Can't withdraw savings without visiting Nationwide branch

My wife and I have a Nationwide "Loyalty Saver" account (dating back to their takeover of Cheshire B.S.)
We don't have any other account with Nationwide.
We have always made withdrawals at a branch but being in our 70s we are unwilling to do so just now.
It isn't possible for us to ask anyone else to help since Nationwide will only deal with the account holder at the branch.
Nationwide says we would have to open one of their current accounts in order to get access to our savings, but we do our online banking with another bank.
Can anyone suggest a way to resolve the difficulty?

Comments

  • LillythePink
    LillythePink Posts: 795 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts
    maybe open one of their accounts to move the money out of your savings into then transfer it out to your main bank account?
    You would have to sign up for online banking with them though
  • Suseka97
    Suseka97 Posts: 1,570 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    If there's no other option, then setting up a NW bank account is really straightforward and can be done online. You don't have to use it for any other purpose other than to transfer savings into and withdrawing as and when you need to.  You could also transfer savings into it and then use the debit card, or bank account itself for online payments for any goods or services.
  • Owain_Moneysaver
    Owain_Moneysaver Posts: 11,389 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    You should be able to use online banking with that account with Nationwide
    Managing your account
    1. You can access your account in any of the following ways:
    • Via the Internet Bank or Banking app (if you are registered to use the Internet Bank).
    • In branch.
    Faster Payments are not available for making withdrawals from your account.
    https://www.nationwide.co.uk/support/support-articles/terms-and-conditions/loyalty-saver
    However, it looks like online you could only transfer to another Nationwide account, that would let you then transfer outside Nationwide. That might not need to be a current account, and anyway you can have more than one current account. Just leave £10 in it to keep it open ... 
    They do cheque withdrawals too, will they post a cheque to you if you phone and ask them?

    A kind word lasts a minute, a skelped erse is sair for a day.
  • d63
    d63 Posts: 328 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 5 April 2020 at 9:59PM
    another advantage of opening a flexdirect current account with nationwide is that they will pay you 5% interest on an in-credit balance up to £2500 provided you jump through a few hoops such as paying in £1000 a month, (which of course you can withdraw again the following day if you wish).
    always handy to have more than one current account anyway in case of problems with one or the other plus you could be getting £125 for the first year too.
  • KxMx
    KxMx Posts: 11,016 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    You can have 6 different current accounts with 6 different banks and 6 different Internet banking log-ins, if you wanted to do so :) 
  • anotherbob
    anotherbob Posts: 240 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Thanks for the advice and suggestions.
    I've looked at switching to a Nationwide flexdirect acct, but I'm not clear what to make of this....
    "We'll pay the 5% rate on the first account you open in just your name. Plus, if you want to share another account with someone else, we'll pay the 5% rate on the first joint account you open with them."
    ... which appears on the Nationwide page.
    At the moment we have a joint current account and wish to keep it that way.

  • KxMx
    KxMx Posts: 11,016 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 6 April 2020 at 1:54PM
    You don't have to switch, just open a Natwest current account (in one name if you want to keep it simple ) and sign up to online banking. Then:
    Transfer from Natwest savings to Natwest current. 
    Transfer from Natwest current to other bank current. 
  • d63
    d63 Posts: 328 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 6 April 2020 at 3:50PM
    Thanks for the advice and suggestions.
    I've looked at switching to a Nationwide flexdirect acct, but I'm not clear what to make of this....
    "We'll pay the 5% rate on the first account you open in just your name. Plus, if you want to share another account with someone else, we'll pay the 5% rate on the first joint account you open with them."
    ... which appears on the Nationwide page.
    At the moment we have a joint current account and wish to keep it that way.

    there really is no need to switch your existing joint current account to the nationwide unless you really want to, but i would strongly advise you to simply open a new flexdirect account either in your own name or in your joint names, or indeed open two accounts, one sole name, one joint, and then if you arrange for the £1000 to be paid first into the sole account, then move it back to your original account, then transfer back again to the joint account, and ok, it may sound a bit involved, but it is a lot easier to do than for me to describe!
    but sadly it doesn't look like you will be able to take full advantage of the 5% interest rate offer for long as according to this article:
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/saving/article-8191713/Best-current-accounts-Nationwide-cut-FlexDirect-2-May.html
    they will be reducing the rate to 2% pretty soon.

    well anyway, it should solve your original problem of accessing your loyalty savings account (i have one of those too! 15 years! time sure flies)
  • anotherbob
    anotherbob Posts: 240 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    d63 said:
    there really is no need to switch your existing joint current account to the nationwide unless you really want to,

    but sadly it doesn't look like you will be able to take full advantage of the 5% interest rate offer for long as according to this article:
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/saving/article-8191713/Best-current-accounts-Nationwide-cut-FlexDirect-2-May.html
    they will be reducing the rate to 2% pretty soon.
    Thanks for your advice.
    I had been thinking of a switch prior to this problem arising. My present account (Halifax Reward) is changing to less favourable terms soon and I think that maybe 2% with a flexdirect acct. will be preferable to nothing at all, in addition to dealing with my original problem.

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