to expect the Nat West to take loose change?

[lucydogz]

I put loose change in a big pot, and, every now and again, bag it up in those little plastic bags the bank give you and take it to a bank. There's usually about £70. Today the cashier at the Natwest said, that as I wasn't a customer, they couldn't take it. How can they do that, when it's legal tender? It's not as though I was giving her a bag of loose change.
Our nearest bank branch is much further away, and is a faff to get to.

I only ever do this somewhere I bank, it wouldn’t occur to me to take it somewhere I don’t.

Ridiculous. I had the same thing, no shop would take a NI £10 note. I took it into Nat West and they wouldn't change it because I wasn't their customer. Lloyds didn't even ask.

It costs them money to process change so why should they take it from someone who isn't a customer. You could just open a basic account with them just for your change

How can you pay it in if you don't bank there?

They’re a bank, not a charity. You’re not a customer so they wouldn’t do it. I don’t see the issue?

Why should they do this for a non customer?

How can you pay it in if you don't bank there?

I assume the OP wanted to exchange it for notes?

If it's so outrageous, why do other banks change money without turning a hair?

I assume the OP wanted to exchange it for notes?

Ah, it would never occur to me to even go to a bank to do that

a - I didn't want to pay it in, just change it for higher currency
b- when I worked in the bank, we did it all the time for customers of other banks
c - the cashier was just sitting there, waiting for custom. The money was all counted and bagged, it would have taken her a few minutes max. I'm not blaming her, but think the bank guidance is wrong.

My husband banks at Nat west they have a machine in there where you can put change it puts it straight into your bank for you x

The cost of transportation of coin is expensive and why many machines have a high percentage charge, those in supermarkets can be subsidised by spending within the supermarket. My bank only takes for those with accounts.

I work for a bank and no we wouldn’t exchange a non customers money.

I’m not surprised they won’t do it for non customers. You wouldn’t expect a shop to do it.

I think for many Banks it’s limited to a certain number of bags per day, even if you are a customer. One of the “features” of my DD’s child account was you could put unlimited coins in!

I haven't been able to break notes in banks I don't use. If you are not a member then they don't have to help you with that.

I bank with NatWest and there’s a machine in my branch (like the Coinstar ones) and you just chuck all your change in it and it pays it into your account.

Yes but SHE DOESN'T HAVE AN ACCOUNT.

The person behind the desk doesn't make the rules.

Either stop making work by not collecting loose change, or switch to the physically nearest bank. You may even get paid to do it.

go to a supermarket! they have machines that do it for you.

I believe it is to do with the money laundering regulations - if you had come by the money nefariously then they would be breaking the law by changing it for you as they don't have evidence of your id - banking regulations mean that they have to go through know your customer procedures first. It does make a mockery of it though when you could use a coinstar machine at the supermarket though..

We do the same thing and can usually get Metrobank to change it.

I'm a bit confused as to why anyone would think they would do this to be honest. Would it be worth you opening a current account with NatWest and then you can just chuck all your change in the coin machine? Those coin star ones in supermarkets charge like 9% so I wouldn't use those!

My bank has only changed it's own customers small change for at least the last 15 years. It's unusual for one to do it rather than not.

go to a supermarket! they have machines that do it for you.

The Coinstar ones charge a fee.