thedtb

We're getting ourselves further and further lost in the depths of which bank we should and should not go with in terms of opening a bank account in New Zealand.

So I figured I'd put our destiny in the hands of you lot here...

So far as I can tell, our options are:

• ANZ
• ASB
• HSBC (we bank with these guys in the UK but they appear to want £100 per person to open a HSBC NZ account for each of us which puts us off somewhat.)
• Kiwibank
• National Bank
• Westpack

I/we rarely carry cash (favouring a Debit Card instead) and (in the UK at least) order most of our stuff online... Internet Banking facilities simply have to be the utmost priority for any account we choose, with general banking charges coming in a close second.

Use the Vote/Poll facility to cast your vote!

lardyl

I voted twice - Kiwibank for personal and ASB for business have been fine and are both good online.
Plus Kiwibank offers a Visa Debit card to keep you doing the online/overphone shopping.
Only problem with Kiwibank is that the EFTPOS card has no expiry date and they seem to wear out quickly and you have to pay for a new one - I just got the debit card as a "stop gap" to reduce wear on the EFTPOS one.
Good luck.

Numptyhead

This should be interesting. We have plumbed for Bank of New Zealand. I contacted them, gave them a few details and our passport Numbers and we had an account set up by the next day. Obviously we can't do anything with it other than deposit monies, until we arrive over there and present ourselves.....live....as it were. Does anyone know anything negative or positive about them.

I did apply to Kiwibank months ago, sent off proofs of ID etc and heard nothing. I emailed 6 weeks later and all they could suggest is to apply again. It didn't instil confidence so gave them a pass.

Matewx

HSBC if you can (somehow) get Premier status...

Am Loolah

Problem with HSBC - I used to be a Premier customer in the UK, well still am as I still have an account there, is their lack of access here. Now I know in the days of internet banking etc it shouldn't matter. But I find no matter how hard I try I still occasionally need to go in to a branch. Living here, my "local" HSBC branch would be 3 hours away!

We've been really happy with Kiwibank. Recently had to change to ASB as we borrowed some money and also have business banking with ASB upon their insistence. I have to say, as soon as I can pay off the mortgage with them I'll dump them and be straight back to Kiwibank. So far their Head Office customer service/relations sucks ... The local relationship manager is great, but my issues are with those higher up.

terrier2

Hi,
Every time I read about which bank you should bank with in NZ it seems that nobody ever mentions TSB, its a great bank as far as I am concerned.
We were with Westpac when we first arrived and they were absolutely useless.
I went to the Westpac branch in Wellington to transfer a fair lump to the UK, they called me two days later to say that they had forgotten to put the payee on the forms and that they would transfer it that day, the problem they said was that as the exchange rate had changed it was going to cost ME $800 more, I told them to get lost as it was their mistake, they then tried to get me to pay half, I told them again to get lost. In the end they agreed to pay the costs themselves as a good will gesture (for their cockup)
When I closed the account a few days later all they said was give us your cards and they gave me my money.
I walked across the road to the TSB and when I told them why I was opening an account with them they said that a lot of new customers came from westpac across the road.
Like I say the TSB is the bank for me! 3 years with them and cant find one bad thing about them, and of course they are a truly New Zealand bank.
Cheers, I hope this helps.

TeamEmbo

I'd recommend PSIS. Cooperative bank. Great rates. Friendly service.

Matewx

[QUOTE=Am Loolah;7851252]Problem with HSBC - I used to be a Premier customer in the UK, well still am as I still have an account there, is their lack of access here. Now I know in the days of internet banking etc it shouldn't matter. But I find no matter how hard I try I still occasionally need to go in to a branch. Living here, my "local" HSBC branch would be 3 hours away!
QUOTE]

I agree.... although I have been twice to the branch...

Once to pick my banking stuff & once to pick OH's stuff...

Since then, email & phone as & when...

Am Loolah, I have a secret for you.... It's 21st centary

southerner

I haven't voted as I struggle to see how that would help you. We for example usually have a bit of dosh on deposit so most fees are waived.

We bank with the National, their internet banking is good on the whole but there are fees for setting up payees, and security is probably not as good as you would be used to in the UK.

The SBS is another local bank that always features highly in customer scoring.

southerner

Just to be clear, PSIS is not a Bank.

southerner

And for peace of mind with larger deposits (in an online saver account), it probably will be hard to go past Rabobank which if I recall correctly has the highest credit rating of any of the banks operating in NZ, and last time I looked their interest rates were very good too.

thedtb

The vote is just meant to give me (hopefully) a quick visual indication of the banks chosen by other people in a similar position to us.

My basic logic is that the most "popular" bank would presumably have the greatest potential of being most suitable for our requirements.

southerner

Alright, so its a poll of where people currently bank. I'll vote then. But please accept my slight concern about your logic.

Jan n Neil

We have just opened one with TSB purely because when we went in the girl was really nice, silly reason i know but sometimes u just gotta go with your gut

Neil

Genesis

Yes TSB aka Taranaki savings Bank..we have an investment with them. Been going 150 years odd..lovely staff. Very, very very good reputation.