Banking needs to get into the 21st century?

[Plonque]

On Friday evening I moved some money around, electronically through my online banking, across two of my own NatWest accounts.

It's now 1pm on the following Monday and the transactions are still "pending" and the balances are still showing as unchanged in the respective accounts.
(There's no error, the account I moved the money from says Balance £1000 (pending -£1000) and the account I moved it to says Balance £0 (pending +£1000) so I know that it's there and processing) amounts changed

BUT WHY?! Why, after 3 days, is an internal electronic payment still not officially at its destination? No human personnel were involved in the transaction so Mon-Fri hours shouldn't matter.

Why is this still a thing?

I don't use Natwest but I've used most of the other banks and such transactions have shifted within seconds for all of them.

contact them and give them a kick. They will tell you to clear cookies and cache, just reply that this never works and they have a problem.

Mine's done immediately with mine (Nationwide and Monzo)

It’s because of Covid and everyone working from home to save the NHS.
Well at least that’s the excuse I get for 342 other things that have gone wrong so I’m assuming it’s the same.

YANBU it is crap.
I think people would be rightly horrified if they saw some of the IT botchery that goes on in banks.

My Lloyds transfers like that happen instantly.

I can bank cheques from my sitting room too.

I do think NatWest is a pain to use online though - our joint account is with them and I always let DH do that one. He has a lot more patience with the faff of the log on and bill paying than I do. Lloyds is really easy in comparison

Use a newer bank line Monzo or Starling.

So many of the old institutions are using legacy frameworks.

It's instant with my two Halifax accounts so must be just your bank OP

I do agree, but Friday to Monday seems to be different to Monday to Thursday, say. ‘Working days’ still seems to be a thing in banking.

That's strange as i bank with NatWest and transactions and transfers are always instant, even at the weekend. If it doesn't sort itself out soon I'd probably give them a ring.

Transactions between my Natwest accounts are always instant, and also to most other accounts, up to a £1000 limit. I’d check what’s going on.

I have very recently opened a Starling account and am having my hobby profit paid into that.
I'm planning some major financial upheaval and need the longevity of my lifelong NatWest account and don't want to feck up my credit score so I'm holding back on fully transferring ... but I will!
NatWest have done nothing to keep me interested. They make everything so hard work.

Mine shows up instantly - hsbc and Santander

My natwest transfers are usually instantaneous - including paying new contacts out of banking hours. Chase them.

If it's not complete by 3pm I will ring, but we all know what fun it is to try to get through to anyone soooo

NatWest here and my transfers are instant. When we pay money into each other's accounts (both NatWest) its always instant.

I agree, usually transfers are instant.

Maybe check as there could have been an unusual issue with yours that they will need to sort out.

How strange.

First Direct here. Goes in immediately

I honestly could not put up with that.

It also goes to other FD accounts immediately like my DHs

Most obvious thing to check first - is your device and the app your using both up to date software wise?

If so then yes it sounds like their IT is off.

I'm with BoS and transactions are mostly instant although weekends and bank holidays cause delays. I'm told by a friend who works in banking that some things are still subject to antiquated banking laws not sure what effect that has I know it affects cheque processing but I've not dealt with cheques for many years.

My HSBC transfers are instant.

Mine are usually instant, except for a couple of transactions they flagged up with me by calling before they left my account, just to see if they were genuine.

Payments like this are instant so in this case you should call them. It has likely been flagged for extra checks or there has been a system outage.

Either way, let them know so they can correct or fix.

I work in retail banking project management btw if you need credentials!

Most obvious thing to check first - is your device and the app your using both up to date software wise?

Yeah, my phone is fairly recent and I did the new iOS update just the other day.

It sounds like it’s been flagged by the system for some reason and is now waiting for a human to review it. This could happen if it’s an account you’ve not used in ages, the pattern of payments on your account has been unusual or if the amount is very large. Someone will click it through and it’ll magically appear.

Banks have in my opinion been one of the sectors of the economy that have used the pandemic to provide as little service that they can get away with. Shorter branch hours I expect will remain, for example, as will minimal telephone support.

I have instant transfers OP so it is an issue for your bank not in general.

I will ring if it's not completed within the next two hours.
Can't imagine why they'd think it was fraudulent or unusual, but maybe that's it.
I have noticed that my debit card payments seem to pend for a long time though recently, even mid week and small amounts 🤔
A couple of transactions of less than £5 and £10 are still pending from Saturday now too!