How long does it take Natwest to open a current account?!!

arthur2

I opened joint NatWest current account two years ago. Done quite quickly in fact. A year later we were going to move everything to them, and asked to open accounts for a £6-digit Trust, a £5-digit Pension Scheme and a trivial (under £2000) Charity. They faffed about with processsing the online applications for the first and last, and forgot to send a special form for the Pension Scheme until chased.

After waiting weeks I chased the online apps, and clearly nothing was being done. Local Business "Manager" said he would look into it, but after numerous chasers - nothing at all. After four months I challenged their “NatWest Helpful Banking” reputation. I got an admission of failure, and apology, but no compensation for being unhelpful.

Around a couple of months after I began losing patience and started down the same route with my BoS branch. They similarly did nothing, and eventually gave me £50 for messing me about, including garbling my name on the computer three times, and asked whether I wanted to pursue the new account openings! I said that I had already opened the main one with Metro Bank, and would now use MB for everything, once MB can do online dual-authorization and Faster Payments Out - both are expected by end-2011.

Have closed NatWest current and savings accounts, and probably will close BoS ones in new year.

Hooloovoo

I also tried installing the Natwest app on my Android phone today.

I entered all my online banking details, my debit card number, the security number off the back. I told them my phone number and they sent me a text activation code.

Now I have to wait "up to 24 hours" while they "verify my details".

Excuse me? Verify the details that I've just entered that they hold electronically and should be checked instantly?

I'm starting think their back office doesn't actually have any computers but is instead run by underpaid small Filipino children passing bits of paper around.

samwsmith1

Hooloovoo wrote: »

I also tried installing the Natwest app on my Android phone today.

I entered all my online banking details, my debit card number, the security number off the back. I told them my phone number and they sent me a text activation code.

Now I have to wait "up to 24 hours" while they "verify my details".

Excuse me? Verify the details that I've just entered that they hold electronically and should be checked instantly?

I'm starting think their back office doesn't actually have any computers but is instead run by underpaid small Filipino children passing bits of paper around.

When I signed up for Natwest Mobile on my old iPhone ages ago it was all done instantly, and then when I installed in on my android phone last week it detected that I was already registered and let me login straight away.

silvercar

silvercar wrote: »

I got my card and pin before the paperwork. In fact I couldn't verify the card or get online banking until the paperwork eventually came through with the account number.

5 weeks later and I'm still waiting for my cheque book. Been into the branch and it's a problem with the back office ordering system, whatever that means. Local branch manager is meant to be sorting it, but nothing as yet.

So 7 weeks on and everything is up and running - online banking debit card, "freebies" like mobile insurance and love film. But I still haven't got a cheque book.

Go into the branch and the cashier tells me that my account isn't authorised for cheque books.:mad::mad:

Manager comes along and suggests I pay experian and see if there is anything untoward on my file and bring the report in and then they can see if they will request a cheque book for me.

Really annoyed I go home and see that silver customers get free access to experian (why doesn't the manager know this?)

Download the report and everything is fine.

So i phone up the silver select number and the CA doesn't see what the problem is. And doesn't know why the manager couldn't have ordered a cheque book. No problem with account and he orders me a cheque book. Should be here in 6 working days.

Time will tell.

plumber2009

I will say this to anyone thinking of opening an account with natwest.

DONT BOTHER!!! Its not worth the hassle. Dont touch Halifax, Santander or Bank of scotland either

Lloyds, HSBC (inc FD), Co-op and Barclays are OK.

Will soon check out Metro Bank.