N&P Building Society - Any experience with it?

jumperabv3

I was thinking of opening an account with N&P since they have a debit card that acts like the "Halifax Clarity" and the "MBNA Everyday+" cards but read quite a bunch of bad reviews about it when I googled its reviews.

So I was wondering if perhaps some of you have experience with this bank? Is it as bad as some people are trying to portray or not?

numbers123

I use their Gold Classic account when I go on holiday and have had no problems. When I've needed to contact them (usually by secure message), they've responded in a timely manner. You do need to pay in £500 per month to avoid a £5 fee (but this can be removed almost straight away). I believe their Faster Payments go out in batches and only at specific times (I was told 9am, 11am, 3pm and 5pm) so not as instantaneous as you may be used to with other banks. This has never been a problem for me as I only use the account when I travel so don't need to rely on it on a day-to-day basis.

eDicky

I also use their Gold Classic account debit card for travels, without any problems, fee-free worldwide and no interest on cash withdrawals to worry about. I wouldn't know how they are in general for other things, but their CS answered and took care of me immediately on a couple of occasions.

Biggles

numbers123 wrote: »

I use their Gold Classic account when I go on holiday and have had no problems. When I've needed to contact them (usually by secure message), they've responded in a timely manner. You do need to pay in £500 per month to avoid a £5 fee (but this can be removed almost straight away). I believe their Faster Payments go out in batches and only at specific times (I was told 9am, 11am, 3pm and 5pm) so not as instantaneous as you may be used to with other banks. This has never been a problem for me as I only use the account when I travel so don't need to rely on it on a day-to-day basis.

My experience is similar; I've had an account with them for over four years. I just dump x hundred pounds in the account before I go away and retrieve the balance when I return. If my balance runs low, I either transfer some more or use my Clarity card (and use the latter for all purchases anyway, of course).

And, unlike some, you don't have to ring up to tell them you're going abroad, you just leave a message on their website, which is always answered promptly.

planteria

i was a member prior to the merger with Yorkshire Building Society. N&PBS is just a brand of Yorkshire Building Society now.

good feedback above. it's all about the terms available & whether they suit you.

System

I use them as my spending account (including overseas) and I find them to be fine.

Their branches are all in East Anglia and they are not fully linked up to Yorkshire BS yet so you can't transact elsewhere yet (Yorkshire, Chelsea and Barnsley Building Societies). However, they will send pre-paid envelopes for cheque deposits and a pay-in book for cash deposits in bank branches on request.

I don't think they offer the 'newish' industry switching service yet.

G_M

If you use it for day-to-day banking be aware Faster Payments take 24 hours longer than 'real' banks.

Zero interest, and overdaft fees are not the cheapest either.

System

They mustn't like you as mine (FPs) are usually sent at some point on the requested working day.

G_M wrote: »

If you use it for day-to-day banking be aware Faster Payments take 24 hours longer than 'real' banks.

Zero interest, and overdaft fees are not the cheapest either.

msallen

I too use them for all my foreign spending (whether I'm actually abroad or ordering from a foreign website) and overseas ATM use.

Never had any issue with them, and when my account was the subject of fraudulent transactions a couple of months ago, they rang me to tell me and sorted everything out smoothly and courteously.

If they had any branches near me I would probably use them for more than just overseas stuff.

Biggles

Heng_Leng wrote: »

They mustn't like you as mine (FPs) are usually sent at some point on the requested working day.

I think, as numbers123 said earlier, they go in batches throughout the day but if you set the payment up after the cutoff (4pm??), it doesn't go that day.

System

That still wouldn't be '24 hours longer than real banks'

Biggles wrote: »

I think, as numbers123 said earlier, they go in batches throughout the day but if you set the payment up after the cutoff (4pm??), it doesn't go that day.