Moving accounts from one bank to another is "easy", according to the British Bankers' Association.

It claims there has always been an incorrect perception that switching is difficult, but that with the introduction of online banking, people are realising how simple it actually is.

Spokesperson for the association Brian Capon said: "People do shop around for the best deals to suit their own purposes and according to what their circumstances are."

He explained that "the key thing is timing" and making sure salaries go into the right account is "just a matter of planning".

The Financial Ombudsman Service recently claimed that complaints relating to switching accounts had increased by 50 per cent on last year to 1,800.

In March 2008, the new Banking and Business Banking Codes will be introduced, including measures such as the "prohibition of account closure solely because a customer has made a valid complaint.

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