Can I keep my RBS account and NOT transfer to Santander?

citldave

Decided that after I logged on to RBS online and was transferred to a interim RBS/Santander online banking site that it was time to bite the bullet and get out of RBS and go to natwest as I have shares ( not worth a toss) in RBS and am not going to a dodgy Spanish bank group. I have first hand knowledge of how they bend the rules in Spain so wouldn't trust them with a piece of used gum let alone my money.
So contacted natwest. Spent 2 hrs on phone they are putting every block possible to stop me transferring. Last blow was that oh you will have to manually transfer all you automatic outgoings dd etc . The switch form doesn't work for transfers from RBS.
What am I to do.
I am trying to transfer my buisness account from HSBC to lloyds (because of crap service) but that has been ongoing since November and that's not because I want a loan or anything I keep a minimum of 200,000 in my various multicurrancy accounts. So aim now faced with a similar period to get away from the Spanish take over.

What's one to do.

pmduk

I wonder if you spoke to a poorly-trained advisor as others on here report Natwest transferring them without problems.

citldave

No I got through to a supervisor but she refused to give me her name or contact details when I said that I intended to write to my mp.

As for Santander when I bought my villa 2 years ago I went round several banks the estate agent was insisting that as part of the deal I hand over 20,000 euros in brown envolope at notary at exchange of contracts. My solicitor told me this was illegal .. I wouldnt have done it anyway. However Santander, cambank, caxia all said that this was normal practise only bank popular said it was illegal so I went with them and noted never to deal with the others.

Ramires_2

itsj2 wrote: »

My request to transfer to an Edinburgh branch was made in March - we are now at 11 June and nothing further heard. Does anyone know when RBS now plan to carry out the next batch of account switching?

No dates for this I'm afraid. Was scheduled to be in June or July but it seems to have been put back for whatever reason. As soon as your accounts move to a Scottish sort-code your telephone banking and internet banking will revert back to type.

Ramires_2

Audi80TDI wrote: »

The only downside I can see is if you want to pay a cheque in, it'll have to be by post. I haven't visited my English branch in years, do all my banking online.

RBS will be providing local branch access for you in an alternative form (perhaps Natwest but this has not been confirmed). Therefore there will be another way to pay in a cheque rather than by post.

amiehall wrote: »

I can't get over the cheek of trying to sell customers. So much for consumer choice!

It wasn't an RBS choice either - it was forced upon them by the European Commission.

kulath

Ramires wrote: »

No dates for this I'm afraid. Was scheduled to be in June or July but it seems to have been put back for whatever reason. As soon as your accounts move to a Scottish sort-code your telephone banking and internet banking will revert back to type.

I applied in October 2012 to move my RBS account to Holts, Farnborough (which now happens to be my local branch). Nothing has happened six months later. Following my complaint to the CEO (David Gillespie), I got a letter saying "transfer of accounts to RBS branches is a very complicated and time-consuming process". What nonsense when "The Payments Council will also reduce how long it takes to switch an account from around eighteen to a guaranteed maximum of seven working days" http://www.paymentscouncil.org.uk/media_centre/press_releases/-/page/1572/

RBS Group Executive Office say "Your account will be transferred to the RBS Holts branch in a 'batch'. This is referred to as an 'Automated Account Switching' (AAS) event...We anticipate the next event will take place in 2013 however, due to the complexity; we are not in a position to confirm the date...Helpful banking is the core of our service offering...".

This is all totally absurd. Why do we have to put up with such appaling service in the UK? Probably largely due to the pusillanimous FOS which is set up by banking pals in government (of either party) to provide the least possibly disruption to banking profits. If I don't get a better answer from RBS, I shall of course take it to the FOS, which will cost RBS and try to get meaningful compensation.

Gizmo247

EarthBoy wrote: »

You've only missed the cut-off date for RBS to transfer the account automatically. There's nothing to stop you opening a new account at a Scottish branch of RBS and transferring over all your direct debits etc yourself, and then closing your English RBS/soon to be Santander account.

The OP can do this at any time in the future, so my advice would be to wait and see what they think of Santsnder, they might be pleasantly surprised. Santander do have competitive and innovative products with class leading Internet and mobile banking. Opening a Scottish account in RBS will be an unknown and RBS could be very different (read that as 'not necessarily better') bank in the future.

innovate

kulath wrote: »

This is all totally absurd.

Agree.

Just move your banking affairs to somewhere else yourself. You don't need the help, or agreement, from anyone to do so.

pmduk

Why are we even still talking about this when the proposed transfer is not taking place or am I missing something?

chambta

We certainly aren't going to Santander that's for sure. Most likely rebranded as W&G's and floated off as a separate entity to RBS.