Handelsbanken plc (UK) Reviews 

I have banked with Handelsbanken (Rugby, UK) for about 7 years and have nothing but a positive experience. First went with them because I needed to buy a house new without having sold my existing house. HB were happy to offer a mortgage secured over both properties at standard mortgage rates, rather than a much more expensive bridging loan, and then let me pay off a big chunk of it when the first house was sold. Couldn't find a UK high street bank which would do this.

I live in Sweden and have used Handelsbanken for 11 years as a "regular" account holder.

In those 11 years, I've only used customer service once or twice, and each time has been unacceptable (in English or Swedish).

Most recently, they've taken more than 6 weeks to respond to an enquiry that they promise to give a response to within 24 hours.

They give zero interest on my reasonably substantial savings, the web app is badly laid out and disorganised, the mobile app lacks expected functionality, the current account cards are expensive with very few benefits. They have done nothing to make me think I should stay with them; the opposite, in fact.

I recommend to avoid them, regardless of country.

I have just called a local branch to open an account for my newly registered company and I have been told they only deal with businesses that have been active for a minimum of three years.

Having been with Handelsbanken for 5 years I was initially happy with the service and my original account manager. Latest account manager has just gone on maternity leave and the first job of her replacement has been to send me a very curt letter saying that from now on I will be charged a monthly fee of £15 to operate my current account. No explanation. Just words to the effect that if I don’t like it then I know what I can do. The kind of treatment you would expect from one of the big banks. Not in line with the Handelsbanken ethos of old fashioned banking.
Anyway, I can take a hint. The current account switch system means that moving on should be easy.
Avoid.

Handelsbanken in Sweden is just a shame in all aspects, I personally never seen this anywhere else.

Instead of helping their customers having problems with their service (I was their customer since 10 years!), it's like they do everything they can to not help. They have 0 empathy and common sense, and don't even try to find a solution (even when a few other options are possible in very special cases and especially when it's their initial mistake).

While lot of their branches are extremely stupid in that way, don't expect their complaints department to do anything for you either. Either they defend the branch (after many reminders since it takes them minimum one or two weeks to answer), either they don't even answer... Highly professional, huh?

If you're stuck abroad and don't have a way to connect online, you're screwed.
It then took me 2 months (!) and dozens of e-mails especially, to finally have "access" to my account and get my money just because I wasn't in Sweden, and they didn't provide me a way to identify other than visiting a branch!
Worse, I was stuck because of their initial mistake: my bankID card (to connect online) expired but I never received the replacement one they allegedly sent... And guess what? They didn't want to send a new one because it was too sensitive stuff. Funny since they don't even send that "precious" item as a registered letter! How ridiculous is that?

So in the end they were asking me to travel from my country to Sweden just to identify at a branch, and during a pandemic... And the only branch of HB in my country was 500km away...
I offered a video call and to send as many proofs of my identity as they wanted, but it was also not good enough for them! Can you believe that?
Ah, and they also didn't want to send me the basic forms for bank transfer and closing of an account. Can you believe that too? And there was no valid reason to not do it since 2 other branches (not mine) did it...
So instead of helping, they rather do their best to make customers life miserable. Never seen a business run in a less serious manner! In many companies those people would be fired instantly.

I finally found a solution MYSELF, identifying at a Swedish embassy in my country, still 60km away.
Even if my branch first refused that option as well! Another branch I was dealing with quickly accepted, but "my" branch had to ask their lawyer for that, as soon as I threaten them to go to the court...

But wait, story is not over!
Not only that bank has no care for their customers and is full of incompetent people, they are also dishonest!

While I asked and SIGNED their form for a bank transfer in Swedish Kronor (currency of my account) to close it, because I wanted the recipient bank of my country to make the conversion, Handelsbanken did the conversion in Euros themselves without even asking me!
Of course it was more interesting for them since they then used their own exchange rate and then took a "commission" in the process!
Proceeding an operation in a different way than how it was signed by the customer is illegal, isn't it?
The funny thing with Handelsbanken is that they are insanely strict with their customers, but absolutely not with themselves!

They could have at least reimbursed me the difference I was asking to close the story (about 120 euro), but the person who proceeded didn't see the issue, for her it was normal just because she had that recommendation... And even their complaint department prefers to bury their head in the sand in front of a such "mistake".

I probably forget other of their jokes from that whole story, but as a bottom line, if necessary after having read such a terrible story:
Never go to Handelsbanken, a bank living in ancient times, and don't even consider leaving them your money, stay away from those robots and robbers!!!

We have banked with them for about three years now since we moved from a major high street name because they would not offer us a second mortgage. We have found them to be personal, careful, helpful and responsive. It is true that they are not a "walk in and open an account" type bank, you have to fit them as well as them fitting you and I suspect you have to be worth them having you as a client. You also have to be someone who can do all of their banking electronically and not need to make frequent visits to a local branch. We are delighted with their service and wish we had moved to them many years ago.

Inconsistent
I called to ask if Svenska Handelsbanken AB would allow me a level of autonomy to deal with my own affairs without oversight from censorious bankers, and after 14minutes on the pone with the head of corporate banking (in a West Country town) I was told the call would be terminated. Clearly the bank didn't like having awkward questions asked that showed the inconsistency of the banks' argument to be "like a bank from pre-1990 centralised banking" where the local branches have autonomy, and are able to offer amore personalised service with fewer customers. Evidently this is not the case, and overreach and meddling is the handle of Svenska Handelsbanken AB.
Why banks feel they have the right to interfere with the way we manage our own affairs is something we need a vigorous debate about.

They were brilliant when we moved to them ten years ago...Had great attentive service with local branch manager who did not have to refer to head office all the time.
How that has all changed!!!!!
Now ...very inexperienced managers with no authority... Ridiculously bureaucratic , will not open new bank accounts despite this only being on the advice of accountant to create a holding structure. They suggested we go to Starling!!!!
This is a bank clearly in trouble with regulators....
Avoid like the plague!!!!
Such a pity.... they were so good...

We use the Newport branch, and have been very pleased with the service we have received over the past 7 or so years. It is so refreshing to have a branch manager who knows you by name, and who makes a real effort to get to know their customers individually. Our branch helped us with a mortgage to complete a new build house, where our other long-term bank refused on the basis of age and the fact that we are retired. Alison, the manager, talked through all the plans and finances with us, before giving us the funds to complete the build. This was repaid on the sale of our old property. We feel that we were treated as individuals, not just dealt with by computer algorithms. Great service.

We were introduced to this bank for asset finance or stock plan
We were told they were a bank that can think out of the box - how wrong we were ! They are more fuddy duddy then the main stream high street.

Most of their staff are ex high street managers etc and to bo honest the team at our branch contain the worst ones

Our early relationship was good then we got a new manager - he would promise x,y and z and then say it couldn’t be done ! Halve facilities with no warning !
No contact or help during pandemic

Annual review performed on phone, to be told they weren’t trying to bid rid of us but.......
Removed all facilities ! Patronising and condescending

AVOID! Thank god we never moved from our mainstream bank

Tried to talk to the bank regarding business accounts but were told their criteria was based upon what they get out of the banking relationship. Elitist snobbery. made a complaint about the staff attitude - reply said they would get back in touch, this never happened. I'm sure the Swedes wouldn't treat people like this.

Having read some of the remarks made I am amazed and believe there has to be other reasons for the remarks being made.
I moved to the Barnsley branch of Handelsbanken from Yorkshire bank after a particularly bad experience of a "Tailored" product that was miss sold.
Moving to Handelsbanken was most refreshing and is truly a personal service with someone always on the end of the phone. Both my business account and personal accounts are with them. Like all banks the current interest rates are zero. If I have one criticism it is that they are not accepted as being a major UK bank and this I found out when trying to apply for the Government backed loan scheme and also simply trying to set up a "Direct" debit with British Gas.
Sure this is not the banks fault.
I would again recommend the bank and in particular thank all the staff at the Barnsley branch

Your experience with this bank will really depend on who is assigned to manage your account. I originally had a very good experience with the bank. The bank were helpful and sorted out anything I needed promptly and efficiently. Moved to the Darlington branch and it was like a completely different company.

The warning signs were there when it took about 8 months to transfer the account from Newcastle to Darlington despite regular follow up. In general this branch were unable to sort anything out even with multiple requests. Promised to look into things and sort them - never did. Get you in for annual meetings which are a waste of time as they don't do any of the things agreed in the meeting. Ask for excessive information and detail from you, claim its regulations but all the other banks I deal with seem to manage fine with out this info. The standard types of payments were not enabled on my account so I was forced to do all transactions a very expensive way. Promised they would be enabled - did not happen. I needed a bank VAT guarantee which they seemed unable to provide the information for. They promised to send me the info several times but never did. Then they added an extra £25 a month fee on the account - which apparently is standard for everyone. Simply do not believe this is the case - or if it is true, only go to them if you want to pay this fee.

I wanted to move branch to a different branch nearby in Northallerton. This branch is more convenient for me and I hoped they would be less rubbish than Darlington. (I had originally wanted to go to this branch instead of Darlington at the beginning, when I transferred from Newcastle, but I was falsely told by the Darlington staff that the Northallerton branch was only open twice a week). This move was effectively blocked by the Darlington branch as they would not process the request. They mucked me about and told me that they could not move me because of xyz. When these issues were resolved they still would not move me so clearly the reasons given were not genuine. In the end I just moved to another bank.

Even with out the extra £25 a month I was paying close to £1000 a year in various fees. Moved to HSBC and got a years free banking instead.

We use Handelsbanken in Colchester for our family portfolio, and I really can't fault them with anything. It is a great help having a direct number for Shaun, our Account Manager, rather than being passed around like we were at Barclays. You get business decisions very quickly and they are very accommodating!

I would highly recommend using Handelsbanken in Colchester to all in the local area!

I have attempted to open an account with my local Handelsbanken. I’d seen a branch had opened on my route to work so emailed them to enquire about a current account to start with. I’d read they had a good customer service review, so thought they’d be a good switch for me. I couldn’t find much on their website regarding fees, so emailed them as the branch was closed as I was reviewing several banks one evening.

I received a rather sniffy response from my local branch to say that they charge £40 a month for a current account. There wasn’t any interest in getting to know me as a potential customer, and got the distinct impression that they weren’t really interested in current accounts and/or my business. I’m not bothered about paying that amount if their customer service backs that up, and it’s top notch. But it read to me very clearly it was something I couldn’t afford, and that their service was reassuring expensive. I may have a little bit of money, but it’s not anything that I’d be wanting them to manage now anyway.

I was slightly miffed as they don’t know me and had no interest in getting to know me it seems. I have a top credit rating, was looking for a new mortgage at the time (not that they ever bothered to find out) and have above average savings. It’s a shame that they never bothered to ask me about my financial situation. I’m assuming they must be so popular that they’re trying to put potential customers off, if they’re not they need to trim their attitude. This was a couple of years ago now.

Clearly a sucker for punishment, I returned recently and asked regarding a current account again. I think this was just for my idle curiosity rather than me wanting to look to switch. Sadly (and maybe unsurprisingly) the branch’s attitude served the same as before. A confusing approach to potential customers, but good for them I guess. They’re clearly somehow not needing anyone to want to open accounts with them. I don’t know what other avenue they get customers!?

A shame as I was looking for a more localised approach to my banking, supporting my local branch, but that appears to be more corporate guff on their website than I have ever experienced.

I get the impression that unless they contact you, don’t contact them. I’m not ultra high net worth, but not on the bread line either. Either way, not suitable for their requirements (not that they’d know).

Good experience with Handelsbanken myself. Only have a mortgage but as others have said, they treat you like a person and all decisions made in branch. They dont do the 'computer says no' approach but look at the big picture and circumstances.
But for the negative reviews? They are a bank and there to make money. They arent your best friend or personal advisor. What do you expect? Compared to high street lenders my circumstances were treated more favorably.
I think in the last year they have retreated somewhat with branches and people due to ecomony/climate and my banking contact has changed to someone less outgoing. But they arent my best friends as said above, they are selling a product and my remortgage on a fixed rate was favorable to the market and went through without fuss.
So for a mortgage bank. No fuss.....

I've been both a personal and corporate Handelsbanken customer for 11 years and always had a strong professional and helpful relationship with them until about a year ago when our branch manager changed.
In the last year their dealing with our company and myself have been abysmal. They have been unhelpful, rude and about as unsympathetic as possible during the difficult COVID period despite my business actually continuing to trade pretty positively. They have totally lost their way and I would warn anyone against banking with them. They continually report having the best ever customer service but not once in 11 years have i ever been asked for my feedback. Complete joke, avoid at all costs

I think Handelsbanken Ipswich have been great.

Were selling an apartment in Stockholm as I bought a new one. Online I found the mortgage rate was not very beneficial for my mortgage comparered to what other banks had to offer. Told the bank clerk assisting me I wanted to move the entire mortgage to another bank that had not only better rate but also could offer a bigger loan. All of a sudden I start to receive phone calls and emails (not only from her) saying she made a mistake and didn´t take into account the real estate agent would take such a high fee (not that it was high in particular at all) and that I had to come up with 40 000 swedish crowns until the next day. The result: I had to sell all my funds and leave the money she requested in the bank after all loans and resources was transferred to my new bank. I was stressed out of my mind as it was at the time, as I wasn´t 100% sure I was even going to be able to sell my old apartment to the right price in, in the right time in order for everything to "click" with my new apartment and the loan for that. I very much feel this was taken advantage of hence I would never recommend this bank to anyone! In the end I paid for a mistake made by the bank clerk, and if I had more energy at the time and more knowledge I probably wouldn´t have given up so easily...

Disappointment , frustration , stressed and disbelief. If these are emotions you would like to subject yourself to then these are the bank for you. After banking with them for over 10 Years the first 9 years were great, a bank that seemed to truly understand their customers and delivered outstanding service. My has this been turned on it’s head. They are a bank that has seriously lost their way. Customer trust has been undermined and eroded at every turn. They constantly bombard us with requests for irrelevant information like “can you provide us with a detailed breakdown of how you have accumulated your personal wealth including details of every house purchase and sale you have ever had”!! What a joke. They want copies of paperwork to support any large payments you make for your account up to 12 months after the event. The stress they have on us under to try and thwart our porting for our mortgage with is less than 20% LTV is unbelievable.
I could not possible recommend them to anyone or any business. Such a huge disappointment!! STAY CLEAR OF THEM.