Leeds City Credit Union www.leedscitycreditunion.co.uk

Take info at loan application. Then email you asking the same info (response next day). When you respond they tell managers they have called you when they haven't. You than have to confirm the same info collected at application and email request over the phone. After 3 weeks I still don`t know if I have a loan from them or not. Not a very good service which is sad as they set up not to be like banks.

As part of my application, i was asked to send my proof of right to work to any of their office. I went to their Seacroft branch to do so. I spoke to the advisor at the counter and present my Home Office letter (with access code) so that she will visit the gov website, enter the access code and my DOB to see my indefinite leave to remain in the UK under EU settlement scheme (for which the home office DO NOT issue residence cards anymore), the advisor was rude saying in a condescending tone that they don't accept such letter and that i have to provide a card.I explained that the home office no longer issue cards under this scheme but she neither red the letter, insisting I bring in a card. She called her manager who was as rude as she is. The Manger called another person on the phone and after speaking to them she she they don't accept this and that my letter can be fake. This was very irritating and quite provoking as she had not even read the letter nor accessed the gov website or at least googled to see if what I was saying was true. I called the home office and she refused to speak to the Home office advisor as she walked off from the counter. Complete disrespect of another government agency, I put the home office advisor on loud speaker who emphasized that they have to accept my letter (code) to view my proof and every one in the office head the HO advisor. Rudest and most ignorant Manager i have ever seen.

Rubbish credit union. Don’t help as claim. Loans snow problem what a complete joke. Don’t use. Destroyed my loan as told by text. Go elsewhere other loan companies are so much better and helpful.

I don't usually write reviews but I feel compelled to do so on this occasion.

I'd read that credit unions are a good alternative to 'high st Banks'. Not this one!

I became a member and opened a savings account at the same time. I had a large amount of funds transferred from my bank to my LCU member account. After a week or so the funds weren't showing in the membership account so I sent LCU an email. No response. A few days passed and I sent another email, no response again. I then phoned them, spoke to a lady and asked her if they had received the sum of ***** from Lloyds Bank. I gave her the exact figures and after checking she said it is in their account. That's the LCU account not mine. I requested the money is put into my account to which she said they can't pay it in as it didn't have the membership number from the bank. Now I must admit that Lloyds are not blameless here, I told them to provide the membership number. Anyway, it didn't get resolved on that call so I called Lloyds and asked them to supply a letter confirming the payment and my membership number. One month later I'm still waiting for the letter. In the meantime I spoke with a guy at the LCU and even though I was able to pass Data Protection, give him the exact amount that was paid in and from who, he still wouldn't transfer the funds to my account. I even told him that I can email details from Lloyds official documents. Eventually the money was transferred to my account but it took six weeks +, RIDICULOUS!

The LCU website is difficult to navigate and unprofessional.

I've just tried to make an online payment from my savings account to an external creditor and even something as simple as that is a nightmare.

If you want easy banking with a professional business DO NOT BANK WITH THIS OUTFIT!!!

Joined about 18 months ago and took a £500 loan to help improve my credit rating.

Paid all loan back, never missed one payment. Last week I applied for a £1750 loan(had £627) in savings with them. Was refused and told they passed my details to a payday loan company!

Have withdrew all my savings and moved to another one who is a bit more ethical and lower interest.

Wanted help with credit rating, but refusal for loan and being passed to payday loan company has made it worse! Avoid!!!

I decided to join Leeds city credit union because I wanted to build up some savings, Also being a member meant I could apply for a loan in the future. I had run up quite a few large debts in the months leading up to joining and decided to apply for a quite large loan of 700 pounds and to my surprise i was sent a text message the next morning informing me a loan of 700 had been agreed. I was given details to log in online and could see the loan amount that had been credited and also all other credits I had made into the account. My credit history isn't perfect but they took me at face value and took a chance. I would definitively recommend the credit union for anyone that wants to save or is looking at a pay day loan as this is a much better alternative!

Also I have phoned them up on numerous occasions and have always been the first caller and have had to wait no longer than a minute to talk to a member of staff who is always more than happy to answer any of my questions no matter how silly they might sound!

I was a member of the Wakefield based White Rose Credit Union, and was very happy with the service, the charges and the staff. WRCU charged £1 a week to administer the account, which was fair and reasonable. We were promised the takeover by Leeds City Credit Union would be good for us, and would improve service. Nothing could be further from the truth I am afraid.

Previously we could transfer money, including savings, from one account into our Current Accounts online. That option has been removed. Previously when calling you got straight through to a real person, now you have to go through the "Press 1 for this, press 2 for that.." and half the time no one answers the phone when you do get through, and you are waiting for quite a while for someone to answer.

But worst of all are the changes to the terms and conditions since the takeover. The weekly charge has been changed from £1 a week to £3.25 a month. At first this seems like a good thing, until you read on and see that if you have more than ten debits, of ANY kind including use of an ATM, in one month then they slap on another £4.75 charge. So five direct debits or standing orders and five uses of an ATM and you've reached the ten debit limit. I am pretty sure most people who are working, even on low incomes, and a good proportion of people on benefits probably reach that ten debit limit most months. Credit Unions are supposed to be to help those on benefits and low pay to better manage their money, but all extra charges will do is force some people to take all of their available money out in one lump sum, because if they spread it out they get charged more. How is that helping those on low incomes manage their money better?.

Charges for unpaid DDs and SOs have gone up by a massive 300% too, they now charge exactly the same as the other major banks now charge, namely £15 per item.

Finally, it used to be possible to transfer all of your savings from your compulsory savings account into your Current Account, now you must leave a minimum of £5 in the savings account.

If I and many others I have spoken to had known about these detrimental changes we would certainly have tried to campaign against the takeover by LCCU.

I have a feeling these changes were introduced because of the financial troubles of the Co-Operative Bank group who actually provide the current accounts for the credit union customers.

So, in summary IF you have few direct debits or standing orders to worry about, and wont be taking money out regularly then fine, LCCU will work for you. But if you are a person on a low income who needs a current account, but are likely to have more than ten debits a month of any kind, consider other options. There are still some banks out there who charge zero for basic current accounts provided you remain in credit and are happy to take customers on low incomes or on benefits. Most have also reduced any unauthorised overdraft charges to the same as the credit union now charge. So shop around before signing up with LCCU to see if you can get a better deal elsewhere now. I never thought I'd hear myself saying that to others on low incomes or on benefits, I was always one to extol the virtues of credit unions, but LCCU are no longer a good deal or the preferred first option for those on low incomes or on benefits, there are better and cheaper options even amongst the mainstream banks :(

i have paid £180 into my account in the last two months and still showing nothing coming of my loan.I have sent numbers of emails but no answer.This is not a company to help the needy it is as my account shows day light robbery.They dont do what it says on the tin and be there to help local people with desperate needs in desperate times it is a disgrace.no wonder people are turning to pay day loans and other types of loan sharks as this is all leeds city credit union are.Be carefull good people of leeds.I want my money pleasee LCCU.TERRIBLE ABSOLUTE DISGRACE

The credit union was a breath of fresh, not anymore....... The reports in the papers over the last couple of years are indeed true.Sadly Mrs Davenports demise was required but there were others including the deputy CEO that fully understood the events. It is now the tax payees responsibility to drag this failing company out of a deep hole. Ask yourself how the council can keep giving them handouts, where do you think they will generate the funds to keep doing this? Many of the staff have gone through a so called restructure, leaving inexperienced cheap labour. the biggest laugh is that the daughter of the former area branch manager who left because she was doing under handed loans and dare I say stealing money from peoples accounts still works there. Yet the CEO and the deputy boast of having the right staff in place and have even spoken at the agm that they now employ professionals. My moneys is safe under the matress

I support the Credit Union and always will. They have been a big help to me in the past and I will continue to save with them. I have always found the staff to be polite and courtious - keep up the good work especially through these tough times.