Do not go with nationwide

househuntingmad

Another one here who had fantastic service from Nationwide.

And the welcome pack was very lovely indeed when I moved in :j

marksoton

phatbear wrote: »

You can have my halifax one it came with half a bottle of cheap wine, half a dozen thorntons chocolates and a box of picture hanging hooks.

Just send me £35 for postage and packing and i'll get it in the post to you first thing monday

Bargain!
(Only a half bottle!):eek:

househuntingmad wrote: »

And the welcome pack was very lovely indeed when I moved in :j

Where did i go wrong!? I bet they wouldn't even return my scarf as per the advert!

comeandgo

I have had no problems with nationwide and I went alone with no broker, very easy and would recommend them to any of my family and friends. Have also moved most of my bank accounts to them.

LittleMax

househuntingmad wrote: »

Another one here who had fantastic service from Nationwide.

And the welcome pack was very lovely indeed when I moved in :j

Feeling really left out now that I didn't get a welcome pack

fed_up_and_stressed

Nationwide were fantastic when i took out a mortgage.

Loved the welcome pack ..didn't like picking up the straw that moulted incessantly though from it ! :rotfl:

betmunch

Nationwide have been incredibley erratic for the past few months hences the difference of opinion here.

If there is any need for urgency they are not a lender I would recommend. One of my colleagues has them as a lender of last resort at the moment

AlexMac

Eh?

LittleMax wrote: »

How long ago did you lot get your welcome packs? I took out a new mortgage with Nationwide in 2012 ...and I didn't get anything...

Hang on- despite my glowing recommendation or Nationwide at post#15, I ain't got a welcome pack... and I've been waiting since (I think) 2003?

Toys, pram...?

Trina90

We also mortgaged with Nationwide. We were FTBs so had no clue what we were doing and Nationwide were pretty good!

HendyGwyn

My tip in dealing with banks (or any large institution) is to decide if the problem is ‘in their nature’ or just a ‘screw up’. Always have your own timetable and insist on ‘an expert person of contact’ in case of issues (like their system upgrade).

HSBC.
For example, I’d been banking with HSBC (formally Midland Bank) since the 1970s. No problem. Then I recently decided to purchase another property and visited my branch. I discovered that their high street branch was no longer a proper bank and just a cabal of sales reps employed to flog loans and insurance with little knowledge of property purchases. The knowledge of the employees at the branch was just a rough understanding of what was in their leaflet and the person I had an appointment with hadn’t even bothered to do a prior check of my finances, accounts, or existing property title. They were also quite rude asking me questions about money laundering (it’s my solicitor who does those checks and declarations).

NATIONWIDE.
I decided there and then to switch (all banking) to Nationwide. At Nationwide I discovered that, similar to most banks these days, their high street branch was just a sales outlet for financial products, however, prior to my meeting to discuss a new property purchase. The staff were proactive, and if they had anything they didn’t know, would ask their head office. At my meeting, the chap had already done the financial checks on me, he had already checked my existing property title, had adequate training on the process of conveyancung and their mortgage products and were flexible in making me an appointment. They had made arrangement for a ‘property consultant’ at their head office to be on hand on a video link to the branch in case of any ‘issues of process’ came up. Everything was done and dusted within an hour. All from consolidating savings to one account for the deposit, all the paperwork for mortgage charge on my existing property during the ‘bridging phase’(as it turns out not required because of their efficency) and a ‘case number’ hotline to contact as my purchase progessed.:T

Conclusion.
I therefore concluded that HSBC have a ‘systemic’ problem and they have failed as an institution in providing a proper banking service since downgrading their branches to ‘sales outlets’ but that at Nationwide they have used technology and properly trained staff to offer a quick and seamless service in purchasing a house. Nationwide did an excellent job. That was my experience.

It does help to turn up with a ‘this is what I need list’ in advance, to include dates of when things need to happen, details of circumstances, copies of buildings survey, what stage of searches and legals you are at, and proof of any existing savings or borrowings with proof of personal circumstances. You also need to ask for a ‘personal contact’ in case anything in the timeline goes astray. Planning, asking for exactly what you need, when you need it and being proactive does help them.

[FONT=&quot]Note - I also conclude that if you turn up at HSBC with magnolia paint in your hair, dirty jeans, muddy boots from mowing the lawn in winter, and your box file of paperwork they treat you as some tramp who should have entered by the tradesmans entrance. Do the same thing at NATIONWIDE and they conclude your serious about a rapid house move and treat you as a human being, and conclude their dealing with someone who wants to get things done and don’t mess you about.[/FONT]