Nat West Time to Go - But Where?

AmIBeingRobbed

Does anyone know of any credit cards and linked bank accounts where you can be reasonably sure of getting quick statements and where postal and other payments are processed promptly? (Would like to know more about customer experiences with HSBC, Lloyds and Barclays.)

I have been getting quite few late payment charges from Nat West which I think pays for other customer's free balance transfers. Text from my complaint letter below. As you will see the more incompetent Nat West is, the more it can charge its customers!!!!

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I notice several times in the last year a late paymentcharge has been levied on my account. I am not happy with certain aspects of the bank’s service. For example:

1. On 16th February I received a statementdated 5th February and a letter dated 3rd February. This mail took 11-13 days to arrive which isa bit excessive.

2. I have previously complained to Nat West about postalcredit card payments not being made promptly. At the time, I was told Nat West Card Centre had an arrangement to defermail if there was a backlog of payments to be processed. I was also informed thestatement indicated customers should post payments at least a week before thedeadline for this reason. Taking into accountpoints 1 and 2, the payment window is being effectively reduced from 3 weeks toone week.

3. I telephoned Nat West last Friday to raise theissue of late my credit card mail being delivered late. I was not allowed to make a complaint as Icould only supply one of two required passwords. I was then asked to go to a local branch withphoto id.

4. I went to the Muswell Hill Branch. I was left waiting on an unanswered phone for35 minutes until 5.10 pm. As I hadwaited for 35 minutes, I asked if the staff would arrange for a call back. The staff refused citing the Nat West Cardcompany was a separate entity. After someheated debate about what “Helpful Banking” meant, the branch staff reluctantlyagreed to send a FAX to request a call back request on my behalf. If I had not said I was prepared to stay onthe phone until 8 pm and they could wait, that offer would not havematerialised.

agrinnall

Why not keep track of your spending and statements online, then you know what you owe and when it is due as soon as the statement is produced? While I don't have a NatWest card I'm certain that this will be available, as it is with many (if not all) other card providers. I currently use Nationwide, Co-Op and Barclaycard, and I have both online and paper statements with all of them.

AmIBeingRobbed

agrinnall wrote: »

Why not keep track of your spending and statements online?

I guess its a matter of convenience and security. Easier to stuff a cheque in an envelope than twiddle around with online banking which I don't trust much.
The terms of business for online banking put the onus on the customer for anything that goes wrong if someone gets your user id and passwords such as via a virus or worm.

jen245

I have a Natwest credit card and bank account, I also have online banking where I can make a payment from my current account to my cc in a matter of seconds, and it credits my cc account instantly, even with bank accounts with other providers, you can do an instant online payment. Much quicker and easier than writing out cheques and, it getting lost by royal snail, and getting late payment charges!

Oh, and dont think for one second that just because you dont have online banking you are not at risk of fraud. Having online banking would help you spot anything untoward, and much more quickly than waiting for postal statements. The onus is on the bank to prove you have been negligent in a case of fraud, not the other way round.

thenudeone

jen245 wrote: »

Oh, and dont think for one second that just because you dont have online banking you are not at risk of fraud.

Absolutely. My octogenerian father had his card cloned (no idea where) and used in Asia, but he has never ever used the internet at all.

meer53

AmIBeingRobbed wrote: »

I guess its a matter of convenience and security. Easier to stuff a cheque in an envelope than twiddle around with online banking which I don't trust much.
The terms of business for online banking put the onus on the customer for anything that goes wrong if someone gets your user id and passwords such as via a virus or worm.

For convenience and security i'd much rather use internet banking. If i forget to pay a bill, i can pay it as soon as i remember, even if thats at 2am ! Royal Mail - Snail Mail !

Most banks guarantee that if there are any unauthorised transactions on your account, you are refunded in full.

Cell

AmIBeingRobbed wrote: »

I guess its a matter of convenience and security. Easier to stuff a cheque in an envelope than twiddle around with online banking which I don't trust much.
The terms of business for online banking put the onus on the customer for anything that goes wrong if someone gets your user id and passwords such as via a virus or worm.

I've just paid three bills in one minute from my seat.

So I've saved three stamps, the worry of when my payments will get there and will see within 24 hours that the payments have reached their destination.

I see no evidence at all that for online banking the onus is on the customer, any more than you can prove that a letter with a cheque 'stuffed in it' was picked up, sorted and delivered.

I am presuming that you also don't trust direct debits, as setting one up for the minimum and then paying any way you like for any extra you may care to supplement the minimum with is a sure fire way to NEVER worrying about being late for payments.

Saints2011

Im currently with Lloyds and have had no problems everything works as it should and statements are prompt.

chanz4

I have the rbs card, very secure I can see my statments it sends me reminders and very easy to pay

AmIBeingRobbed

jen245 wrote: »

The onus is on the bank to prove you have been negligent in a case of fraud, not the other way round.

That is not my experience. I know one person who lost a Barclays Credit Card on the way to the US. They picked up the tab for £3K spent on the card on the first day nof loss.

AmIBeingRobbed

meer53 wrote: »

Royal Mail - Snail Mail !

That is what NatWest would have us believe, it uses the Royal Mail. I think the reality is NatWest sends post by the cheapest and slowest non Royal Mail delivery service it can find.
A donkey could have got from the NatWest payment centre in Essex to London faster than its delivery service can manage.
This is a fairly cynical business decision NatWest is entitled to make which leads to more late payments.
If that is how NatWest chooses to operate, I will vote with my feet even if the place is lead by the renowned Mr Hester following in Fred the Shred's steps.