now deaf! Glad to leave you.

Fabi Anna found this review useful

Over charge for everything

HSBC bank

Used to be the best bank in the world when I was a student. After 3 £150 charges I nolonger bank with them. The branches are always closed, the customer services are Indian (so I can understand nothing they say) The charges are unexplained and exceptionally high. Poor service all round.

Very unhelpful

My son has an account with them. When they allowed him to accidentally overdraw they charged him heavily. He applied for an overdraft facility and they turned him down. His charges total £225 for a six week period. He is a student with a part time job earning around £200 per month. How can he be expected to get out of that trap while they charge him more than half of his monthly earnings in charges? He is now dead against ever doing business with HSBC once he is in full time employment.

No Hassle!

HSBC has provided banking that is to be expected. You want a place to store your finances, have access, and easy management for payments etc. They do all that and also the couple times I called up their Customer services were hassle free, got through to and Advisor in a decent amount of time, they were helpful and had very good product knowledge. I have heard of other banks customer service as utter nightmares, but it has been good here, and I don't dread having to call up if I need to!

Absolutely fabulous service

HSBC is a bank that cares about their customers. They are committed to your growth.

Great Bank

Online banking is second to none (don't like the new secure token you have to carry around with you but that is life I suppose).

Rarely have a problem with them and their £12 a month advance account is great value (inc. breakdown cover and travel insurance).

Would recommend.

very bad bank

they closed my account without any reason, I requested to transfer my ISA to another bank, but they just closed the account. Also charged me £190 for early withdrawal of the saving account(by their decision).

Also HSBC online banking is not safe, they do not use safe device, which caused lots of accounts hacked.

andrew and Fabi Anna found this review useful

hi my name is greg and i am indian, yeah right!

spent a great deal of my life talking to indians like greg who in the end cannot help you and transfer you. STOP USING INDIAN CALL CENTRES, ALL YOU DO IS WING US UP!

Jason found this review useful

nightmare setting up a bank account

after spending over 30 mins with someone in the bank and taking all my details down and advising of previous address etc, i get a letter in the post to give the same info again - called up (no option for new customers without bank details) to complain told to call back another day as branch now closed. delaying the whole process in setting up the account. seeing there ads on tv and the real service you get is somewhat different. week 2 and still waiting for confirmation on my new account to be set up. think i will be banking elsewhere in the long run as a result.

Poor

15 years I have been with them. THEY locked me out of my account and over drew me, I got a £150 charge - which they refuse to refund. ALl the operators are in India - can hardly speak English, a disgrace!

Fabi Anna found this review useful