To think NatWest are the worst bank ever?

[sunbathetilmorningtime]

I have a complaint with them and four times I’ve called I’ve been told I’ll get a callback tomorrow and they’ll even email the caseworkers manager to ensure this is done (I didn’t request a manager)

Called just now and the caseworker won’t take my call. Genuinely how can they treat people like this? And that’s not even getting into the actual complaint itself.

Anyone want to share banking nightmares or bank recommendations as I will be changing once this has been resolved.

I'm with NatWest and have only had a couple of problems in well over 20 years, I think you're all probably as bad as each other.

The one time I had an issue with NatWest I found the general complaint handling to be crap, google 'CEO email address NatWest' send your complaint to that address and it will be routed direct to the top level complaint handlers. You'll get a response pretty quick.

* I think they're all as bad as each other. Not "You're"

Really wish we could edit posts

DH used to have his business account with NatWest. 20 odd years ago. They were good for the first 2years, then a total shower of shite.
He had a cash based business and they would only give him 5 cash bags per week - he used more than that in a day.
More serious fuckups followed , I'd never bank with them again.

I like them. My card got cloned and they gave me a bottle of red wine, a box of chocolates and promptly got all my money back.

All problem/call handling these days is infuriating.

First of all, they try to route you through some automated procedure. Which never resolves the problem (cos if it did you wouldn't need to ring them in the first place).

Then they take forever to put you through to someone who either is a) on a really bad line so you can't hear them b) is in a crowded room with a noisy background or c) is difficult to understand for other reasons.

When you do get through to this person probably 50% of the time they cannot actually solve your problem but need to put you through to a specialist team, thus ensuring you have to start all over again.

All this is done while you are normally on edge anyway and concerned that some banking problem will lead to some sort of serious mistake or cost you thousands.

Thing is, I would quite happily pay for a premium service, where you pay £10 a month or so, bypass all this crap and get through to someone who can actually do the job straight away, rather than be subjected to their continued cost cutting and crap systems.

And yes, they are all the same.

We use both natwest, Santander and barclays (various accounts between me and DH) and I think they are relatively easy to deal with. I've not had any major issues that need resolving though.

YANBU, their online banking was awful, constant password error issues.

And they were so unwilling to give us a mortgage. Halifax MA was like what are you worried about, you'll get it.

Been with Halifax ever since! And no password issues ever.

"All problem/call handling these days is infuriating."

I agree with this, having spent an hour holding for British Gas and 40 minutes holding for Sky this morning.

No, my call is not important to you.

No, you are not experiencing a higher volume of calls than usual.

I like them, they’ve always given great customer service to both me and DH.

I closed my NatWest account after I got a letter from them, addressed to me on the envelope, I opened it and it said "Mr Smith here is you need pin" (that's not me btw) then 2 days later another letter addressed to me with Mr Smith"s card. I totally lost respect for their security after that

New pin. Sorry

Never had an issue with them; in fact I think they're excellent.

I am with NatWest , personal accounts no issues 2x business accounts, 1 no issues the other has a complaint in but they are dealing with it and keeping me informed

I have also had accounts at Barclays, but now don’t,and another account at TSB, had issues but resolved quickly

NatWest are no worse than any other bank

I'm also looking to switch from NatWest but haven't looked into other banks yet. The biggest problem for me is the app - twice I've had issues where the app wouldn't work, and after calling and waiting ages to speak to a human they told me both times (two different problems) there was literally no way to do what I needed to do except on the app. And they couldn't tell me how to get the app to work, either.

I also hate how often I have to approve online purchases in the app, but I don't know if that's the same with all banks.

Can't possibly be as bad as HSBC or Barclays.

I had an infuriating conversation with them last week. Late MILs account was with them and DH wants to open an executors account. They said we needed an appointment in the branch - fair enough. Only, due to closures, our nearest branch is 40 minutes away and as we are not existing customers, we can only book an appointment by going into the branch. So we would have to go there twice.

We ended up opening the executor account with our own bank as they were much more accommdating.

Santander are much worse. We switched to Natwest and they are much much better.

The Halifax app is brilliant. It should win awards.

They're awful. I switched years ago, then went back for a specific reason about 20 years later and they hadn't changed at all. Have now LTB and won't be tempted back!

Halifax are not without their issues but nowhere near as bad as Natwest.

We bank with NatWest and have one of those deeply infuriating card reader thingies. I recently wanted to send a small payment to someone - less than £50.00. Had to insert a card in the reader, put in a PIN, put the number it gave me into the account on-line, press OK three or four times ...... absolutely drives my up the wall. I also have a personal account with Santander, who are much easier to deal with. If I need t pay for anything mow, I transfer funds out of NW into Santander and use them.

Thanks mainsfed, I'll look into Halifax!

I went the other way and find Santander much better. NatWest are known as TwatWest in my house (original I know...)

This made me laugh, they're known as 'unhelpful banking' (instead of 'helpful banking' as they claim in their ads) in our house

TBH I have no issues with the Natwest card reader, or any other card reader come to that.

You know with them that it would be pretty much impossible for someone to log into your account and transfer out all the cash when it is protected by that.

Small price to pay IMO.

I've been with them 35(!) years. Have generally had no issue, I find the app and online banking ok, and you can now tell them on the app when you are going abroad so they don't block your card (used to be an issue even if I rang and told them).

Almost left last year as they wouldn't let me transfer a few thousand pounds I was investing - I spent literally hours on the phone to the fraud department, then had to go to a branch to talk it through, and even then they couldn't approve it without ringing the fraud department again whilst I sat in the branch. I told them I couldn't sit in branch for hours on end while they sat on hold on the phone (they use the same number as the public do).