can i switch without activating the debit card?

evangelos

Hi,

I opened an account with Natwest and one with RBS for the purpose of switching them.

However even two months later they have failed to send me an "internet banking" activation code. I called them once and told them about not receiving it yet, and they said they would resend it....nothing again.

So i cannot log into the internet banking to activate the debit cards of these accounts.

Can i use these accounts for switching bonuses? Does it matter that their respective debit cards are not activated?

P.S. I find it very frustrating that these two banks have failed to send internet activation codes. This has never happened to me before and i have lots and lots of accounts with other banks.

alternate

You can usually activate by phone but I don't think you need to activate it anyway in order to switch.

youngretired

I had to re-order my TSB debit cards after cutting them up when I first opened my accounts in 2014 to switch them in 2015 and I had no trouble without activating them first.

Some banks don't actually require you to activate them.

agrinnall

evangelos wrote: »

P.S. I find it very frustrating that these two banks have failed to send internet activation codes. This has never happened to me before and i have lots and lots of accounts with other banks.

Perhaps they've worked out that you are wasting their time and money (and mine too as both a shareholder and a taxpayer) and they are taking steps from discouraging you in the future.

evangelos

Yes as a bank shareholder i would certainly prefer it if my bank wouldn't waste money on switching bonuses and god forbid wasting profits by giving their spoiled customers interest. Even better they should demand they pay fees for giving them the privilege of keeping their money.

This damn capitalist free market system is totally screwing the banks forcing them to compete with each other...

ratechaser

evangelos wrote: »

Yes as a bank shareholder i would certainly prefer it if my bank wouldn't waste money on switching bonuses and god forbid wasting profits by giving their spoiled customers interest. Even better they should demand they pay fees for giving them the privilege of keeping their money.

This damn capitalist free market system is totally screwing the banks forcing them to compete with each other...

:rotfl::rotfl:

And long may it continue... Although where things like this don't happen quickly or efficiently, it's 99% incompetence rather than anything more sinister. Don't get me started on HSBC and M&S. Oh, or the Co-op. All those people that defend them on the basis that they are actually good banks to have accounts with are rather missing the point I feel... It's almost like they didn't realise that a lot of people would like to open an account to get free money...

kingrulzuk

ratechaser wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl:

And long may it continue... Although where things like this don't happen quickly or efficiently, it's 99% incompetence rather than anything more sinister. Don't get me started on HSBC and M&S. Oh, or the Co-op. All those people that defend them on the basis that they are actually good banks to have accounts with are rather missing the point I feel... It's almost like they didn't realise that a lot of people would like to open an account to get free money...

Free Money :drool:

Anthorn

evangelos wrote: »

Hi,

I opened an account with Natwest and one with RBS for the purpose of switching them.

However even two months later they have failed to send me an "internet banking" activation code. I called them once and told them about not receiving it yet, and they said they would resend it....nothing again.

So i cannot log into the internet banking to activate the debit cards of these accounts.

Can i use these accounts for switching bonuses? Does it matter that their respective debit cards are not activated?

P.S. I find it very frustrating that these two banks have failed to send internet activation codes. This has never happened to me before and i have lots and lots of accounts with other banks.

Ouch! Two accounts with two banks in the same banking group!

My experience of opening a current account with Natwest was a nightmare. After going through the online form to the last page it declared that there had been an error and to try again. I tried again and got what appeared to be a multi-page email form which was completely different to the online application. In particular there was a request for the nearest branch sort code which was not on the online application. I filled that in and waited and waited and waited. The major problem was that they would not accept an inquiry about it because I did not have an application reference number.

My guess is but I don't know that when their online application fails they redirect to an email form which goes to the selected branch.

Ok now though. I love Natwest so much I want them to have my babies.

So you might think you have a Natwest account but you might not have one in reality.

bigadaj

evangelos wrote: »

Yes as a bank shareholder i would certainly prefer it if my bank wouldn't waste money on switching bonuses and god forbid wasting profits by giving their spoiled customers interest. Even better they should demand they pay fees for giving them the privilege of keeping their money.

This damn capitalist free market system is totally screwing the banks forcing them to compete with each other...

Yes, it was far better in the last decade.

No incentives to waste money on, just bankers bonuses (£9 in every £10 earned for Barclays in the last decade), hbos style property and comoany mending going into default, HSBC money laundering with associated regulatory fines, Fred Goodwin ego losses running into tens of billions, lloyds management being stupid enough to take on hbos liabilities etc etc

It's not a great sector really.