First Direct is dishing out a £175 cash bonus to new customers as a festive treat. The Yorkshire-based bank, which boasts nearly 2 million clients, is enticing newcomers with a free £175 for joining its 7% regular saver.
Additional benefits include complimentary spending abroad and a £250 0% overdraft. As highlighted by Money Saving Expert, “First Direct’s been top or near-top of every bank service poll we’ve ever run – most recently it scored 91% ‘great’. Plus, newbies to First Direct’s 1st Account can expect £175 to switch, a £250 0% overdraft (subject to a credit check), a linked regular saver paying 7% fixed for a year and near-perfect rates when spending overseas. Put all this together and it’s a top all-round account.”
To be eligible, individuals must not have had any account with First Direct before, nor opened a current account with HSBC since January 2018.
To snag the bonus, customers must open an account via the app (or online for joint accounts), switch from another bank with at least 2 direct debits or standing orders within 45 days, deposit upwards of £1,000, and carry out over 5 debit card transactions in the same period. The £175 is then paid by the 20th of the month following the fulfilment of all conditions, Birmingham Live reports.
The bank praises the simplicity of transferring accounts, noting: “The Current Account Switch Service (CASS) takes care of everything, seamlessly moving your balances, standing orders, payees and more over to first direct. Simply choose a date and we’ll move everything to us in just 7 working days, although we always aim to do this sooner.” It goes on to add: “Once your first direct account is open, let us know you’d like to switch your other current account to us via the App. We will ask you for your new and old account details and preferred switching date.”
The bank says it likes to look after its customers. It was launched in 1989 by Midland Bank, and was the UK’s first telephone-based lender.
Their website states: “We’re the bank that changed what banking means – we’re not over there on the high street, we’re right here, when and where you need us.”
They say they are available 24/7, 365. Why? “Because money worries can’t wait,” their site says.
The firm says it is award winning “because we listen” and does things differently “because we care about what matters to you.”
