Changing banks and branches

[Crevette]

A few years back I considered changing my branch (at the HSBC) because I moved in Paris and wanted to be closer to my branch (there are certain operations, such as collecting your credit card, which can only be done at your branch).

At the time it would have meant me manually contacting all the establishments who I had a standing order with (prelevement automatique).

Because of this I decided it would be easier to stick with the same branch!

I have heared recently that things have got better and that the banks now contact and change the prelevements on your behalf without the need to set up new ones, etc.

Can anyone confirm this?

Many thanks,

-Rob-

[tetley]

when we moved departments, we decided to change banks.  We had an appointment with the new local CA (were with CA in neighbouring dept), they expected us to do all the writing re;prelevements....so went to another bank...banque populaire and they offered to do it all for us.  So, looks like it depends on who,what, where...same as everything else!!!!! [:D] ...but, I guess if you ask them to do it, if they want your business they may do it for you?  seems you don't get anything if you don't ask.

[booboo]

Rob, if you're still in paris; try CA paris intl; they're really fab.

[johnv]

I moved (am moving) from CA Britline to my local branch of CA and I have to do it all myself .. they don't recognise each other as the same bank!

[Quillan]

I saw in La Poste that they will do it all for you, big poster all about it when I went to post some letters yesterday (Thursday 05-10-06).

[booboo]

[quote user="johnv"]I moved (am moving) from CA Britline to my local branch of CA and I have to do it all myself .. they don't recognise each other as the same bank![/quote]

It's not really that difficult, especially now most people have a computer and printer; just type your simple letter, change destination address and client reference each time and enclose your new RIB. Even if it's bad french, they'll understand seeing the rib. Afterall, it's not really the banks job to do that, although some are helpful and will do all kinds for you which we appreciate.

[Crevette]

> It's not really that difficult, especially now most people have a computer and printer; just type your simple letter, change destination address and client reference each time and enclose your new RIB. Even if it's bad french, they'll understand seeing the rib. Afterall, it's not really the banks job to do that, although some are helpful and will do all kinds for you which we appreciate.

In the UK you do absolutely nothing! I prefer that!

-Rob-

[Quillan]

[quote user="Crevette"]

> It's not really that difficult, especially now most people have a computer and printer; just type your simple letter, change destination address and client reference each time and enclose your new RIB. Even if it's bad french, they'll understand seeing the rib. Afterall, it's not really the banks job to do that, although some are helpful and will do all kinds for you which we appreciate.

In the UK you do absolutely nothing! I prefer that!

-Rob-

[/quote]

Yes but he is in France and its different (thank fully). We (in France) don't use Asian call centres that sell on our account and credit card details (as seen on English TV and in the English press). We can speak to our bank manager in our local bank and ask for an overdraft, a loan or have our debit/credit card limit increased and he deals with it. The only reason that banks do this for you in the UK is because the law makes them do it otherwise they would not bother.

[Just Katie]

Well my friend who lives in France spent all of her allowance from her husband and her account went gravely overdrawn so they called her husband in to discuss the "state" of her account.  If you ask me it was her husbands fault for not giving her enough allowance.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Just Katie "]Well my friend who lives in France spent all of her allowance from her husband and her account went gravely overdrawn so they called her husband in to discuss the "state" of her account.  If you ask me it was her husbands fault for not giving her enough allowance.[/quote]

That is probably why they contacted him, touch of "send more money"? They probably thought they should deal with it the French way so they contacted the husband as he is responsible for her. In the UK they would let it (the overdraft) get really big then give her a loan which does not stand a snowballs chance of paying off then flog her house, take their money and put her on the street as is happening now in the UK. It's also why the average unsecured loan per head in France is half what it is in the UK which is the highest in Europe (possibly even the world) according to the TV there.

[Crevette]

>Yes but he is in France and its different (thank fully). We (in France) don't use Asian call centres that sell on our account and credit card details (as seen on English TV and in the English press). We can speak to our bank manager in our local bank and ask for an overdraft, a loan or have our debit/credit card limit increased and he deals with it. The only reason that banks do this for you in the UK is because the law makes them do it otherwise they would not bother.

The French banks are YEARS behind the UK.

Here's a few examples ;

i) New Credit Card ;
UK - Sent to your address then you ring a number to activate
France - Have to go to the branch

ii) Cost of Credit Cards/Debit Cards
UK - Usually Free
France - Usually not Free

iii) Statements
UK - Professionally made - available online fr 5 years
France - Someone playing around with Powerpoint - available online for 6 months after which you pay for information

iv) Customer Service I have received
UK - Great (very fast, very helpful).
France - Very poor (slow, incorrect info given)

v) Web-site security
UK - Screen1 - Give your ID, Screen 2 - Asked for three digits at various positions of password + Date of Birth (lacks "drop downs" but quite secure)
France - One Screen : Enter Shown User ID + 5 Digit PassNumber (not very secure!)

vi) Direct debits
UK - done over the phone
France - Have to go to your the branch (not any other branch)

vii) Change Branch (HSBC)
UK - Go to the new branch and change
France - Go the branch, arrange an interview time (usually a couple of weeks later), return to branch

viii) New Cheque Books
UK - Automatically Sent Out
France - Must collect if from (you guessed it!) your branch!

ix) Writing Cheques
UK - Provided the cheques are to you, you or anyone else, can pay in at any branch
France - You must pay in cheques, you must sight the back of the cheques

xi) Loans, etc.

UK - Same in all branches

France - Depends on how much wine you bring the manager!

OK - a few humerous examples, but you get the picture!

-Rob-

[Sunday Driver]

Collecting new credit cards - no problem given the proliferation of branches here compared to the regime of branch closures in the UK.  Anyway, it's a good excuse for a nice lunch out...

Cost of credit cards - this is a different country to the UK.  Not everything costs the same.

Statements - just file the originals then the problem is solved.

Customer service - my French bank is prompt, accurate and friendly.

Website security - my French bank uses a new secure random position mouse activated password input system that is far more advanced in avoiding spyware "keystroke" capture than my UK bank's "type in three digits from my password" method.

Direct debits - sign the mandate and return it to the supplier so they can update their computerised debtors ledger before lodging the mandate with your bank.  No different to the UK.

New cheque books - see credit cards above.  No cheque books lost/stolen in the post whilst you run out of cheques.

Writing cheques - agreed, excessive use of ink.

I worked for a major global bank for 27 years and I see nothing here that suggests French banks are years behind the UK....