Natwest/RBS bank student account 2011/2012: We want your feedback

atypical

luke2008 wrote: »

Does the limit go up automatically or do you have to ask my each increase?

You have to ask each year, normally in September. If they did it automatically it would look like they were tempting students and doesn't tally with responsible lending. Plus it costs them to give you free money!

I've never had any issues increasing it. It seems more a formality.

ws293

I was automatically upgraded about a week ago to the Undergraduate Student Account from a NatWest Adapt account. I got an email telling me this, which also linked me to a website where I could upload a photo for the railcard! (There was some confusion in the branch and on telephone banking about the auto-upgrade, apparently the letters were a mistake?! hmmm...). Still waiting on the railcard, hoping it gets to me before I leave in a couple of weeks. Went into my local branch and I have set up the £500 0% overdraft. I also opened up a NatWest ''First Reserve'' savings account offering an introductory 2% gross interest rate for 12 months. Cleverly, I can transfer monies between my student account and the 2% savings account at the click of a button either from my blackberry or computer, and I suppose if I'm really on the ball I could get interest off my overdraft! Gotta be careful though I guess... So yeah, at the moment all seems ok. Hopefully the Students Loan Company won't balls it up this year as they have previously, and my loan will get to me ready for semester 1.

brookhaven

sue311 wrote: »

My son opened a current account on 23rd June hoping to upgrade it to a student account after results day but he was told he cant have a railcard because he didnt open the account before 1st June

My two both have student accounts with Natwest and neither of them have ever got a railcard out of NW. There is always some excuse, despite seeing our bank manager personally.

My advice is to work on the basis you wont get one.

Carrw

I won't get the railcard 'cause I'll be a new customer.
This seems a good bank for me 'cause they have a branch in my hometown and on the campus I'll be going to, so easy to pop in.

One thing confused me: is the £750 you have to deposit every 6 months a lump sum, or just generally?
And how easy is it to secure the overdraft?

Oh, and I'm leaving for Uni in ten days. Really hope I can set it up easily before I go. Think I have enough time?

Thanks
Carrw

atypical

Carrw wrote: »

One thing confused me: is the £750 you have to deposit every 6 months a lump sum, or just generally?

It doesn't have to be a lump sum. Any number of payments in a 6 month period must total £750.

Carrw wrote: »

And how easy is it to secure the overdraft?

Everyone I know with a NatWest account has got the full advertised overdraft. As long as you pass the credit check I think you can assume you'll get it.

Carrw wrote: »

Oh, and I'm leaving for Uni in ten days. Really hope I can set it up easily before I go. Think I have enough time?

Maybe. But they tend to be very busy during this time.

devildog

My youngest has just received their railcard(already with Nat West-account upgraded to student account) Took under 2 weeks after submitting photo online. So all good there.
What hasn't yet been received is the authorisation code to commence online banking!

Zack1

I failed credit scoring for 1 increase from 1k to 1.4k - I forgot to get it raised before I applied for other stuff. I pass when I tried again a few months later though. Going to try and get 1.6k or whatever it is for 3rd year soon, even though I'm only 2nd year....

There's enough confusion because I'm on the old system for overdrafts, and I've also dropped back a year, but after I insisted 2nd year overdraft was 1.4k for my account she applied to give it to me anyway!

They're generally OK, took a while to get my first railcard, but got the last 2 way before the active one expired

peterk26

Hi,
Please don`t open account with this bank if you do not want any problem.
I open and when I tried increase my overdraft limit a guy on the phone line changed my overdraft down insted up and from this time I have a problem. They send me to collection department. I spoke with them and explain whats happen and the guy told me so when I apply a guy from lending department put 100.00 instead of 1000.00 and he can do nothing and will send this to complain department and I should get a call in the next 48h. After 48h I contact with them. They conect me with 4 different department and at te end I heard that they are busy and I have to wait for response. I wait at the moment month and today get a letter so I have to wait another month. Apart from that they told me so my account is blocked and I can`t use it. I had 5 DD and now they tried charge me for Returned Item Fee. They don`t answer for letter and only inform you about term when they probably finish my complain. It is not worth to spend with this bank any seconds.

Naf

Just discovered that the overdraft on the RBS student account is NOT GUARANTEED!!
I have been accepted for the account, but the overdraft has not been offered. They're trying to sort it for me, as they think it's supposed to be guaranteed too.

organic_wanabe

Has anyone who originally opened this account for the Student Rail Card had a new one yet? My DS took out this account for the 2010/11 session and the first Railcard eventually came after a bit of prompting. His second Railcard came at the beginning of July last year, without any prompting, and is valid unitl 31.07.12. However, there is no sign his third and final Rail Card (he is with NatWest and so only gets one for 3 years). He is wondering if the Santander take-over will cause problems.

An update just to say that after some chasing my DS's railcard arrived yesterday and it is valid to 23.09.15! Our local NatWest branch said that they had a number of people in complaining about their cards not arriving. If you are in that situation then go into your local branch and they can phone for you or try yourself on 0844 620 2400 (or possibly 0800 200 400, if like me you object to paying for the call).