Natwest Account review

gordon_smith_2

ashbart wrote: »

You are missing the point, completely. Everyone wants stability and there are not many people I know that do not have an overdraft facility that they use (not necessarily rely on). Yes, an overdraft can be withdrawn however, I do not understand why they would do this without reason. We are not permanently overdrawn - that is the point.

Why would I take out a loan repaying around 8-9% interest over so many years when, at the moment, I pay around £3.50 a month on my overdraft??? How is that financially better off for me?? And how can a £3.50 charge suggest I "heavily" use my overdraft??

I think suggesting they will ask me to repay my overdraft is a bit harsh.

I do not have an O/D, in fact the only money I borrow is at 0% interest. I don't pay the banks any interest at all, they pay me.

It may be a bit harsh to withdraw your O/D but they are entitled to do it and remember that if the bank clerk does not like the way you run your account he/she may decide to say no to extending your O/D. You are in their hands. banks at the moment are feeling the sqeeze and tightening their lending. I have seen it done, and it has caused all sorts of problems for the person, chasing around trying to sort it out.

gordon_smith_2

Alx_B wrote: »

Bloody hell! I thought it was just a case that individuals were taking it upon themselves to be "overly pushy" so that they could meet tight targets (which would still be the banks fault, albeit indirectly.) I had no idea that this kind of things was sanctioned & encouraged by the banks themselves!
Good on you for quitting! don't think I'd be able to tolerate those kind of working conditions for very long at all!

you don't think is a recent ploy by the banks. I know in the 70's and 80's the banks were selling inappropriate products to their customers ( life insurance to miners who had nothing in their accounts at the end of the week, personal pensions to people who had occupational pensions) the only thing was that the staff didn't get bonuses it was the managers little perk. Then the bank realised that the managers were getting these perks and the bank officialed the practice so it went into the banks profit and loss.

chambta

gordon_smith wrote: »

you don't think is a recent ploy by the banks. I know in the 70's and 80's the banks were selling inappropriate products to their customers ( life insurance to miners who had nothing in their accounts at the end of the week, personal pensions to people who had occupational pensions) the only thing was that the staff didn't get bonuses it was the managers little perk. Then the bank realised that the managers were getting these perks and the bank officialed the practice so it went into the banks profit and loss.

Not to mention endowments that were sold via banks and building societies. Believe me 'the bank' whoever that may be will do virtually anything to get that signature from the customer and the pressure goes right to the bottom.

wendy_

Well, up till now I have been happy with Natwest. I use internet banking and 2 weeks ago I was advised by natwest that due to a virus on my computer they would have to suspend my online banking and I would have to re register. I did this but somehow I managed to go £3 overdrawn. My salary went in the following day but they charged me £38 for going overdrawn for 1 day. Today I received another letter saying they are taking a maintainance charge of £28.00 at the end of this month making a total of £66 charges for being £3 overdrawn for 1 day. They were not interested when I rang them up and said that there was nothing they could do unless it was there fault. I consider these charges extortunate. What does anyone else think? By the way this is the first time in 10 years of banking with them I have gone overdrawn.

natweststaffmember

amandathepanda wrote: »

They won't get the boot as they were probably told to say that by their manager. I remember when all the child benefit details were stolen a year or so back, we were told to say to all customers where we could see child benefit being paid in to their account, that their account security may have been breached, and that the advisor needed to speak to them urgently. This was just a tactic to get them in to the interview room to have a review. I, and other members of staff refused as we thought this was a step too far.

That was a local decision to do that. That was never the advice given to ALL branch staff. We were told to allay people's fears and that if they felt that their account was unsafe, to offer them the option to open a separate account. I think I would find it equally uneasy to have done what Amanda's branch had said.

ldn-100

I would warn anyone against having a review. Everyone I know who has had one has been "hard sold" inappropriate products. I was encouraged to take out income protection insurance and "upgrade" to an advantage gold current account. I am a student and I have my student account with NatWest. The whole experience shocked me and at the end I was encouraged to say I had found the session useful. When the ‘reviewer’ asked me to rate the session on a scale, I gave my answers and the reply was "come on, it was more useful than that". This was the icing on the cake. Say no before they get you in the door!

Fran_uk1974

I can only agree with what others have said about the hard sell tactics employed by Natwest staff. This isn't the case at all branches (or indeed with all staff). I go to a branch in Victoria and I know that if I am served by a particular woman she will ask me if I have had a review recently, whether I want to upgrade my current account because it's "old style" (i.e. a Current Plus free account rather than an Advantage Gold £144 per year account), etc. It's one of the reasons I try to avoid going to the branch.

natweststaffmember

I disagree with you UNLESS you have had a review before. This is my personal opinion as an account holder and not the fact that I work for the bank. The review looks at everything including the information on your account. You have every right to take the paperwork away and decide if it is for you. Before I had a review myself, I would have said the same, but it makes sense to me to do it. Each to their own, I suppose.
(btw Advantage Gold is £155 now).

Fran_uk1974

I have been to more than one review at Natwest (first I was offered a pension, then a loan, then a new account, then insurance). I dare say some people like having reviews, but I don't (they have been a waste of time) and I resent being asked about it every time I go.

Precious_Thing

I have had several reviews. I was prepared to listen to what they had to say, but it was clearly not about making things better for me, but about them selling their products. I just said no to everything and will never have another review.

Before I re-mortgaged and paid off my debts, I was getting daily phone calls about taking out a loan and because I kept saying no, the staff got more and more rude and angry. In the end I said, ``please do not phone me again''. I knew I would be paying off my debts soon, but didn't think it was any of their business.

I use internet banking and I don't want anything to do with branch staff at all. If I want to speak to someone about something, I will ask to do so. I totally resent being treated as if I am stupid and don't know what I'm doing.

I would LOVE to move from Nat West, just cannot decide where best to move to. Read so much conflicting advice on here. The one good thing about Nat West seems to be the internet banking site.

Precious Thing.