ACT residents are the unhappiest banking customers in Australia, despite record low interest rates driving a surge in banking customer satisfaction generally, according to the results of the People’s Choice Awards.

The awards, organised by financial comparison site Mozo.com.au and based on 28,000 customer reviews over the past year, show that the Big Four banks have been big beneficiaries of improved customer sentiment over the past year, but still lag behind the challenger banks and mutuals when it comes to the happiest customers.

ING Direct was voted Australia?’s Best Bank as well as taking out the awards for Best Savings Accounts and Best Bank Accounts. ME Bank won Best Home Loans, Best Credit Cards and Best Debit Cards.

Overall banking satisfaction hit 7.73 out of 10, the highest it?s been in the history of the Awards. Home loans saw the biggest increase in customer satisfaction, as Australians enjoy once-in-a-lifetime record low rates, with satisfaction increasing 11 per cent  from 6.78 per cent in 2012 to 7.54 per cent in 2013.

But the ACT was the grumpiest State, with 12 per cent of respondents giving their financial provider a score of four or less. Banking product features were rated particularly poorly.

And unlike all the other States and Territories, who ranked NAB top out of the Big Four banks, the ACT put the Commonwealth Bank in first place, with NAB, ANZ and Westpac lagging behind.