MSE News discussion. Nationwide kills cheap overseas spending

Olipro

Swan wrote: »

that's not good at all, it's now making me think twice about my paperless billing, although I've successfully used downloaded & printed statements in the past, I must have just been lucky not to run into a company who wanted originals

apart from the inconvenience of having to wait to get them, do you know if your friend was charged for the copies?

(most) banks will give you up to 3 months of paper statements on demand for free if you are on paperless statements.

patrick0

I've just closed my FlexAccount and credit card. They didn't even ask why I was closing my account.

Have just opened a new account at Metro Bank in Holborn as they offer the same deal as Nationwide did - debit card with no overseas charges. Must say Metro's customer service was a hundred times better than at Nationwide.

luci

Swan wrote: »

apart from the inconvenience of having to wait to get them, do you know if your friend was charged for the copies?

Sorry I don't know, but I'll ask next time I hear from her.

philstephen

Entitled "Stop Nationwide Increasing Fees For Overseas Use" just created!

Ideally to work as a pressure group as opposed to just state "I'm leaving Nationwide" or "these are now the best alternatives"

Phil

interbear

Just got my Flex account letter about this yesterday. Not happy at all. The primary reason we moved our joint account to NW was to benefit from the free transactions and ATM withdrawals in Europe (wife is French so we travel to France often). However, it is our main joint account and my wife's main account.

The travel insurance "offer" is no use to us - we have better cover via direct line home insurance and would have to pay to add the kids to it anyway.

This is a major backward step by NW. They have just killed what was a major differentiator for them in a very crowded marketplace.

I will now seriously consider alternatives like others on here.

northernstar5

philstephen wrote: »

Entitled "Stop Nationwide Increasing Fees For Overseas Use" just created!

Ideally to work as a pressure group as opposed to just state "I'm leaving Nationwide" or "these are now the best alternatives"

Phil

There's also a facebook group called "Nationwide - we want to keep free use of Flexaccounts in Europe"

Maybe it'd be a good idea to combine them?? Don't know if that's possible.

northernstar5

philstephen wrote: »

Entitled "Stop Nationwide Increasing Fees For Overseas Use" just created!

Ideally to work as a pressure group as opposed to just state "I'm leaving Nationwide" or "these are now the best alternatives"

Phil

just looked on Facebook - can't find this group. Is the title exactly as written above?

glider3560

northernstar5 wrote: »

just looked on Facebook - can't find this group. Is the title exactly as written above?

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=139747192733203
A huge membership of 4.

If you really want to do something, get 500 people to pay a £50 deposit and then call an SGM of the society.

Nicholas

Just had our letters through the post this morning

"At Nationwide we're proud to be different

....Qualify for FREE European travel cover

...From 1 November 2010...2% commission charge"

Isn't the travel insurance and the commission charge similar to how Lloyds Bank operates? Lloyds is now the biggest bank, and if Nationwide are doing the same how can this be "different".

I can think of one or two explanations:

1. Perhaps they mean they are different now, but won't be after 1 November.

2. Or perhaps they mean they are different to other building societies, insofar as they used to be just incompetent but now are incompetent and uncompetetive.:huh:

RobertinHerts

MSE news - Bank complaint rates, mentions Nationwide.

Robert