MSE News discussion. Nationwide kills cheap overseas spending

Olipro

this is just a forum, Nationwide may or may not read your message, best to send them a formal letter or e-mail

gwapenut

And switch to Metro Bank, in your case the minor hassle would be worth it.

LondonPerson

Several things, that is just a cover story of Nationwide that a few people are abusing it, that is just garbled reasoning to say that if they give out European travel insurance free then everybody benefits, sub plot it costs them less and is worthless to most people and probably won't cost them that much to do it since they know that people won't make claims, whilst they now levy a charges on using your card abroad. As for this condition that it has to be your main account, well it isn't mine and I had the letter today saying that since it was etc etc. The way it reads, everyone who has the debit card will get the European cover, one assumes that making it a condition on being your main account was a PR disaster since all of us who have several accounts were ruled out of it even thou it is worthless for most people and is just a slap in the face of taking with one hand and rewarding you with something worthless in the other hand.

If they can't afford to give out free use of their cards abroad why not just say that, rather than produce a massive PR disaster and customers pulling their money out in droves over the next period since they are disgusted at their conduct and reassessed whether Nationwide is useful to them. ie. the £50,000 limit and risks of keeping more there than is guaranteed, the low interest rates, the withdrawal of the Cirrus card and the slap in the face of all of this to their good customers with increased costs of travelling just since they can earn money off you when you travel abroad. Obviously it does not cost them these charges so they are being abusive as a building society which we own, they seem to have forgotten that one. We have a right to good management and products which they are not delivering.

RobertinHerts

When challenging a member of branch staff today it appears that the story has changed...

Those 900,000 aweful scrongers weren't mentioned at all, apparently it's all Visa's fault for increasing the charges to Nationwide.

I'm reminded of the arguments put in favour of the Government's identity card scheme, every time one argument was shown to be invalid they came up with another one. I recall seeing a list of six arguments that had been used, one after the other.

Robert

RobertinHerts

Stan_The_Man wrote: »

To whom it may concern



FOR THE ATTENTION OF ALL NATIONWIDE PERSONNEL IN EVERY DEPARTMENT



The introduction of the changes to customers ‘Flex-Accounts’ from the First of November 2010 , will completely destroy my personal circumstances.

You will be responsible for hastening my death.


Mr. F. S. Jessop

I suggest copying the letter to BBC Moneybox, and the financial sections of national newspapers.

chai

Firstly, Hi to all this is my fisrt time posting:)

Secondly, I too feel the need to show my dismay at what NW are doing. I was pleased to get the letter saying they are going to change my flex account to a "cash card+" to make my everyday banking easier - great, until I read the small print and it say's I won't be able to use to to withdraw from atm's abroad :mad: and being one of those that dont have the options of getting visa/debit card's, I swiftly changed my mined to becoming very unpleasaed - and fail to see at all how this will make my banking easier .
I guess it won't affect thoes that made the decesion to allow this therfor I guess they really dont care about the custom they are going to loose.

LondonPerson

The withdrawal of the Cirrus card and replacement with the "cash card+" has not had much publicity apart from me moaning about this, on this thread. This one they cooked up about 3-4 months ago and never made it clear what they actually meant and it's implemented about now except they haven't got the cards out. They are swapping from the Cirrus / Mastercard stable to the Visa stable, a bank withdrawal cash card you can use across the world to one that can only be used in the UK and the possibility of using it in some shops in the UK, unlike a debit card that has wide use.

I think cash card+ are aimed at kids and students who can't be trusted with a VISA debit card or credit card. You can't draw money out on it abroad at all.

The Cirrus card was very handy since when you are in foreign parts more far flung than Europe the Visa card is often not taken in cash machines and if you are in one of these places you are stuck if you don't have the other stable. I was not best pleased since as well as raking charges up on using your card abroad they also reduced your options so you could be stuck without any money if using only VISA. I take both cards when travelling.

Metrobank offer the MasterCard debit card and no foreign charges when using the card abroad. Subject to the bank getting their online internet banking up and running, 12 midday this coming Monday and be able to use the card in Tesco tonight - my test, I will be more than happy and then move a large chunk of my money away from the dishonourable Nationwide who can get stuffed. I'll load up money on the flex account when abroad so I'll take the VISA card as my back up, but use the MasterCard as the first option. They actually give better exchange rates, well they did on the Cirrus card so I assume the same rates are used across MasterCard / Cirrus operation.

anna_grant

I received my new Flexaccount+ card yesterday and couldn't beleive that I wouldn't be able to use it abroad.

I went to NW today and they said 'but you would have been written to in April about this'. I remember a letter in April but I thought it was about charging to withdraw money abroad not withdrawing the facility!

She said that I could apply to update my account which would then give me the ability to withdraw cash abroad. She mentioned that it would necessitate an credit check. Due to circumstances from a couiple of years ago, I may not pass it!

I'm now in the situation that I am going abroad in October and I'm not sure what to do to access my own money! Luckily, I don't get paid whilst I'm away, so won't have to actually access my bank account if I take sufficient funds with me in another way. I suppose I'm going to have to take traveller's cheques or euros with me. Very insecure!

NW is my main account and I've been with them for over 20 years. I fell very, very annoyed with them.

KTF

Stan_The_Man wrote: »

Letter

You might want to look in to opening an account with Santander as they allow free cash withdrawals from any of their branches in Spain.

anna_grant

KTF wrote: »

You might want to look in to opening an account with Santander as they allow free cash withdrawals from any of their branches in Spain.

But not the Canaries, as my partner found out :mad: