RBS bottom of customer satisfaction table - again

The assessment of nearly 20 major banks carried out by consumer group Which? found that the majority still need to do away with hidden charges and penalties.

The watchdog’s latest banking customer satisfaction survey, asked current account customers to rate almost 5,000 accounts for a variety of aspects of day-to-day banking.

This included how banks dealt with complaints, how clear charges and penalty fees are, services received in branch and over the phone, as well as online and mobile banking.

The research found: Mobile and online services are improving: Of those banks who provide online and mobile services, five (First Direct, Nationwide, Halifax, Barclays and Natwest) scored five stars and the rest scored four stars. Fees and charges are still a mystery: fourteen of the eighteen banks rated scored just two or three stars for transparency of charges and penalties and no-one scored the full five stars.

Which? said its research said it was clear that banks are still failing their customers by not being clear about charges and how much they could face in fees and penalties.

First Direct topped the table: with an overall customer rating of 85 per cent and five stars in six of the areas looked at, internet bank First Direct was top rated. However as there is no in branch service offered it may not be for everyone.

The bottom of the table is made up of the big banks: RBS (54 per cent), HSBC (56 per cent), Natwest (57 per cent), Barclays (58 per cent) and Lloyds (59 per cent) - all of whom scored poorly for transparency of charges and penalties; and value for money.

Customers also said they could do better on customer service and communication. Find out more: Bank satisfaction survey - see the results of our latest survey in full.

Vickie Sheriff, Which? director of campaigns and communications, said: “Day-to-day banking is an essential part of life and dealing with your bank should be simple and straightforward. While there are positive signs in some areas, such as online and mobile banking, banks have a long way to go in making their prices clear to stop people being hit with unexpected charges.

“If the banks aren’t doing enough to ensure their penalty fees are fair, it is right that the regulator should step in.”