Can't fault Furness for friendly in-person responses via their contact channels (website, app and email). Special hats off to Chrissy C and Claire Y. I wonder if their IT systems have maybe been sligh... See more
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I opened an account online and had a follow-up question that I could not see the answer to online. I had no response to online chat (7+ hours still waiting) or 2 phone calls, which were both disconnec... See more
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I’ve opened many ISAs in the past and the online application for this one did not go well. After submitting my ID details I was advised that my application would need to be reviewed and then just minu... See more
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Just opened an anniversary regular saver with Furness BS. Mightily impressed. Opened the account very shortly after it became available on line and within less than 10 minutes everything was up and... See more
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Company details
Written by the company
At Furness Building Society, we’ve been supporting our members and communities for over 150 years. As a mutual, we exist to serve our members, not shareholders, which means everything we do is focused on helping people achieve their financial goals with confidence. Whether you’re saving for the future, buying your first home, or managing your finances, we’re here to offer clear guidance, straightforward products, and a personal service you can rely on. We understand that everyone’s journey is different, so we take the time to listen and provide support tailored to individual needs. We’re proud of our roots and the communities we serve, combining local knowledge with a responsible approach to lending and saving. Our teams are committed to doing the right thing, offering honest advice, resolving issues when they arise, and continually improving the experience we provide. Feedback from our members is incredibly important to us. It helps us learn, grow, and ensure we’re delivering the level of service our members expect and deserve. At Furness, it’s about working together, supporting each other today and building a stronger financial future for generations to come.
Contact info
United Kingdom
- furnessbs.co.uk
3.2
Average
53 reviews
Replied to 71% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 48 hours
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Confusing application process
I’ve opened many ISAs in the past and the online application for this one did not go well. After submitting my ID details I was advised that my application would need to be reviewed and then just minutes later another email telling me that I still need to complete the application process? Was eventually passed a few days later and have now funded the account so just hope that now works out ok.
April 5, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us.
We’re sorry to hear that the online application process didn’t run as smoothly as it should have. We know how important it is for things to be clear and straightforward, especially when you’re setting up something like an ISA, and it sounds like our communications may have caused some confusion along the way.
It’s good to hear your application was successfully completed and funded, but we appreciate that the journey to get there matters just as much. Your feedback is really helpful and will be shared with the team as we continue to improve our online processes.
Lack of response
I opened an account online and had a follow-up question that I could not see the answer to online. I had no response to online chat (7+ hours still waiting) or 2 phone calls, which were both disconnected after a long hold. Not sure how to rate the experience...from other reviews it sounds like it's great if you actually manage to speak to someone.
April 7, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
We’re really sorry to hear about the difficulty you had getting in touch. Waiting on chat for that length of time and experiencing call disconnections isn’t the level of service we aim to provide, and we understand how frustrating that must have been—especially when you just needed a quick answer.
We’re pleased you were able to open your account, but being there when our members need us is just as important. Your feedback has been shared with the team so we can look at where things may have gone wrong and make improvements.
Total inefficiency.
I tried to open an ISA and went through all the security procedures, NI; Photo etc. Quite quickly I received an email saying that I had passed the security checks and that I would soon be receiving an email telling me how to proceed. No email arrived that day, so I used their online form to request it. Nothing heard! Two days later I sent them another reminder. Nothing! I cannot bear inefficiency, so I have now deposited my money with another provider.
April 7, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.
We’re really sorry to hear about the lack of follow-up after your application. After completing the security steps, you should have received clear and timely communication on what to do next, and we understand how frustrating it must have been not to hear back despite chasing us.
We’re disappointed to hear that this led you to place your savings elsewhere, but we completely understand your decision. This isn’t the experience we want for our members, and your feedback will be shared with the team to help us improve how we manage and respond to applications.
If you would be open to discussing this further, we’d really welcome the opportunity to look into what happened.
EZPZ
Quick and easy to get everything set up and the advisor was helpful. Can't fault anything really
April 4, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
Thank you for your kind feedback.
We’re really pleased to hear that you found the process quick and easy, and that our advisor was able to help along the way. That’s exactly the experience we aim to provide.
If there’s ever anything more we can support you with, we’re always here when you need us.
Good experience
April 2, 2026
Unprompted review
Good company with friendly staff
April 2, 2026
Unprompted review
Not great experience
Not a great experience. Stressful and frustrating. A 2 minute query took over an hour and 3 calls. I got through to someone to get cut off after 15 minutes. I called back to be on hold for over half an hour to then be cut off with a robot saying try again another time. No response on live web chat. I think they need to have an estimate of how long the wait is, better plan for busy times and not auto cut people off after 30 minutes; it wasn’t just before they closed.
April 7, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We’re really sorry to hear how frustrating this was – that’s not the level of service we aim to provide.
We understand how disappointing it must have felt to spend so long trying to resolve what should have been a quick query, especially after being cut off more than once and not being able to get through on other channels. That’s understandably stressful, and we’re sorry for the inconvenience caused.
Your feedback is really important to us. We’re always looking at how we can improve our service, including how we manage busy periods and keep members informed about wait times.
If you’re still looking for support, we’d really like the opportunity to help resolve your query. Please do get in touch with at furness.direct@furness-bs.co.uk and we’ll make sure you’re supported as quickly as possible.
Still waiting 24 hours later for the…
Still waiting 24 hours later for the money to show up as deposited in my new Isa. Have messaged - no reply. Starting to wish I had paid more attention to other reviews
... Meanwhile hoping my money finds its way to account very soon
April 7, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
Thank you for your review. We’re really sorry to hear that this has left you feeling uncertain – we understand how worrying it can be when money doesn’t appear in your account as quickly as expected.
ISA transfers and deposits can sometimes take a little time to show, even after funds have been sent, depending on the provider and the transfer process. However, we appreciate that waiting without an update, especially after reaching out, can be frustrating and unsettling.
This isn’t the experience we want for our members. If you’re still waiting, we’d really encourage you to get in touch with us directly so we can check the status of your ISA and give you a clear update.
If you’re still looking for support, we’d really like the opportunity to help resolve your query. Please do get in touch with at furness.direct@furness-bs.co.uk and we’ll make sure you’re supported as quickly as possible.
Poor customer service
Application requires photo ID. Have opened other ISA's, never needed this. Have to transfer sum in one transaction - rather than allowing a 'test' transfer to ensure the correct a/c. Just sitting waiting for half an hour on phone to speak to advisor..... still no answer. Cancelling my application.
April 7, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re really sorry to hear about your experience – it’s clearly been frustrating, and not the straightforward process we aim to provide.
We understand that being asked for photo ID and needing to transfer funds in one transaction may feel different compared to other providers. These steps are in place to help keep your account secure and ensure we meet our regulatory responsibilities, but we appreciate they can feel inconvenient without clear explanation.
We’re also sorry to hear about the difficulty you had getting through to speak to someone.
Your feedback is important and helps us understand where we can improve both our processes and how we communicate them.
If you would be open to it, we’d really welcome the chance to support you further or talk through any concerns. Please do get in touch with at furness.direct@furness-bs.co.uk and we’ll make sure you’re supported as quickly as possible.
Unreliable tech and questionable data protection
In a similar vein to other reviewers, I had my ID taken and a photo taken and then was abruptly rejected for a savings account. Yes - an account where you put money in and hold it there, and there is no risk to the bank but there is a lot of benefit to them. So why the rejection? Can only imagine it's because their tech is broken which doesn't bode well. Where do they hold the sensitive and personal data they collect on applicants? Do they destroy it?
Thanks for the reply and to respond - I have taken an ISA out with another party - I’m a pretty solid financial bet - so the criteria for rejection are obviously a bit unscientific.
March 31, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
We’re really sorry to hear about your experience, and we appreciate you taking the time to share it.
We understand how frustrating it can feel to go through an application process and not receive the outcome you expected, especially when you’ve been asked to provide identification and personal information. While we can’t comment on individual cases here, decisions are never made lightly and are based on a range of checks designed to protect both our members and the Society.
On your concern around technology, we’re continually reviewing and improving our systems to make sure they work reliably and deliver the experience our members expect. Feedback like yours helps us identify where things may not have gone as smoothly as they should have.
In terms of your data, we take this responsibility very seriously. Any personal information provided during an application is handled securely and in line with UK data protection laws. We only retain information for as long as necessary to meet legal and regulatory requirements, after which it is safely deleted.
We’d really welcome the chance to look into this further for you and provide a clearer explanation. If you’re happy to do so, please contact us directly so we can review your application in detail.
Furness for the human touch
Can't fault Furness for friendly in-person responses via their contact channels (website, app and email). Special hats off to Chrissy C and Claire Y. I wonder if their IT systems have maybe been slightly overwhelmed by the end of tax year investment rush? But very impressed by their real people and it's a lesson for the avaricious top executives that having REAL people and not useless 'chatbots' wins over customers. Well done Furness.
March 30, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience, it really means a lot to us.
We’re delighted to hear that you’ve found our team friendly and helpful across our contact channels. We’ll be sure to pass your kind comments on to our colleagues, they’ll really appreciate the mention.
You’re absolutely right that it can be a particularly busy time around the end of the tax year, and we’re grateful for your patience during that period. While we continue to improve our systems, we firmly believe in the value of real conversations and being there when our members need us.
As a mutual, it’s our people who make the difference, taking the time to listen, understand and support each member as an individual.
Thanks again for your feedback, and for being part of our community.
What a complicated enrolment photo id…
What a complicated enrolment photo id process which doesn't work
March 30, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
We’re sorry to hear you’ve had a frustrating experience with the enrolment process.
Applying for an account should feel straightforward, so it’s disappointing to hear that the photo ID step didn’t work as expected. This part of the process is there to help keep our members’ accounts safe and secure, but we know it needs to work smoothly too.
We’re continually reviewing our systems to improve reliability and make things as simple as possible, and feedback like yours is really helpful in highlighting where we need to do better.
If you’re open to it, we’d really like the opportunity to help you complete your application or look into what went wrong. You can get in touch with our team directly and we’ll guide you through the next steps.
Incredibly poor convoluted process to apply for a cash ISA
Tried for a few hours to apply for a transfer in of a cash ISA but failed . Their process doesn't work so don't waste your time . Whoever thought up this scanning of your passport via your laptop camera needs sacking. Here are some of the stupid messages that pop up while your trying to fit your passport into some screen.
1. image too far away
2. Move closer
3. Move further away
4. Image too blurry
5. Too dark
6. Can't recognise the details on the passport
etc etc etc etc etc etc.
Thank you Furness Building Society for offering such an incredibly poor convoluted process that is frankly not fit for purpose, amateurish , and wasted hours of my time . Have you bothered doing any end user acceptance testing (UAT)? Seems not , in which case you need to get rid of the IT people who you contracted out this work to. Note that when I worked for an IT company for 25 years they hired cheap offshore contractors who had no idea about UAT and we ended up losing customer confidence in our company. Hopefully , you will see the light before it damages your brand name. Also , you provide a paper process that is just as convoluted because you want certified copies of passport or driving licence. Do you know how difficult and problematic it is for your potentially new customers to get a signed certified copy? Try it yourself .
End customers want simple processes that do no take up their time. Your processes just annoyed and irritated me and I will avoid you like the plague.
March 28, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
We’re really sorry to hear how frustrating this experience has been, and we appreciate you taking the time to share such detailed feedback.
It’s clear the application process didn’t work as it should have, and we understand how irritating it must have been to spend so much time trying to complete it, especially when you were met with repeated errors during the ID verification step. That’s not the experience we want for anyone looking to save with us.
The identity checks are there to help protect our members and meet regulatory requirements, but they should feel straightforward and easy to complete. Your comments about the passport scanning process and the alternative paper route have been noted, and we’re actively reviewing how these journeys work to make them simpler and more reliable.
We’re also sorry that this has affected your perception of us. As a mutual, we’re here to support our members and community, and that means listening carefully when things don’t go right and taking action to improve.
Is this company Dodgy ?
Don't bother wasting your time trying to open account with these folks, their enrolment process is broken.
They ask to take pictures of your driving license and yourself, then refuse to open account without any explanation.
I wonder what they do once they have your personal details and images. This sounds really dodgy to me as no other banks ask for this.
Having wasted most of the morning with this stupidity, I opened an account with paragon in minutes.
March 26, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
We’re really sorry to hear about your experience – it’s clearly been frustrating, and we appreciate you taking the time to share it.
When opening an account, we do need to carry out identity checks, which can include requesting photo ID and a selfie. This is a standard security step used across the financial services industry to help protect our members and prevent fraud. That said, it’s important to us that the process feels straightforward and that you understand what’s happening at each stage.
We’re sorry this wasn’t your experience, and that you didn’t receive a clear explanation when your application wasn’t successful. We understand how concerning that can feel. Please be reassured that any personal information you provide is handled securely and in line with strict data protection requirements.
We’d really like the opportunity to look into this further and provide you with a clearer answer. If you’re happy to, please get in touch with us directly at https://www.furnessbs.co.uk/contact-us, and we’ll do our best to help.
We’re always working to improve our processes, and your feedback is an important part of that.
Excellent customer service…
I had problems arranging a transfer after opening a 2 year fixed isa and, as a result, gave a poor review. However, I am very impressed with the way customer services adressed my complaint, providing an apology, action plan, compensation, and advice. Hence, I am now pleased to give Furness a glowing review for the work that they have done to improve my customer experience.
March 24, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
Thank you so much for taking the time to update your review.
We’re really sorry to hear that your initial experience didn’t go as smoothly as it should have, but we’re pleased we were able to put things right for you. It means a great deal to us that our team’s response, from the apology through to the action plan and support, helped rebuild your confidence.
At Furness, we’re here for our Members, and moments like this matter. Listening, putting things right, and learning from feedback is all part of how we improve the experience for everyone.
We truly appreciate your kind words and your willingness to share your updated experience, it makes a real difference to us and our community.
Thank you again for your support.
Excellent customer service
I contacted the Furness Building Society help-desk for assistance and received excellent and prompt support & guidance from the team. They were helpful and able to complete my request within minutes.
March 11, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
Thank you so much for your kind words. We’re really pleased to hear that our team could support you quickly and make the process simple.
At Furness, we’re here to make things clear and straightforward, so it’s great to know you felt well looked after. If you ever need us again, we’re always ready to help.
Just opened an anniversary regular…
Just opened an anniversary regular saver with Furness BS. Mightily impressed. Opened the account very shortly after it became available on line and within less than 10 minutes everything was up and running. Sent first monthly deposit even though it failed COP (as expected so soon after opening) and just waiting for it to show on line, probable tomorrow.
For any Building Society, never mind a small one, the service has been impressive. Some of these others that open attractive accounts and then get stuck, unable to cope, should take lessons from Furness
January 20, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
Thank you for your fantastic feedback – we’re so pleased to hear how smooth your experience was.
It’s great to know you were able to get everything set up so quickly and start saving straight away. We work hard to make things simple and straightforward for our members, so your comments really mean a lot.
We’re especially proud to hear how we’ve compared – delivering a reliable service is at the heart of what we do for our community.
If you ever need a hand, we’re always here to help.
Fast and easy access
I downloaded the Furness Building Society app to open an account when it was first released. Since then I've had my maturity through and found switching my product really easy, all done through the app.
September 18, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Furness Building Society
Thank you for your lovely feedback – it’s great to hear how easy you’ve found using our app.
We’re really pleased that opening your account and switching your product at maturity felt simple and straightforward. Making things easy to manage, in a way that suits you, is exactly what we aim for.
The app is user friendly and easy to…
The app is user friendly and easy to use which was great for my first account with the Furness. Also managing money was straightforward with the details they provided, very happy with the whole service. Thank you
December 23, 2025
Unprompted review
Excellent customer service from a…
Excellent customer service from a genuinely locally focused business
December 15, 2025
Unprompted review
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