If so are they any good?

We do.

We have the money from our house sale with them and get around 6% interest, which is paid every month.
We opened an account from the UK, but you have to have a UK HSBC account before you can do this.

They are OK, but we live around 40 minute journey from the branch in Perth, and it is the only one. So bit difficult if you have to travel there every time you want to do transactions that require you to be there in person. Not many ATMS in WA either.

Don't know about the rest of Oz

I've opened one from here too and have put my money in a term deposit. Not in Australia yet, but same as Perth there's the one branch in Brisbane not sure about ATMs. I think there's a branch on the Sunshine Coast somewhere too.

Tracey.

Hi Ang

Does that mean I wont have to pay off my HSBC overdraft before I go to Oz then, or my HSBC loan, or my HSBC credit card???

You will have to continue paying them, which you should be able to do from Australia

Lo Tracey.....any further forward?

you can do over-the-counter HSBC transactions at any branch of Australia Post.

Theres also a branch in Southport on the Gold Coast and at Springwood at the new Ikea.

can standing orders be paid into HSBC accounts in OZ from UK accounts (different bank) with out incurrin any extra costs???
My ex is worried his child maintenance payments are going to be eaten up in bank charges?

No-use somebody like www.tranzfers.com

One thing to be wary of with HSBC is that they do not have many branches in comparison to other banks. The cash machine system is different here as well and you get charged for using other banks cash machines (and from your own banks machines if you draw money too many times) so its probably worth ensuring that you bank with somebody who has a branch reasonably close to where you will be living/working.

With HSBC, you can withdraw from their own atm's fee free as many times as you like, and you are allowed 5 free withdrawals per month from other banks, this also includes eftpos transactions.

I think there is a branch in Garden City, South of the river.

And actually this ATM arrangement is more flexible than other banks. Instead of searching for an ANZ or Westpac ATM, you can use the first one you see. Yep you only have 5 but just draw out that little bit extra or go to any post office.

I use them and saw all posts on here saying what a nightmare they are. Agree if you want hand holding then they arent for you. If you want cheap, good value banking and dont need anyone (face it they all have call centers in India so how good is that service anyway) then its great in Oz.

I have an HSBC account as my main account, they're great.

My savings, however are earning 6.8% with BankWest which is more than HSBC, or indeed anyone else can offer.