Nationwide Cash Card +

timodell

Note that the new Cashcard Plus account will NOT let you withdraw cash from ATMs abroad. Nationwide claim that the ability to make ordinary transactions abroad will be seen as more attractive by most customers, but I doubt that will compensate them for the loss of commission free foreign cash withdrawal. For those with existing cash cards you will have up to 21 days from receipt of the new card to keep using the old card. After that you will have to have applied for a Visa debit card and met their internal criteria. This may be quite hard if it is not your main current account with a regular salary going in. In practise, this looks like a back door way of getting rid of most account holders who have used it for foreign transactions only. Sneaky, or what!

malc_b

If it were me I'd phone up NW and complain that the letter is inaccurate, lying even, since it says this is for the customer's benefit but losing the ability to make withdrawals aboard is to this customer's detriment so where is the benefit? As POS that is a what a credit card is for. You still need cash aboard.

Also, I'd use the magic words I want to make this a "formal complaint" of poor service. That means it has to be logged and recorded, and they have to write to you and investigate it and tell you about your option to contact the banking ombudsman. All makes you a PITA compared to if you just accept the brush off from the telephone staff. And it makes the complaints log look dire.

Has anyone tried the route of opening a santander zero account on the basis of having a santander isa? Their isa is pretty good rate so you don't lose anything. And with the new tax year just about to start it would seem an ideal time.

apt

You need a Santander mortgage or 'investment product' to qualify for the Zero current account. 'Investment' does not include a normal savings account or a cash ISA. No point in making a 'formal complaint' as it is not poor service, but a change in terms and conditions that Nationwide are entitled to make.

malc_b

Drat. I'd assumed a (cash) ISA was an investment. But I don't see why you can't complain about a change in terms and conditions that disadvantage you, I would.

Update: Are you sure cash isa don't qualify? Where does it say that? The zero account web page says ""You are eligible if you have an investment with Santander ISA Managers Ltd" on on the direct isa or the flexible isa page it says "All our ISAs are provided by Santander ISA Managers Ltd". To me that says you are eligible with a cash isa unless "savings" are not "investments" which I suppose is possible. Do they say that?

dramaqueen1973

I too have received the letter telling me this!

I never thought NationWide would ever do this so I recently went to Nat West to get the debit card on basic account, have not closed NationWide, have some money in every week, but now Im not sure which bank to use now!!

xx

lukedella

I'm leaving for Poland in a couple of weeks. I'm going to be out of the country for around 5 months, so getting this letter has made my blood boil.

I went into the shop and also phoned up today to see what they could offer , the only option was to upgrade my account, ok sounds easier enough, HOWEVER due to my credit score being to low for a 'normal nationwide bank account' , I can't get the upgrade.

There is nothing I can do or they can do. My cash card flex accounts have a few thousand on them but that still doesn't help the matter or help me get an upgrade.

I asked them if it would be possible to send me the new account/card in september, that way I get some months usage of my card outside the UK before the change over, but nationwide don't even know when they will be sending cards out so that, can't be arranged.

I'm going to have to use my Natwest card abroad and pay all the charges for taking money out of ATM's.

Does anyone know where I can send a letter to nationwide about how i feel and that I will be closing my accounts due to these change they have made..

Toomuchdebt

Can you open a Lloyds account and ask for a money transfer card(not sure of the exact name) which allows you to load the card from the Lloyds account and withdraw from the money card?Not sure of the exact details but I know a few friends have it to send money to their families there.

jabg77

after 6 years a happy customer i have just opened a Lloyds TSB account and closed my nationwide account. I complained a number of times and was given the cut and paste answer that other people have got. Whats funny was nationwide turned me down for a full debit card and Lloyds gave me a silver account- never expected that

shame really but having no ability to withdraw my own money abroad was the final straw

wr1ght

malc_b wrote: »

Drat. I'd assumed a (cash) ISA was an investment. But I don't see why you can't complain about a change in terms and conditions that disadvantage you, I would.

Update: Are you sure cash isa don't qualify? Where does it say that? The zero account web page says ""You are eligible if you have an investment with Santander ISA Managers Ltd" on on the direct isa or the flexible isa page it says "All our ISAs are provided by Santander ISA Managers Ltd". To me that says you are eligible with a cash isa unless "savings" are not "investments" which I suppose is possible. Do they say that?

Qualifying criteria
You are eligible if:

• You have a mortgage with us that is not in arrears, or an investment with Santander ISA Managers Ltd, Santander Portfolio Management UK Ltd or Santander Unit Trust Managers Ltd; and
• it is your main current account and you pay in a minimum of £1,000 each month; and
• you switch your current account using the Account Transfer Service (new current account customers only).

matty_art

I've just had my letter through today.

I only have the account to take money out abroad, it's a convenient way not to have to carry a load of cash with you. Now, I may as well close the account, unless in order to get a debit card I get my pay paid in there and automatically transferred out to my main account each month, which doesn't seem worth the effort.

There's no point in trying to open an account with an e-savings account in order to get a debit card is there?