Purple or Blue Debit card with Natwest Select A/C ?

coolesticeking

If you qualify for the Select or above accounts then you will always get a Cheque Book as long as you select or ask for it during the application process.

If you get the Purple Card also depends on your Credit Score at the time of the application, there is no guarantee. If you get an offer for an Overdraft, you are more than likely to get issued with the Purple Card.

If you do get the Blue Card you can also speak to lending say after around 6 months or so to see if they can upgrade you to the Purple Debit Card (Although some do people get confused since it's now just VISA Debit and not Maestro / Solo like it used to - They always say 'We only issue one type of card now!')

drwho2011

My personal account, purple card (was declined overdraft from account opening)
Joint account, blue card (with overdraft from account opening)

I'm confused, didn't realise their was a difference or one was online or offline.....

coolesticeking

drwho2011 wrote: »

My personal account, purple card (was declined overdraft from account opening)
Joint account, blue card (with overdraft from account opening)

I'm confused, didn't realise their was a difference or one was online or offline.....

Indeed, Put simply it's all about what they feel the risk is on each account held on your conduct elsewhere and within the banking group itself.

If they give you a purple card I would say they don't take you as much as a risk as me for example!

silvercar

I opened the select silver and the blue card arrived. I went into branch and asked for a cheque book. They said the computer said "no" and the account was showing on the system as not credit passed. The manager was quite abrupt and suggested I write to experian to get my credit file for £2 and then go back to them with the credit record and they will consider applying for the cheque book for me.

I went home and instantly downloaded by experian credit file through the silver account benefits. It was clean, as I expected. I then phoned the silver select helpline, where they were amazed at what the branch had said and ordered me a cheque book which arrived a few days later.

I am now considering making a complaint on the grounds that:
a) branch manager should have known that one of the silver account benefits is instant experian credit file access.
b) he gave me wrong information and was abrupt/ dismissive.
c) he should have been able to order me a cheque book.

coolesticeking

silvercar wrote: »

I opened the select silver and the blue card arrived. I went into branch and asked for a cheque book. They said the computer said "no" and the account was showing on the system as not credit passed. The manager was quite abrupt and suggested I write to experian to get my credit file for £2 and then go back to them with the credit record and they will consider applying for the cheque book for me.

I went home and instantly downloaded by experian credit file through the silver account benefits. It was clean, as I expected. I then phoned the silver select helpline, where they were amazed at what the branch had said and ordered me a cheque book which arrived a few days later.

I am now considering making a complaint on the grounds that:
a) branch manager should have known that one of the silver account benefits is instant experian credit file access.
b) he gave me wrong information and was abrupt/ dismissive.
c) he should have been able to order me a cheque book.

This is where it gets more complex, you have the Full Select Silver account which should come with a Cheque Book as and when you ask for one. So yes in this case the branch should have just popped on the computer and sent you one out.

But there is also the Non-Credit Version of this account, which of course does not come with any credit facilities (So no Cheque Book / Overdraft etc.)

It was made so people who could only get the 'Basic' account could upgrade to the 'Select Silver' either for the benefits it comes with or so they can get around the RBS Group only cash machine restrictions.

Maybe this is where the adviser was getting confused because as soon as you open the account, you should have been automatically issued with a cheque book as long as you qualified for the credit scored product which you have.

Guess, still does not make it right though!

just_about

Well received the card for the Select a/c today, and indeed it is the blue Visa debit card Strating 4751 28. There is FLEX a/c written on the bottom of the Visa Debit card beside the sort code, even though it is a SELECT a/c ???????. Don't know what's that all about !!!!!

Went to 2 of Natwest branches and the first one did not have a Clue what we talking about and said Natwest does not Issue the purple card any more and the blue card can be used every where. The second one said try and upgrade to advantage Gold and that might come with the purple Visa debit. grrrr:mad:

SO can any one please help with the phone number for lending/the right department to speak to about trying to upgrade from the present blue card to the full offline Purple Debit Card ?? Thanks in advance

just_about

silvercar wrote: »

I opened the select silver and the blue card arrived. I went into branch and asked for a cheque book. They said the computer said "no" and the account was showing on the system as not credit passed. The manager was quite abrupt and suggested I write to experian to get my credit file for £2 and then go back to them with the credit record and they will consider applying for the cheque book for me.

I went home and instantly downloaded by experian credit file through the silver account benefits. It was clean, as I expected. I then phoned the silver select helpline, where they were amazed at what the branch had said and ordered me a cheque book which arrived a few days later.

I am now considering making a complaint on the grounds that:
a) branch manager should have known that one of the silver account benefits is instant experian credit file access.
b) he gave me wrong information and was abrupt/ dismissive.
c) he should have been able to order me a cheque book.

I am in total agreement with this. I think people working in the Natwest branches are an absolute unhelpful lot. Also they are totally clueless about what they talk and most of times they give totally wrong and unhelpful information about things they do not know. The experience we had today was another example of this !!!!!!!!!!!!

coolesticeking

just_about wrote: »

Well received the card for the Select a/c today, and indeed it is the blue Visa debit card Strating 4751 28. There is FLEX a/c written on the bottom of the Visa Debit card beside the sort code, even though it is a SELECT a/c ???????. Don't know what's that all about !!!!!

Went to 2 of Natwest branches and the first one did not have a Clue what we talking about and said Natwest does not Issue the purple card any more and the blue card can be used every where. The second one said try and upgrade to advantage Gold and that might come with the purple Visa debit. grrrr:mad:


SO can any one please help with the phone number for lending/the right department to speak to about trying to upgrade from the present blue card to the full offline Purple Debit Card ?? Thanks in advance

First off, unless you would use any of the benefits that would come with Advantage Gold then don't bother because it won't Upgrade you to a Purple Offline Debit Card at all. You retain the same card when you upgrade your account and even if you ordered another it would just be the same yet again.

It all goes on to start with your credit score at the time of the application and if it's high enough to meet the criteria for the purple card at the time.

To be honest, you can try the lending department as there is no harm is trying or asking at all, but what they will no doubt tell you is something along the lines of 'We will first need to see some activity on the account for around 6 months' before they would even consider the request - again, there is no miracle timescale to this it's if and when the computer says yes due to your account conduct with a) RBS Group Elsewhere.

The Number for the lending department is 0238 022 6443 and press option 2.

Let us know how you get on!

coolesticeking

just_about wrote: »

I am in total agreement with this. I think people working in the Natwest branches are an absolute unhelpful lot. Also they are totally clueless about what they talk and most of times they give totally wrong and unhelpful information about things they do not know. The experience we had today was another example of this !!!!!!!!!!!!

When it used to be Maestro / Solo Cards the branch used to have forms which could be completed and sent off for the consideration of a card upgrade.

Since the switch just to Visa Debit Cards, the forms were scrapped and I think if you ask any branch you will really get the same confusing answers like I have, and so have many over the years.

I sent a complaint letter off to NatWest who said because of my Defaults it had placed a marker on the account to say I had a adverse credit history and this was stopping me getting the Purple Debit Card because apart from that my conduct within the group was good.

stclair

To be fair now the cheque guarantee scheme has ended the only difference between the two cards is the blue ones can not be used on planes or trains.

I personally would prefer to have a blue card as least I know then my balance is being reflected with the transactions I have actually made where the purple card does not.

If you would like to be considered for a purple debit card contact lending and see if they will be able to send you one. When a card is being ordered on the system you can see the difference between the two.