Reclaimed Bank charges - now finding it impossible to open another Bank Account

caffeine302

Hi

A few years ago I successfully reclaimed a few hundred pounds worth of Bank charges from the Natwest.

Now I am trying to open a current account and finding it very difficult - in fact impossible, the only option I am being given is a 'basic account'.

By no means am I rolling in the cash but comfortably on 35k with no dependants and no debt/loans to my name.

Has anybody else experienced this or something similar? Is it possible the Natwest have in some way blacklisted my name?

Regards

Orford

caffeine302 wrote: »

Hi

A few years ago I successfully reclaimed a few hundred pounds worth of Bank charges from the Natwest.

Now I am trying to open a current account and finding it very difficult - in fact impossible, the only option I am being given is a 'basic account'.

By no means am I rolling in the cash but comfortably on 35k with no dependants and no debt/loans to my name.

Has anybody else experienced this or something similar? Is it possible the Natwest have in some way blacklisted my name?

I'm puzzled. What happened to the Natwest a/c.? What have you used as a bank a/c in the intervening years? How do you get paid 35k without a bank a/c?

Have you checked your credit file recently?

caffeine302

I lived abroad for 3 yrs and processed the reclaim from Natwest whilst overseas. On returning to the UK my first pay went into the Natwest but they refused to let me withdraw and took my cards off of me so I had to open a basic account with the Co-op, in order to get paid into.

The Co-op gave me a standard rejection letter when I applied for a current account with them, suggesting that I look at my credit report. I did this and my report is fine.

6 months further down the line I have been back to the Co-op with my Experian report and proof of earnings. However, I am still getting the same response.

Do banks have to tell you why they are refusing to process your application? if so it would make correcting whatever it is they don't like that much more managable

jos004

caffeine302 wrote: »

Hi

A few years ago I successfully reclaimed a few hundred pounds worth of Bank charges from the Natwest.

Now I am trying to open a current account and finding it very difficult - in fact impossible, the only option I am being given is a 'basic account'.

By no means am I rolling in the cash but comfortably on 35k with no dependants and no debt/loans to my name.

Has anybody else experienced this or something similar? Is it possible the Natwest have in some way blacklisted my name?

Regards

This is why I'd like to see the government give the post office, full banking rights, to teach the retail banks a lesson, or two. One, they could scrap those useless electron visa debit cards; keep their bank charges to a minimum if poss. and learn to be more professional when dealing with customers.

Orford

Do banks have to tell you why they are refusing to process your application?

No, unfortunately they don't. All they are obliged to tell you is which CRA they use to do a credit check.

caffeine302

Thanks all for replying to this.

Orford: If Banks are not required to inform you as to why they have refused an application, do they at least have to tell you whether they have smeered your name?

If it is a case of the Natwest 'blacklisting', or similar, my name, is there a way of me finding out this information?

Surely this falls into freedom of information

natweststaffmember

caffeine302 wrote: »

Thanks all for replying to this.

Orford: If Banks are not required to inform you as to why they have refused an application, do they at least have to tell you whether they have smeered your name?

If it is a case of the Natwest 'blacklisting', or similar, my name, is there a way of me finding out this information?

Surely this falls into freedom of information

Banks are private companies and are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. If you choose to go to a bank to open an account then they have the right to make credit checks on your account which may show up on your credit report.

There is no such thing as blacklisting a person.

caffeine302

At a complete loss as to why this is then.

Experian report shows up no problems at all and I have printed and shown the bank this.

If there is no blacklisting, what other problem could there be?

natweststaffmember

caffeine302 wrote: »

At a complete loss as to why this is then.

Experian report shows up no problems at all and I have printed and shown the bank this.

If there is no blacklisting, what other problem could there be?

Are you on the voters roll? Do you have other forms of credit?
Did you apply online or in a branch?
Did you take statements with you?

Orford

caffeine302 wrote: »

At a complete loss as to why this is then.

Experian report shows up no problems at all and I have printed and shown the bank this.

If there is no blacklisting, what other problem could there be?

Maybe it might have something to do with your post from last January:

caffeine302 wrote: »

For the past 2 yrs I have been working abroad and all wages have been going into a foreign account.

In the UK I have/had a graduate NatWest account with a 2000 pound overdraft. After graduating (and before moving abroad) I repaid 1500 of this, leaving an outstanding 500 to be repaid. I was under the impression that this overdraft was interest free for the first 2 yrs after graduation. An error on my part, I then left the account inactive for the duration of my stay abroad, thinking that I would clear the remaining 500 debt off immediately on my return.

Now back in the UK I recently deposited 5,000 into the account, only to be later told that they are closing my account and with holding the money until I can prove it is a legitimate deposit. This I can and will do immediately but am worried that the additional 4,500 will be difficult to get back and wondering if anybody has previous experience in anything like this?

Any suggestions would be appreciated, am I looking at a potential legal route or am I just being overly cynical of NatWest?

What happened here, did you get this sorted out?

caffeine302

As stated in my previous post - all has been paid off.

And reiterating - my credit score has not in any way been effected by this.

and if natweststaffmember is correct and there is no blacklist, this really wouldn't have anything to do with it, would it?