First Direct
Reviews and Complaints

First Direct and HSBC Group are the very worse UK banks.

The appalling service where unlike all other Banks you have no face time with anyone!

Treated appallingly from the very start with First Direct when switching over to it, felt like a criminal and engaged with the Financial Ombudsman over its appalling behaviors towards me.

This went down hill and things worsened.

Found staff deliberately indifferent at best and when I had to collect large sums of money I ordered from First Direct to collect at HSBC Leeds they got it wrong.

I was treated at the Leeds HSBC counter as a disabled man waiting on my Crutches in pain like a Liar about what I had ordered through its sister bank First Direct!

The CEO never responds to customers emails and is allusive as its customer service quality.

Not a bank anyone would sanely bank with they simply do not care and retaliate should you dare have the financial ombudsman involved by closing your account! As I found !

Better off with any other bank than First Direct and Its sister company HSBC Group!

First Direct Leeds. Worst account opening department ever!
Opening an account with First Direct appeared reasonable, NOT!

Here is what happened with their 'Account Opening team' Made to Feel like a Criminal! Belittled!

At approx 13:19 PM I had a Call from A_ _ _ First Direct Leeds Account Opening Team who made me feel that being pensioned was bad, Derogatory in some way.
This A_ _ _ even Curtly said “We Don't give just ANYONE an account” as if I was a No one.

Their Online application facility does not allow one to describe the details of one’s pension Only that one is on a ‘pension’.

Feeling Surprised at the way I was treated what felt like belittlement I asked to speak to her manager and spoke to eventually a C S_ _ _ _ Supervisor for Accounts Opening Leeds First direct. I expressed my deep concerns on how I was made to feel that I had never been made to feel before.

I was only requesting a Visa Debit, No Credit facility and a Basic account and yet I was made to feel like a third class citizen. I did Not feel it their business to ask what I did Abroad Years ago!

I felt grieved that the words used was so readily dismissed by this Supervisor I asked to be put through to complaints and spoke to a J_ at Accounts Opening First Direct approx 14:32 PM Who Refused point blank to give me her full name.

She again dismissed my concerns and said she would look into it and call me back but Registered my Complaint.

I called this J_ at Leeds Accounts Opening back after Our conversation with You the Financial Ombudsman 15:10 PM I called her Directly back after Our Conversation at approx 15:15 PM hoping for a change in Tone, a more professional dialogue and it went from worse to worse. She further Exasperated this terrible treatment making it worse.

She said “Everything you said would be what a Criminal would say!”

Then when we discussed my Pension I said it was Not from a Criminal element it was legally from the UK. Also that I would be glad to tell them that you said that.

She said when I completed the online form I put ‘Pension’ I said it is NOT my fault that Your Online facility does not allow us to do anything But scroll down to ‘Pension’ and why was that?

Why don’t you allow me to attach even my Scanned Pension Document or give me space to show this? They could of Requested such information without treating me like a Criminal and second class citizens.

I said I was disgusted in the way she made me feel and to say to me Everything you said would be what a Criminal would say.

Then out of the Blue she said “Do you have any Contacts with the USA?!” I said in shock "No!" why would you throw such a question? Curve ball at me out of the blue like that?
This is about my Complaint and this J_ asked me yet more Impertinent questions!

I was made to feel like a Criminal, intimidated for Daring to complain, Made to feel as if I was a Criminal element by her deliberate dialogue and for what? Daring to complain?

This is utterly disgusting I have never been made to feel so abused, so Defamed, So Belittled by any bank before and certainly Not treated as a Customer in any way possible.

It is Not my fault they do not have the facility to enable me to send legitimate legal Pension Documents, and have such a poor Online application facility which makes them treat me with contempt and Suspicion as a Criminal.

I too have been badly let down by this company, having moved house after 3 emergency hospital admissions, only to find 3 days later that my sale had fallen through. This company promises to find another investor to purchase if so, but as litigation proceedings have been taken out against them to stop them trading under that name, this won't be possible. Neverthless, their documents state that a full refund of payment will be given if the sale collapses. I am a pensioner and had paid them over £1, 000 in good faith as requested when they had found me a buyer, trusting them to fulfil their side of the deal if this collapsed. Now I am in a desperate financial state.

I am attempting to sell my house and First Direct Investments said they had lined up a buyer. I paid a valuation fee of 118 pounds and fortunately, only half of the finder's fee of 400 pounds. Now first direct investments have stopped trading and I have uncovered that fact that this company have been ripping people off for a while.
Please what should i do to get my money back.

thanks
My name is Chigbo.
My email is [protected]@yahoo.com