RBS customers - how to escape Santander

slopemaster

there was a thread about this but I can't find it now so i just thought I'd post what I found out - might be useful to someone, if you're an RBS cutomer in england and don't want your account transferred to Santander - who will then probably block your access to your money for ages!.

I rang RBS to ask about transferring to a branch in scotland. They immediately knew why and have a procedure all set up - must have had loads of customers doing this. they will send me special form and all can be done by post - no need to go to scotland! Only thing is of course once the 'takeover' fully goes through, then it will not be possible to go into a branch of RBS in England cos there won't be any. But for those of us who hardly ever go into a branch that's probably a small price to pay for escaping Santander.

stclair

RBS are currently in talks with the post office.

As of next year RBS and Natwest customers will be able to use the post office to administer there accounts.

boo_star

Can you not just go into a Natwest branch? I've always had a Scottish RBS account (living in England) and was under the impression you have always been able to do this.

rb10

Or simply open an account at another bank.

chambta

boo_star wrote: »

Can you not just go into a Natwest branch? I've always had a Scottish RBS account (living in England) and was under the impression you have always been able to do this.

Only for very limited things; eg paying in at the counter with credit slip.

System

That's what most people use branches for - basic transactions.

I has been implied that NatWest and RBS will move closer together once the sell off is complete - possibly even a full merger.

Either way, Post Office access will certainly help.

chambta wrote: »

Only for very limited things; eg paying in at the counter with credit slip.

carrieh

Yes there is a long thread about this somewhere on the forum - that thread helped me tremendously in deciding what to do! I took the advice in that earlier thread, rang RBS and asked for the form. I filled the form in and sent it back, requesting my accounts to be transferred to a Scottish branch. You can pick which branch you want. However the accounts will only be transferred round about the middle of next year, not immediately. To me, this means you may get caught up in the chaos that will ensue as some accounts are migrated to Santander.

To avoid this, I took the advice in the previous thead and went to my online banking, and opened a new account myself. You just apply for a new account in the usual way, but fill in the sort code for a Scottish branch account when asked instead of your usual branch sort code. You can find the sort codes of every branch on the RBS website. 5 days later a new bank account appeared in my RBS online banking system, based at a Scottish branch. I am waiting for the debit card and chequebook to arrive now, and then I will transfer over all my direct debits to the new account. Once that has been done I will close my household bills account at the English branch, but leave the personal account there for a while as that does not have any direct debits on it and will therefore be much easier to close.

That's the hard part sorted. Around March or April next year I will then apply for another Scottish account in the same way for my personal account, and then close the English account.

I don't want to be caught up in any way at all with the Santander changeover. I had experience of that with A&L - never again! Even now Santander are writing to me about 2 business accounts I had with A&L and Abbey - that I closed 4 years ago! They really are the pits, totally useless. How many times do I have to say the words "closed accounts" to them?

However, just in case there are RBS online banking problems during the changeover time, I also have a bank account with First Direct that I can use for day to day finances. First Direct are excellent by the way; a lovely call centre with helpful staff. RBS online banking is better though, or maybe that's because I'm so used to it.

I've been with RBS for 27 years, I've never had any cause for complaint with them, and staying with the same bank looks good on your credit record. I'm Scottish anyway so having an account in Scotland is fine by me!