Avoid The Royal Bank of Scotland !!!!!

pioneer31

The Royal Bank of Scotland have picked the last bone with me.

I’ve had nothing but problems with them. First of all there were problems setting up my account, the counter staff are as dim as they come. They wouldn’t let me fill in the application form but instead insisted on asking me all the sensitive details across a thick pane of glass, thus requiring me to shout all my personal data to anyone in earshot.

Next they refused to let me pay a cheque in for my mother (yes she banks with them too) because I wasn’t the account holder ????

The real annoyance has come with the latest !!!!-up. I have 2 cheque books in my possession and (unknown to me) they cancelled one of them because they said I told them I hadn’t received it. Fair enough…..BUT I have written 4 cheques from this book over the last 2 weeks. All of them have bounced (despite having 3 grand in the account) and NO-ONE from the bank bothered to tell me. What kind of clowns are they?
Surely when some anomaly occurs, the first LAW OF SECURITY is to tell the user?

When I rang central office to ask what was going on they said someone from my local branch would ring me back about it. Nobody did. When I phoned again I was promised the same but still no call from them.

I am now £50 out of pocket as one of my bounced cheques was to MBNA. They have charged me a refused cheque and late payment fee. I've also lost my 0% promotional rate so had to arrange for a speedy pay off!!. My bank don’t see it’s their fault and neither do MBNA.

So, my next step is to leave £0.01 in the RBS account so that it costs them more to run the account than they recoup from me, and MBNA are going to get a kind 2 fingered gesture too. Thanks to both of them for leaving me stuck in the lurch.

Above all, I advise you all to avoid The Royal Bank of Scotland. Don't trust these idiots with your money.

foot_loose

hahahahhahah lol

i don't trust them
ive got 74p in my account

Walletwatch

Good on you, pioneer31. Don't leave these guys so easily though, I suggest you write to the branch manager, copying the top brass (the likes of the Chairman) for compensation.

Debt_Free_Chick

It's funny, isn't it? I've banked with them 25 years and never had a moment's trouble with them. I've found their telephone banking people to be the best call centre staff I've come accross.

nikkig_3

I have also banked with them since 1979! it was Williams and Glyns in those days! and I too have never had any problems with them. Think they are one of the best!

JanCee

pioneer31 wrote:

The Royal Bank of Scotland have picked the last bone with me.
The real annoyance has come with the latest !!!!-up. I have 2 cheque books in my possession and (unknown to me) they cancelled one of them because they said I told them I hadn’t received it. Fair enough…..BUT I have written 4 cheques from this book over the last 2 weeks.

When you tell the bank you have'nt received a cheque book you are effectively telling them to put a stop on it(what else would you expect them to do?) When you found the cheque book you should have phoned the bank and the stop would have been removed. I'm sure this is not what you want to hear but you really should not bad mouth people when you are clearly in the wrong.

Galtizz

JanCee wrote:

pioneer31 wrote:

I have 2 cheque books in my possession and (unknown to me) they cancelled one of them because they said I told them I hadn’t received it.

When you tell the bank you have'nt received a cheque book you are effectively telling them to put a stop on it(what else would you expect them to do?)

I think Pioneer is trying to say that he didn't notify them, they just cancelled it, they are like that.

Watch out Pioneer, I used to bank with them and when I went overdrawn for a few months in a row they put me onto a gold account which had a £500 or £1000 overdraft but cost £10 a month without notifying me. It was only when I got myself straight that I realised the £10 wasn't a fee for going overdrawn by £10 - £20 each month (which should have been free on a standard account). It was months before I realised what was going on (before my MSE days ) and I played hell until they refunded the lot!

Another example is I phoned them then wrote to them (as I was told to do) to notify them to remove my ex-partners name from our joint savings account which I was still paying into monthly (he wasn't). It was only after 2 years (yes, I know, I should have been smarter, but I had phoned and written and didn't expect to have to chase them to make sure they did it, I know better now) when I asked them for a statement I discovered that not only was his name still on the account but he had been receiving my statements! So he knew exactly how much I had in my account and he had full acess to it :eek: I then had to (after 2 years of splitting) get in contact with my ex -partner and get him to sign a letter to remove his name from the account. I posted it off, to the correct address and they lost it (again). I got him to sign another and kept a copy this time and they lost it again!!! It was only when I went in and refused to leave until I saw the manager and told her I was going to sit and watch her remove then name that I got it sorted.

So I'd agree with you Pioneer, avoid them like the plague!!! I'd keep the account open though until you get your compensation of at least the £50. As walletwatch says, write to the branch copying the chairman then, if that doesn't get you anywhere arange and appointment with the branch manager and refuse to tell them what for until you get there.

DFC, you are lucky to have a good branch, maybe Pioneer and me use the same one, LOL.

seese

Sorry that anyone has had such bad luck with with the RBS.I have to say that over the years there have been times when they have gone more than the distance for us.We bank 1 account Mortgage and have a loan with them.I dont think the account has ever been in credit for more than a few hours and the staff we have dealt with have been wonderful.

Downsizing__for_sanity

I've banked with the RBS for years - since I was 12 anyway! I've never had any problems with the banking service, quite the opposite. I'll be eternally grateful for having a student account with them. I used to phone them up almost every month and ask to increase my overdraft by another £50. I was never refused and it was always free of interest. Obviously I'm now earning a fair amount and my husband's wages go through them now, instead of Barclays (who have been rubbish).

However, when I've received a chequebook and not finished the old one, and mistakenly used a new one, then an old one (if you get my drift) they have ALWAYS called me on my mobile to check that it was me who used the cheque and not someone who found it in the bin.

Maybe you need to update your contact details with them?

lipidicman

jancee wrote:

When you tell the bank you have'nt received a cheque book you are effectively telling them to put a stop on it(what else would you expect them to do?) When you found the cheque book you should have phoned the bank and the stop would have been removed. I'm sure this is not what you want to hear but you really should not bad mouth people when you are clearly in the wrong.

galtiz wrote:

I think Pioneer is trying to say that he didn't notify them, they just cancelled it, they are like that.

But the OP doesnt deny that he told them he hadnt received it

pioneer31 wrote:

I have 2 cheque books in my possession and (unknown to me) they cancelled one of them because they said I told them I hadn’t received it. Fair enough…..BUT I have written 4 cheques from this book over the last 2 weeks.

I was going to post a reply like jancee's, but I had the feeling that the OP didnt want to hear this. The post sounded like an 'agree with me that they are rubbish'.

To me, the problems seemed like the sort of thing that could be easily overcome. For example, the glass screen. I am sure if you politely ask to open the account somewhere more private the bank would be accommodating. Also, if you told them that the cheque book had not been received then the bank are not going to report every time a cheque bounces. 'What kind of clowns are they? Surely when some anomaly occurs, the first LAW OF SECURITY is to tell the user?' All I can say is that I hope that your approach in branch was a little more subtle than calling people clowns and telling them how to do their jobs! I apologise if this was not the case, but the best approach is always to stay calm, explain the situation and why you are agrieved. If you get the staff on your side it is amazing what they will do to help you out! I often rail against the banks myself, but it is no good cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Also, MBNA could have been persuaded to ignore the missed payment if it was for good reason and the first time this had happened. They could certainly waive the fees, if not restore the 0%. What was your approach here?

david78

I think it comes down to the people you deal with at the bank. I bank with NatWest mainly (but also have an account with Smile) and they have always been great. I can pop in for a chat at any time and they really don't try to sell me any of their products. They know about Smile and that most of my savings are with other providers and not them, and so only pitch products at me if they genuinely have a good special offer on. Most of the time, the chat centres on "how is the stoozing going" or "are you having success with your investments". I only go in for the free tea and occasional doughnuts!