Nationwide Flex Account (Merged)

steady__eddie

I changed my Flexaccount cash card to a debit card last month because the hole in the wall that I use is always chocabloc and a geezer was murdured there not so long back. I intended to use my card in a post office as there are still loads of them about round here and after 11 a.m. when the O.A.P. rush has subsided the service is quite quick. However my chip and pin debit card wouldn't work in the P.O. The clerk said that they only accept Flexaccount cards so I pointed out the white Flexaccount logo on the card. She then said in her best "new cutomers only" accent, "we only accept Flexaccount cash cards". The card works perfectly O.K. at Nationwide, Lloyds and Barclays, was it just that the teller was being arsey or has anyone else experienced this problem ?

davidcampbell

does it work in other places - as a debit card as opposed to for cash withdrawals?

pin might need unlocked?

DC

Milarky

steady__eddie wrote:

I changed my Flexaccount cash card to a debit card last month because the hole in the wall that I use is always chocabloc and a geezer was murdured there not so long back. I intended to use my card in a post office as there are still loads of them about round here and after 11 a.m. when the O.A.P. rush has subsided the service is quite quick. However my chip and pin debit card wouldn't work in the P.O. The clerk said that they only accept Flexaccount cards so I pointed out the white Flexaccount logo on the card. She then said in her best "new cutomers only" accent, "we only accept Flexaccount cash cards". The card works perfectly O.K. at Nationwide, Lloyds and Barclays, was it just that the teller was being arsey or has anyone else experienced this problem ?

This could be something to do with the Post Office agreement on 'basic bank accounts'. AFAAIK, only full current accounts from: A&L, Bank of Ireland, Barclays, Clydesdale Bank, Lloyds TSB, and Co-op [including Smile bank] can make use of PO counter services - other bank's accounts [including Nationwide] are either not supported or only supported if they are 'basic' accounts

The PO counter service works very well for the supported banks' customers, so it is a shame that there does not appear to be a agreement bewteen Nationwide and the Post Office covering their customers with FlexAccounts.

Can I suggest to eddie that he raises this with Nationwide? The more approaches they get from their customers, the more likely it is they will join fully this service also, at some stage?

steady__eddie

It is my intention to do this a.s.a. time permits. In the P.O.s there is bunting adorning the top of the counter and each flag has the name of a bank on it including "Nationwide Flexaccount". I just assumed that my new card being chip & pin would be acceptable. It would have been really useful to use the P.O. as banks are invariably protected by parking restrictions and wardens.
Whilst writing this, I have just realised that that there's no need to pay a personal visit. I'll e-mail them. It looks like my brain may save my legs after all.

ioscorpio

I have just opened a Flexaccount for using abroad and received a cash card, I take it that there is not an overdraft facility on this account unless you have a debit card, thereby not allowing the account to go overdrawn when withdrawing cash from UK ATMs, but what about when you withdraw cash abroad, could it go overdrawn then?

M_Thomson

iomexico wrote:

I have just opened a Flexaccount for using abroad and received a cash card, I take it that there is not an overdraft facility on this account unless you have a debit card, thereby not allowing the account to go overdrawn when withdrawing cash from UK ATMs, but what about when you withdraw cash abroad, could it go overdrawn then?

I am pretty sure that you cannot use just a cashcard to withdraw money overseas. They normally belong to the Link Network which is UK based. If it was a Visa Debit or a Visa Electron card then it would work overseas.

grumbler

M_Thomson wrote:

I am pretty sure that you cannot use just a cashcard to withdraw money overseas. They normally belong to the Link Network which is UK based. If it was a Visa Debit or a Visa Electron card then it would work overseas.

Wrong! They are also Cirrys cards and can be used abroad at ATMs with Mastercard logo.

iomexico wrote:

what about when you withdraw cash abroad, could it go overdrawn then?

I am not 100% sure about all countries. It is better to check.

ioscorpio

E-mail rec from Nationwide

Dear Member,

Thank you for your enquiry.

I confirm that it is possible to go overdrawn on a Cash Card account.

Regards,

Customer Advisor
Nationwide Direct

http://www.nationwide.co.uk

grumbler

iomexico wrote:

I confirm that it is possible to go overdrawn on a Cash Card account.

From my experience with one particular country and one particular ATM network I know that my relative tried and was not able to withdraw amount exceeding current balance. I still advise you to make such experiment in Mexico.

pinkonion

grumbler wrote:

Wrong! They are also Cirrys cards and can be used abroad at ATMs with Mastercard logo.
I am not 100% sure about all countries. It is better to check.

Actually Cirrus

As I've used my Flexcard abroad I can confirm you certainly can. It's handy to carry just a few Euros or whatever currency around in the knowledge you can get more whenever without whopping great charges :T