Natwest sucks

jessie27

Hi everyone, am new to this site but just needed to vent my anger at Natwest!

I have £40k worth of debt and am currently arranging an IVA through Cleardebt. I went into Natwest last week and opened a Step account and I was told this was specifically for "bad credit". I even paid some money in there and then. However the next day I received a call from the branch saying that when the application had been sent to head office, a lot of "adverse information" had come up and so they could not give me an account after all!

I couldn't believe it, the girl at the branch knew I had bad credit and isn't this what this account is for?

So now I have to go in and close the account once the cheque I paid in has cleared! Has anyone else had a similar experience or does any1have any suggestions for another bank account?

:mad:

poppy52

Try the Co-op cashminder account. They don't do a credit check, all they do is verify that you live where you say you do - they do this on-line in the branch when you go in and open the account. You get an electron card and internet banking which can do DDs and SOs.

kevker

That's really strange. When I opened a Step account they couldn't be more helpful, and I'm bankrupt so it can't really get any worse. And so far NatWest have gone out of their way to do everything they can for me. So as I said, it's really strange that they have refused you. Did they elaborate on why not?

pug_in_a_bed

I just thought I'd add that I was also bankrupt when i opened the co op account, which had no effect on whether I could open it or not.

cmjohnson_86

Im with natwest and think there completely rubbish, currently considering what bank to change to for the best. There slow, very expensive if you go over your limit.. for example i brought something and paid for it with my card and accidentally went over the amount of money in my bank twice one was for £3.45 and another of around £4.56 and they charged me £38 TWICE for going over. Cant wait to change!!

jessie27

They just said a lot more adverse info had come up when they had checked through the application at head office - I have 1 default and 1 CCJ but am in the midst of arranging an IVA. I really don't understand coz they knew I had bad credit and there are no credit facilities available with this account anyway. I'm thinking of appealing but I don't know who to appeal to?

cmjohnson_86

jessie27 wrote:

They just said a lot more adverse info had come up when they had checked through the application at head office - I have 1 default and 1 CCJ but am in the midst of arranging an IVA. I really don't understand coz they knew I had bad credit and there are no credit facilities available with this account anyway. I'm thinking of appealing but I don't know who to appeal to?

just go back into your local branch and discuss why exactly you were refused and if there is any chance of appealing, There the only people that really know

mummytofour

cmjohnson_86 wrote:

Im with natwest and think there completely rubbish, currently considering what bank to change to for the best. There slow, very expensive if you go over your limit.. for example i brought something and paid for it with my card and accidentally went over the amount of money in my bank twice one was for £3.45 and another of around £4.56 and they charged me £38 TWICE for going over. Cant wait to change!!

This has happend to me too, not really my fault either as i made a payment that took almost a weeks to go out, me not knowing it had not gone out and I went over by £2 and got charged £38 really PEED off about this and i will call them when i have a chance.

moongarden

hi jessie 27,

i opened a nat west account today and i have five defaults and a CCJ

i phoned up and asked for an appointment to open a step account this morning. when i got there the lady asked me directly why i thought i couldn't open a normal account. i told her my financial status and said i had an up to date (dec 05) copy of my credit file from experian.

she still tried to open the other account on the screen saying lets try it anyway and if it refuses we will enter the details for a step account

of course it failed, as i told her it would, but then she put in the details for a step account and it went through fine.

step accounts are designed for people with adverse credit - thats what they are for.

it sounds to me like they have tried to open a different account for you not the step one.

definately go in and talk to the manager in the branch and ask them to explain what has happened.

if they are refusing to open it because you are in an IVA then this could be the case with all the other banks who offer a basic banking account

mikesears

Hello,

My first time here so hope I am the right place to have a go at Nat West. I took a Nat West cheque for just under a £100 with a gaurantee card. The cheque bounced, The local Natwest branch said all was ok so try again, the cheque bounced three times even though the local branch said everything was in order. Eventually I contacted the complaints department and after five letters I was put on to another department who told me that although the cheque gaurantee card was correct Natwest would not honour it as I was a individual and not a business. Perhaps I am naive but I thought a gaurantee card was just that. not so with Natwest.

I have taken the man who paid me the cheque to the small claims court and have won the case but have not received a penny and am not likely to.

Beware Natwest are a dishonourable organisation, do not take a Natwest cheque unless you are certain of the person signing it. Natwest give the dishonest ones among us carte blanche to rip the honest ones off.

If you need a bank account try the Coop at least they have some ethics.

planning_ahead_2

mikesears wrote: »

Hello,

My first time here so hope I am the right place to have a go at Nat West. I took a Nat West cheque for just under a £100 with a gaurantee card. The cheque bounced, The local Natwest branch said all was ok so try again, the cheque bounced three times even though the local branch said everything was in order. Eventually I contacted the complaints department and after five letters I was put on to another department who told me that although the cheque gaurantee card was correct Natwest would not honour it as I was a individual and not a business. Perhaps I am naive but I thought a gaurantee card was just that. not so with Natwest.

I have taken the man who paid me the cheque to the small claims court and have won the case but have not received a penny and am not likely to.

Beware Natwest are a dishonourable organisation, do not take a Natwest cheque unless you are certain of the person signing it. Natwest give the dishonest ones among us carte blanche to rip the honest ones off.

If you need a bank account try the Coop at least they have some ethics.

I think you would have good cause to challenge Nat West on this. The cheque and credit clearing company states

The UK Domestic Cheque Guarantee Card Scheme was established in 1969 to create common, easily identifiable design features to simplify acceptance procedures for retailers and other acceptors of cheques.

Surely you are an 'acceptor of a cheque'