Natwest Student account 2010/2011: We want your feedback

ThinkingOfLinking

My railcard came last week; that was fast. Very pleased.

To get the railcard, you need to set up online banking and stop paper statements being sent to your home address. I already had online banking so didn't have to do anything; just had to wait a couple of days for them to email me the details so I could apply for my railcard. More than happy. The whole process was prompt and pain-free.

nicola1891

Always been a Natwest customer but not for much longer! Going into branch today to close my account as i have been told i am not eligible for the railcard even though was told by a member in branch i would be, refuse to give me the overdraft but gave me the credit card. Useless bank and would not recommend!

Zack1

nicola1891 wrote: »

Always been a Natwest customer but not for much longer! Going into branch today to close my account as i have been told i am not eligible for the railcard even though was told by a member in branch i would be, refuse to give me the overdraft but gave me the credit card. Useless bank and would not recommend!

Similar to me but they're shocking with their credit card too. Flat out refused to ever increase my limit (despite the stuff that comes with it saying it can be increased once you've had it 6 months). This was without even a credit search. Wouldn't give me any reasoning as to why 2 of my friends they forced to signup for credit cards have the same limit as me, despite the fact my friends don't really know what it is/does and have never used it, whereas I've utilized the credit and so given them merchants fees...

Got rid of the credit card and if it wasn't for the railcard I'd have got rid of the account too.... To be fair I got the railcard in June this time, which really did shock me... Last year I had to keep phoning about it

Be very careful with them and credit cards, as others have said they force them down your throat, as happened to 2 of my friends. One of them is under the impression her credit card 'is like an overdraft'... she got this information from the bloke that forced her to open the credit card (and take over the overdraft) "just incase".... that's appalling IMO. If she went and actually used the card, thinking it wouldn't be paid back for years (like the overdraft) then she'd get hit with interest/charges and destroy her credit file!

Oh and they managed to spell my name wrong on my most recent debit card.... despite the fact I've been with them nearly 7 years, with the correct spelling of my name on file and the correct spelling of my name on the initial card! :mad:

I certainly wouldn't recommend them if you haven't got other bank accounts... luckily I have others to use as my main account so can avoid dealing with them (and their exceptionally long queues) in branch!

emejo

I opened my account in oct 2009 but ended up receiving a huge amount of paperwork through the post pestering me to open a e-savings account, credit card and current account aswell as a student account, how much money to they think i have?? anyway never received anything about the railcard and when i rang to check they said everything was emailed but i never recieved it and it was now too late to get one anyway. Have had no problem in increasing my overdraft they did it within 24 hours but always pestered me about a credit card. i had been given £1250 by August this year before i had started my 2nd year!

After all the confusion in the beginning i realised i had opened a billing account aswell which was a advantage blue current account but offered a 'free' railcard for 1 year plus discounts on other stuff. I didnt realise for a while as i didnt really use the account however that i was being charged £7 a month for these extras meaning the railcard was more waaay expensive than a normal one. My fault for not noticing really but wish this had been made clearer in the beginning when they were bombarding me with information!

am considering moving to co-op as they are a much more ethical bank and i hate dealing with Natwest but the amount of time they give you to pay off the overdraft after you finish is tempting... hm

Wiggynut

I opened my Natwest student account in 2008 a few weeks before starting my first year at Uni.
I've not had any issues - had some running around at first with the paperwork but that was because I was working full time and trying to find a local branch near me (I work from the boss' home and no local banks!) but after that... no problems.

Got the railcard and it's automatically sent each year (I thought I would have to apply etc), already got next years... shame I've not taken many rail journeys though
Got the webcam... sold it for £9 :j
Also, received the overdraft of 1,000 once I started my course - which I didn't need until the summer break a year later... but very handy, about 7 months ago I asked for the 2nd year increase and got that straight away.

I've only been asked about the credit card once and I said no as I already have a RBS credit card... which is part of Natwest so maybe that's why I haven't been harassed... but as no one can tell you to get a credit card you can always say no... or say yes then cancel it!

when I lost my card... ATM machine dies and ate it!! a new card was sent within 2 days... better than HSBC ... they took 3 months just to send me my new account info (the bank account I had before Natwest) so I'll probably stick to Natwest... I know that if you move you have to go into Natwest as it's a student account rather than just calling/sending info but as I only work part time now it works out fine.

Natwest have been fine in my case :beer:

mrcrazy04

I've had a Natwest student account since September 2007. I've had the overdraft increased each year, and it is currently at £1600.
The only problem I had getting it increased was that they wouldn't increase it until September as they stated that was when each year officially started.
I got the free webcam and the railcard, which they've automatically replaced as the existing one expires.
I've also found the staff in both the branch near my university and my local branch at home to be helpful whenever I've needed to pop in.

chez69

my daughter has a natwest step account for her part time job and went on line to upgrade it but was declined
i have debt due to doing up property and a very low credit score should this affect her changing her account she doesnt want an overdraft as me and her dad can help her out i pay my cc bills each month though just have quite a large debt but good assetts
so just dont know wat to do now for her its a joke really isnt it when shes banked with them over 2 yrs never gone overdrawn and has opened a saving s account
please please help she is on the elec roll

Zack1

chez69 wrote: »

my daughter has a natwest step account for her part time job and went on line to upgrade it but was declined
i have debt due to doing up property and a very low credit score should this affect her changing her account she doesnt want an overdraft as me and her dad can help her out i pay my cc bills each month though just have quite a large debt but good assetts
so just dont know wat to do now for her its a joke really isnt it when shes banked with them over 2 yrs never gone overdrawn and has opened a saving s account
please please help she is on the elec roll

Are you with Natwest? At CRA level your debt would have no affect on her file at all.... however internally maybe Natwest will put together that you have debt and don't want to take the risk because of family link or whatever. I don't know if that's legal, and they almost certainly won't give you any more information on the decline (banks are useless like that), but if you have debt with Natwest it's a possibility it's flagged up on their system...

Edit: She will have to do this with her debit card for security/ID reasons, you can't do it on her behalf. Check her credit files are all correct at Experian & Equifax (the 2 main ones) for £2 each, request a statutory credit report not the free trials etc, unless you remember to cancel them on time... Once you get the reports check that she's 100% listed as being on the electoral roll there, as if she is it seems very strange she's not been given the account. If everything is in order then you could try writing an appeal to Natwest, and enclosing a copy of the report and also some bank statements that show good activitywould help (even though they can look at the system, they might not bother so I'd stick them in anyway).

You say she has a part time job, mention that in the appeal letter, and include some kind of proof of that if you can (copy of her staff ID/letters etc she may have from her employer). Make reference to the incoming credits on the statements as being from this job, and say how long she's had it (stability is key). Good luck!

If not you may have to look elsewhere. I believe Barclays issue their accounts based partly on manager approval - so if the computer says no the manager can possibly override it - I've never had experience of them though, as you have to go into a branch to set a new account up (hence the manager approval thing) so I've never bothered.

Richy23

I've applied for a student account online, and have received their pack through the post with a declaration I need to sign and send back. However a friend of my Mum's said you don't get the railcard if you apply online? Is this correct?...I can't see why they wouldn't give you one based on how you apply for it! Thanks!

cherryblossoms

I upgraded one of my Natwest current accounts online a couple of weeks ago, the day after my account had changed when I checked my online banking but to get the overdraft I had to go into the branch with my course confirmation, my overdraft was active the following day. I got an e-mail allowing me to apply for the rail card, i'm 30 but there is a new rule allowing mature students to apply for the railcard which is fantastic! My card arrived on friday so i'm really pleased with the service I have received.