Nationwide's online banking is driving me round the bend

[Spookybitch]

Argh! Ive got a small sum of money in Nationwide, have done for years. They sent me a letter helpfully informing me that it had earned roughly a fiver in interest in a year. So I decided to withdraw it online, only to find that you have to remember your "memorable words". As it turns out, three words I picked five years ago aren't that very memorable. Oh well, send off to reregister.

New details turn up, get logged in. You can't withdraw money straight from an e-isa, fair enough so I transfer it to my flexaccount. Then go through the process to set up withdrawal, only for it to tell you at the end that you need a card reader - don't have! And your card (fair enough, but I haven't had an actual flex card in ages because it's had a tenner in it for years!)

So now I have to wait for a new card and card reader... Why is their online banking so complicated!

It isn't. It is pretty much the same process for all banks. I would rather jump through all these hoops then someone else easily gain access to my money. Why not just go into branch? They should be able to help you.

I haven't been into branch because I don't currently have a card but will do when I get it.

I don't have a card reader for any of my other accounts so it just seems like extra faff. It's just frustrating I suppose

Even if you had the card reader you'd probably find it didn't work as NW's website can't cope with people using ipads. We've banked with NW for years and the card reader has only resulted in error messages if we access via the ipad (fine with laptop).

NW live in a quaint world where everyone accesses the internet via their desktops only. Natwest is way better.

I can't comment on NW on an iPad but Natwest was dire for me. Uninspiring products, no innovation, miserable in branch staff and most importantly: I nearly missed out on exchanging on our first home because Natwest had royally messed up on something really simple (I went in branch to transfer money and they missed a 0 off the transfer!). I moved everything to another bank as soon as the house move went through.