Clydesdale Bank - poor customer service (Clydesdale Bank)

Member Name: mags52

Product:	Clydesdale Bank
Date:	07/08/00 (201 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None

Disadvantages: lack of care for individual customers

I have banked with the Clydesdale for 20 years and this week decided that enough was enough and to change to another bank.
My main argument with them is this - I have 2 accounts. One is for all the direct debits e.g. mortage etc. and my partner and myself transfer funds into it each month. The second is my own personal account. On several occasions the bank has returned a direct debit when either: a) the transfer from my partners bank has been delayed by 24 hours or b) there are ample funds in my own account but I have not realised that something unexpected has happened that has depleted funds in the joint account and therefore have not transferred extra funds in time.
Each time they do this we get charged £32 and sometimed an additional £15 for a letter.
When I called the branch to say that this seemed unneccesarily punitive as there were either funds in the pipe line or sufficient funds in the branch itself although in a different account I was told "We are not here to be your personal bankers".
Fascinating approach and said rudely and defensively.
In my own job in education I would get a severe reprimand for speaking to a client in that tone.
What is happening to High St banks? They seem to be able to charge anything they want whenever they want?
Has anyone got any opinions about a better option?
margaret

Summary: