Okay. I'm pissed off. My debit card gets stolen, Barclays stop that, fair enough, they send me a new one which arrives yesterday, I sign it, think no problem. I try to use it an hour later, declined. I call Barclays, get told you've been using it. When I got it in the post an hour ago at that point and was using it for the first time. They then say they're going to block the card if I use it. I can see their point, but blocking a non used card and locking me out of online banking...WTF?

Of course I use it, I use it to pay for food, games, gas bill, etc. Which they usually have no problem with (STEAM excepted)

ARGH! Great, Now I get an e-mail saying that my card use (i.e. nothing) was 'outside your normal spending patterns'. This, bearing in mind times when I've not used my card at all for a few months.

Also they never sent the fraud forms out, then when I called to enquire, said I must be mistaken/lying. Despite my parents also confirming no forms were in the post.

And don't get me STARTED on customer service....I mean disservice!

So vote with your feet. My gf's sister does promo work for Barclays every now and again, and commented that they've spent millions renovating their branches (6 grand for a CHAIR?) but still offer fairly crap interest rates. And despite them losing $1.5 billion in the market, their CEO took a lovely £15 million bonus.

That's what sites like Money Saving Expert exist for!

I recently switched to the Bank of Scotland's Reward account, so I get a fiver from them every month. My wages cover the minimum required deposit to qualify - score! I've also never had a problem with Halifax or BOS customer service (which appear to be UK-based too).

Hah, my old man left Barclays when he put his card in the machine at the bank and it came out in several pieces.

Actually, now that you mention that, the only time my card has ever been eaten by a machine was at a Barclays. Hmm. It just stole it, said there was an error and then went out of order. I had to sit in that branch for about an hour before someone came to help me out.

Heh, I'm switching in two days...

go LLoyds TSB

3 Years with Barclays - No problems

Mom 8 years with Barclays - No problems

Apart when a lot of people in our area got a lot of money stolen from their cards. My mom included. But the money was given back couple weeks later with no problems.

HBOS hasn't let me or my family down for years. I would go with them.

Banks wouldn't fight for your loyalty so I don't see why you should stick with them based on it - as Dajmin said look on MSE for the best current account and switch!

(as you can see very few people actually switch based on what money they'll get which is quite sad really...)

I switched to the co-operative bank a couple of years back, from Barclays. Mainly because they don't use your money to stomp on people in the third world for profit like all the other banks do.

+1 for the Coop!!
Been with them for 5 years now, and never had the slightest problem..REAL people at the end of the phone that give the impression that they really want to help..great service, and as previously stated, they dont waste your money on "suspect" overseas schemes!