Hi,

Has anyone had issues with Lloyds TSB business banking?

I’ve had a trio of events which has led to me closing my Lloyds TSB account and moving to Abbey.

Communication seems to be an issue, plus changing my business manager five times in the past four months. Taking ridiculous amounts of money from the account for business charges.

Would be interested to hear if other people have had problems, or if it’s just a local issue.

Darren

Answer:Hi Darren,

Personally, I am quite happy with them. Having said that, our Business Manager has recently changed and we haven’t heard from the new one yet. Our old one used to phone quite frequently.

It could be a local issue, but probably more to do with the fact that you have had no continuity. I think all the Banks have their own issues and are much of a muchness. You will always have customers who are unhappy whoever you bank with.

I hope things improve for you.

Caroline

Answer:Thanks Caroline.

I think what tipped me over the edge was when they closed the branch and didn’t notify me – I’ve moved since I created the account, and have to get two buses. Arrived to find the windows whitewashed and a new sarnie shop opening up in it’s place!

I know I’m having a whinge, just needed to get it off my chest :)

Answer:I know I’m having a whinge, just needed to get it off my chest :)

You whinge away…or should that be ‘rant’?;)

Awful that a lot of local amenities are closing down. Post Offices are disappearing at a rate of knots too. I can quite understand your frustration. Still at least you are still on a bus route!

Caroline

Answer:hi

i have just moved from lloyds too, although the branch staff were great my business manager never returned calls, was obviously looking after too many clients, every visit or conversation was like a new introduction.

i have just moved to barcleys who at the moment seem a lot better but time will tell.

on the flip side i do know people with no complaints so i think its a matter of personal experience.

now its time to get rid of the poor accountants who are just as bad….

Answer:Caroline, oh I love ranting too :D

Neil, interesting, I was having the same problem with the business manager.

Good to read other peoples experiences :)

Answer:We had the same problem, were very disillusioned but now very happy with Natwest. We had same problem with frequently changing managers who simply could not get to know each business well enough to do any good.
Answer:I run my bank account so I don’t need credit, just need an account to receive & send BACs payments, clear the odd cheque, with a cash/payment card.

I keep a reasonable float in the current account (typical 30 day spend) and any extra is kept in a high interest account. (Both accounts pay interest and there are never any bank charges.

Branch not required, and a good internet facility is essential.

Since doing this and picking the account on this basis, I never have any problems – I don’t pay bank charges, and don’t need to talk to anyone….

Answer:My business manager has never rung me!

Most of the time I find Lloyds ok. My two biggest grumbles are both internet banking related.. one is that you can’t change the payee reference. You have to delete the payee and start again but this takes 3 days to set up?! The second is that when you are transferring money from your personal account it takes 4 days to get across to the business account held in the same branch!

I wouldn’t touch Barclays with a barge pole (used to work for them) but as has already been mentioned all banks are pretty similar and everyone seems to have different experiences.

Answer:Neil

Interesting as I have just moved the other way, to Lloyds from Barclays.

My new manager is permanently available as opposed to the invisible man from Barclays, she refers me to her start ups, and just as importantly is a pleasure to deal with.

I think it’s a local issue – some are good some are not in all of the big banks. Once I established that I wanted to go with Lloyds and liked my manager my first question was how long had she been at the bank, was she going anywhere and if so who would look after me? Having one person who you know and trust who is always available for your call is a must.

Answer:I am with Lloyds and the business manager is a friend of mine which is why I opened the account. Well saying that my business manager has also changed so many times I actually not sure who it is now but I always refer back to my friend when wanting anything.

I was with Barclays before and the manager is a ***ck. I was with them for 17 years, and was mis-sold some computer software which they denied was mis-sold – it was. I had a personal account and business account which money was always paid into at least weekly AND i always stayed within the overdraft limit. A new manager took over and I had a standard letter saying this and he would introduce himself to me soon. Well next day he did, and included that he wanted the 2 overdrafts of £2,000 paid backwithin a week otherwise legal action would be taken against me!!!! 17 years and this.

So Lloyds now, but I must say that Barclays internet banking was much better. I have a personal account and business account with Lloyds and they can not be linked like Barclays. So to make a transfer is like making a bacs payment which takes a few days. Also setting up some payments take a day and can not be done instantly.

I don’t think this is just related to the internet but more the way Lloyds are set up. I proved this once when I tried to make a payment from my business account to go overseas in the branch and I did not have enough. So I sad transfer the money from my personal account to my business account. She did this. I said so pay it now. She said she could not – money takes 24 hours to show. So I said ok I will take it out of my personal account then and do it someway else. She said I had no money in personal account. Well i did a minute ago when I transferred it so now its not in my personal account or business account, so where is it? She looked, hunched her shoulders and said I don’t know?

Derren

Answer:About four months ago I was with LloydsTSB but I left due to my business manager changing and never being local. I moved to Natwest (where I’ve had a personal account for ten years) and quickly incurred several big charges because I didn’t have the very useful and free LloydsTSB text alerts service.

I’ve just now moved back to LloydsTSB due to Natwests pathetic mobile banking service and the fact statements are on two A5 pages which makes filing harder and requires an additional file, oh and because I had two cards for online banking as well as the card reader security thing.

LloydsTSB also gives an internationally recognised debit card with the most basic business account, which is essential if you’re buying software from independent developers and prefer not to use Paypal.

I find I rarely need to talk a business manager, so I’m happy to put up with it.

Answer:Never had a call from my business manager.

I find them just about ok, a fustrating thing has happened twice in terms of the internet banking – when you set up a new payee they sometimes do not appear for over a week not the 4 working days they state (which is fustrating waiting that long).

I did hear Aliance & Leceister were good and offering free business banking for the year – but I guess you have to think about what you want from your bank…

Answer:As with most banks they all have their good and bad points ….. I’m with Lloyds TSB and on the whole they aren’t to bad. Banks are like women – you’ll never find the perfect one!!!!! ;) :D
Answer:i seen my lloydes tsb bank manager last week and there offering me 18 months free banking if i open up my business account with them
Answer:I recently jumped ship from Lloyds to Natwest. I had real problems getting hold of my business manager, having to phone a call centre, who then would put me through to the business manager department, who would tell me she wasn’t available and would then get someone else to help me (different person every time). I was with them for 3 years, and at least had the same manager, although I only spoke to her twice.

What gets me about Lloyds is that their business banking system works a day behind, so cheques take 5 days to appear in your account balance, Bacs payments take 4, and I used to get paid "same day" payments, which were not available until the following day.

Internet banking was a joke too – I recently obtained a payroll client based in the states wh wire the payroll funds to me and then I pay the wages (all done in a client’s account). There was a limit to the value of transactions in one day, and also a limit per transaction. As this company were paying out big redundancy payments, I ended up having to pay out nearly 300 in CHAPS charges, because they couldn’t (wouldn’t?) offer me any other solution.

Now with Natwest I pay for their Bankline service. No limits on what I can send, no delays in setting up new customers (as previously mentioned, this takes up to 3 working days with Lloyds), I can use the faster payments service – next day payment 35p, same day 3.00 (instead of Lloyds 25.00) and International Next Day 5.00 instead of Lloyds 19.00.

I have my business manager’s mobile number, and he always calls me back. He even arranged for free banking, despite the offer only being open to companies trading less than 12 months.

As I’m sure you can gues, I couldn’t be happier, and recommend Natwest to everyone (even now when they have been bailed out!)

Answer:I changed from Lloyds to RBS. I had so many problems it was worth the effort of changing. RBS seem better but as everyone says, it is probably a branch issue. Banks do not seem to understand we are customers!
Answer:I believe you made agood move, I highly rate Abbey, although you cant really bank in branch they are free and are still secure in the current climate..
Answer:Similar experience with Looyds, but still bank with them. Same frustrating things with their outdated internet banking system, and our "new" manager tried to sell me every product under the sun the first time we met. Other than that I am happy.:)
Answer:Been with Lloyds for years, they are not perfect but then neither is any bank. Always found them helpful, always get an answer of some sort.

I don’t really care if our business manager rings me or not, if he did it would be an interruption.

The fact I have all my accounts with them gives better leverage should something go wrong.

Answer:We’ve just moved to Lloyds from HSBC who were useless, but surely it’s all down to the individual manager you need to deal with rather than which bank. All the same meat, just different gravy!
Answer:Been with Llloyds both personally and business accounts. Great service in the past but lately have had to wait days for someone to get back to me.

Used Natwest and Alliance & Leicester and they were terrible. As others have said, none of them are perfect.

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