Nationwide Avoid like the plague

Happychappy

Back on line at 4.30pm, no further response as to why the accounts were frozen just a security issue, noone could find the offending piece of mail if at all there was any ? In their words it was done to protect, but against what they are unable to trace. Nobody can say what the reason was, they have no actual piece of post, merchandising or otherwise with my name on, they only assume it could have been.

I have been with Nationwide since 1983, however not any longer, just moving some accounts to Bradford and Bingley esaver, as well as looking to move the last ten years of cash ISA's out of the members ISA bonds to somewhere else. I shall be keeping the HSBC account which was my main business account but used the Nationwide flex for journeys abroad as the exchange rate was good with no commission and general savings.

I could not afford another fiasco of total incompetence and uncaring attitude I faced from the "supervisor" in customer services telling me it would take 3-5 days and it was not their problem this happened.

The branch manager was helpful as far as she could be, but losing access to accounts from Saturday to Thursday teatime is completely unacceptable as there is no evidence that anything untoward happened, just a line on the computer which NOBODY from the branch to Head Office could give me an answer as to what exactly caused it.

I have written in complaint to the banking Ombudsmen as I feel the banking code was breached by nationwide as there is NO ACTUAL REASON why this happened, only assumptions but no evidence, no smoking gun and no envelope marked by Elvis "Return to sender" I am now awaiting charges for three DD payments and a foriegn bank transaction which was returned unpaid.

I spoke to my postman who has delivered to my house for at least three years and he knows my surname and often drops in anything addressed to me that he cannot fit through the door to my mother's house a couple of hundred yards away. He is not aware of any returned post. I do not live in a large City or Town

Thank you for the support of some members, and helpful comments and advice.

MattB_4

Anything set automatically using a file from a mailing house will be on CD in a department the branch and call centre can contact. I think it gives a reason why it set, but not beyond 'returned mail'. The same team also has the ability to see if the marker was set manually. The latter is all of 2 minutes work for them.

What Nationwide does not have is a large number of people manually keying these indicators on. The mailing house scans a barcode on the mail and creates the file from there. The mail is then disposed of.

Assuming someone removed the indicator on the Saturday it should have come off the internet bank ready for Monday. I have no idea if the call centre or e-services have the ability to remove these, but I can't see why not.

Not attempting to make excuses (as i think i could have been sorted quicker) but thought you'd be interested to know a little about how some of these systems work.

Keeping_Positive

Freezing the account to protect the customer is fine but it shouldnt take 3-5 days to unfreeze. That's what makes it out of order and compensation for charges should be given.

Good luck Happychappy but I feel you may have a fight on your hands.

Happychappy

Just when you think that the Nationwide cannot get any more incompetent, they prove you wrong.

On the 26th September I visited my branch where the wife and I both completed ISA transfer forms, to transfer our 2006/7 ISA's to Nationwide, this was prior to them freezing my account with no reason or explantion and something they are still refusing to communicate over.

We both had ISA's with Alliance and Leicester, so signed the forms expecting Nationwide to complete the process.

On the 9th October we both received letters from A&L confirming the funds had been transferred to our new ISA holders Nationwide, I checked the accounts, but nothing, then finally on 17th I get confirmation from Nationwide that my ISA had been tranferred and this showed in my account, however nothing from the wifes ISA.

I sent a message by their supposedly secure sytem which took until 21st to receive a reply to saying they have 30 days to add the funds ? bit like a b*gger off and dont bother me reply. I sent another asking why mine had been transferred and not my wifes, on 24th I received a secure message that I can track the transfer by speaking to a customer service advisor between 9am and 5pm on an 0870 number.

Yet again sent another message asking what their problem was and why the delay and what will happen with the interest.

Today I recieve a reply asking which account did I want it transferring to should they find the transfer, which they had not yet traced. I would have thought the word ISA would have been a bit of a clue as it was an ISA transfer into my wifes ISA account

Isnt money complicated ? but as the winner of the
2007 Incompetent Building Society of the Year

It lives up to its slogan "It doesnt work like that " certainly doesnt with the Nationwide.

And all I want to do is get the accounts together so I can move them and close everything, but maybe that will turn out to be a best seller :rolleyes: oh and yes I checked with A&L and they confirm the money was tranferred on 11th October.

baby_boomer

Clearly there is much excess work to do which is inevitably slowing down the system.

What I can't work out is whether the seemingly excessive delays are because:

a) they are scared stiff of getting IDs wrong and losing money (remember the Nationwide computer loss with all our IDs :idea: ? ) If this happened on any scale, then it might prevent future Nationwide acquisitions of other BSs, which the management are very keen to pursue in future.

b) they are using the excuse of the delays to try to keep money in Nationwide/Portman rather than allowing it to be transferred out. This may be related to the credit crunch & the NR situation.

Cynic though I am, I suspect the answer lies more with a) than b).

MattB_4

b) is possibly the most ludicrous thing i have read this week. good work

baby_boomer

Try transferring a Portman ISA. It's easier to swim through treacle.

Nationwide bought Portman for the mortgages and the its network. Many Portman savers were also Nationwide members so it's no surprise that they are taking this opportunity to take their cash.

When Nationwide bid for Portman the level of cash savings wasn't an issue, but it is now.

LittleVoice

Happychappy wrote: »

I sent a message by their supposedly secure sytem which took until 21st to receive a reply to saying they have 30 days to add the funds ? bit like a b*gger off and dont bother me reply. I sent another asking why mine had been transferred and not my wifes, on 24th I received a secure message that I can track the transfer by speaking to a customer service advisor between 9am and 5pm on an 0870 number.

Yet again sent another message asking what their problem was and why the delay and what will happen with the interest.

Today I recieve a reply asking which account did I want it transferring to should they find the transfer, which they had not yet traced. I would have thought the word ISA would have been a bit of a clue as it was an ISA transfer into my wifes ISA account

I sympathise with you for the problems you are experiencing with Nationwide.

However, may I ask (1) are you sending the messages relating to your wife's account using the secure message service from your own log-in? If so, (2) are NW aware of your EPA? If the answer to 1 is yes and the answer to 2 is no, then I personally am even more concerned about NW and their attitude to confidentiality and personal data.

Happychappy

Hi Little Voice

No I log onto my wifes account and send the message concerning her ISA through her account message service, it is just so frustrating that the attitude or lack of care or improtance is astounding. This was the third reply and really I should have been so grateful to know they will apply the funds within 30 days ? who gave them 30 days and why not immediately ? Where does the we receive the money and hang on to it gaining interest on our behalf before we give it back to the poor people agreement come from ?

Thank you for your message.

I confirm once we receive the funds from your original ISA provider we have 30 days to apply the funds to you ISA account.
If you wish to find out how your transfer is progressing, you can contact us on 01793 576757, Monday - Friday, 9.00am-5.00pm or Saturday 9.00am-12.00pm.

Regards,

Rachel Floyd
Internet Services

http://www.nationwide.co.uk
Nationwide. Proud to be different.

The next message beggars beleif as I thought the word ISA had a starter for ten ? so maybe transfer an ISA into the existing ISA account ? difficult to work out.

Thank you for your message.

To enable me to investigate your enquiry can you please confirm by return of message which account the money was being transferred to.

Regards,

Elaine Hortop
Internet Services

And the first message from the third person to be involved and yet again another incompetent who purely answers messages but doesnt actually follow through and resolve the problem. I have now had replies from 4 individuals and not one has promised to get it sorted and this is now 28 days since I sent the form in ? How would I know the balance as A&L would make up the ISA account with interest and forward it to Nationwide, I had to ring A&L and find the closing balance which A&L even found amusing as they had received acknowledgment from Nationwide of the funds ? I sent the closing balance message but again heard nothing. But as they say, It doesnt work like that, no it doesnt work at all.

Thank you for your message.

Can you confirm by reply the balance of the amount to be transferred from the Alliance and Leicester so this can be investigated for you.

Regards,

Greg Matthews
Internet Services

LittleVoice

Happychappy wrote: »

Hi Little Voice

. . . I should have been so grateful to know they will apply the funds within 30 days ? who gave them 30 days and why not immediately ? Where does the we receive the money and hang on to it gaining interest on our behalf before we give it back to the poor people agreement come from ?

HC

Though they write "apply the funds within 30 days", what they mean is that within 30 days you will have proof that the money is in that account. It does not mean that they gain interest and your/your wife's account won't benefit from the interest.

In my experience, though it takes a while (probably a bit less than 30 days but this may depend on how busy the ISA department is) before the funds do show in the account, the effective date is the day after the funds left your previous provider (even when it is a cheque which has been sent to Nationwide and so they would have received the money even later). This is actually better in terms of interest lost in transferring than can be experienced in transferring to some other providers.

I trust you will find the same. Have you checked the dates showing in your account for the receipt of the transferred funds? I do hope they haven't changed their way of doing things.

LV