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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Business
Emma Munbodh

Britain's best and worst high street banks according to their customers

In an age of digital banking and with high street banks closing hundreds of branches a year, more and more people are being urged to "vote with their feet".

A host of perks, freebies and incentives - including for those travelling abroad - have made this easier, along with the switching guarantee which has put more power into the hands of the customer.

But where to go?

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has today listed the best - and worst - high street banks for customer service (in branch and online) as well overdrafts, ahead of a major crackdown on rip-off rates.

The annual report asked more than 13,000 customers to score their lender on their own personal experience.

In it, Metro Bank joined First Direct on overall service, with Bank of Scotland scoring the worst in the top 10 at just 59%.

"Current account holders and small businesses should consider voting with their feet and switching their bank or building society if they aren’t getting a good service," explained Adam Land, senior director at the CMA.

“These league tables help show what’s out there for customers and hold the providers to account. There’s nowhere for the worst performers to hide now.”

In the report, customers with personal current accounts were asked how likely they would be to recommend their provider, their provider’s online and mobile banking services, service in branche and overdraft services to friends and family.

"We are extremely proud to still hold the top spot for personal current account service and maintain our top two position among business customers," a Metro Bank chief executive Craig Donaldson, said.

Here are the results.

Overall service quality (out of 100)

Metro Bank scored the best in terms of overall service and how likely customers are to recommend the lender to friends and family (PA)
  1. Metro Bank: 82%

  2. First Direct: 82%

  3. Nationwide: 74%

  4. Barclays: 66%

  5. Lloyds Bank: 64%

  6. HSBC: 62%

  7. Santander: 61%

  8. NatWest: 61%

  9. Yorkshire Bank: 59%

  10. Bank of Scotland: 59%

Online and mobile banking services

  1. Barclays: 86%

  2. First Direct: 85%

  3. Metro Bank: 83%

  4. Nationwide: 80%

  5. Bank of Scotland: 79%

  6. Halifax: 79%

  7. NatWest: 79%

  8. Lloyds Bank: 76%

  9. Santander: 76%

  10. HSBC: 75%

Overdraft services

Clydesdale Bank came in 10th place in the overdrafts sector (Bloomberg via Getty Images)
  1. First Direct: 77%

  2. Metro Bank: 67%

  3. Barclays: 65%

  4. HSBC: 65%

  5. Santander: 65%

  6. Nationwide: 63%

  7. Lloyds Bank: 61%

  8. Halifax: 61%

  9. NatWest: 61%

  10. Clydesdale Bank: 55%

Services in branches

Lloyds scored third top for customer service in branch (Getty)
  1. Metro Bank: 85%

  2. Nationwide: 79%

  3. Lloyds Bank: 73%

  4. Barclays: 73%

  5. Santander: 72%

  6. TSB: 71%

  7. Bank of Scotland: 69%

  8. HSBC: 68%

  9. Halifax: 67%

  10. Yorkshire Bank: 67%

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