Successfully upgraded your Cash Account?

williewonder

jonesMUFCforever said:

williewonder said:

I had the Nationwide Flax-basic account for years, mostly dormant. I started using this as my main account in 2016. Only £540 a month going through it and 1 direct debit. I did have poor credit worthiness but was able to upgrade to the Flax-account within 2 years. I think they did this internally? 6 months later on logging into my online banking I was offered a small overdraft. In 2019 upgraded to the Flex-plus with £1000 overdraft. I'm very happy with this account.

Had you ever been declared bankrupt?

No I haven't.

stclair

You may be better off just applying for a new account 9 times out of 10 you’ll get an instant decision. 

williewonder

If you have online banking with Nationwide you should be able to find out if you can upgrade on the banking app. I was told I could upgrade. I never once spoke to a representative in person about upgrading. It was all done on the app and it took seconds and they sent my new card out within 5 days. Still got the same account number. Same from upgrade from Flax-account to Flex-plus. Very smooth. 

I still have £540 paid into this account every 4 weeks so I don't think it matters what income you have. 

Fighter1986

Thank you for all your replies, it's very helpful and although none of this is solid evidence it does suggest that I've made the right choice with Nationwide. I'm comfortable banking with them and will just carry on as I am, enquiring about an upgrade every six to twelve months until the day comes that they trust me. 

Grand, Thank you. 

stclair

Fighter1986 said:

Thank you for all your replies, it's very helpful and although none of this is solid evidence it does suggest that I've made the right choice with Nationwide. I'm comfortable banking with them and will just carry on as I am, enquiring about an upgrade every six to twelve months until the day comes that they trust me. 

Grand, Thank you. 

I would just apply for a new account with them and see what happens. My brother recently opened a flex plus account with 15 odd defaults.

jonesMUFCforever

williewonder said:

jonesMUFCforever said:

williewonder said:

I had the Nationwide Flax-basic account for years, mostly dormant. I started using this as my main account in 2016. Only £540 a month going through it and 1 direct debit. I did have poor credit worthiness but was able to upgrade to the Flax-account within 2 years. I think they did this internally? 6 months later on logging into my online banking I was offered a small overdraft. In 2019 upgraded to the Flex-plus with £1000 overdraft. I'm very happy with this account.

Had you ever been declared bankrupt?

No I haven't.

Which might be the reason you were successful in upgrading whilst the OP (bankrupt 2 years ago) did not.

DebtHurricane

OP, when I had my debt relief order I opened a flex basic with nationwide. Used it for a year, then I closed it down as they refused to upgrade me to flex account. 

Then I waited 6 months exactly, and applied as a new customer for the flex account. Got approved and then upgraded it to FlexPlus. Been that way ever since! Same process with Barclays. 

Fighter1986

stclair said:

Fighter1986 said:

Thank you for all your replies, it's very helpful and although none of this is solid evidence it does suggest that I've made the right choice with Nationwide. I'm comfortable banking with them and will just carry on as I am, enquiring about an upgrade every six to twelve months until the day comes that they trust me. 

Grand, Thank you. 

I would just apply for a new account with them and see what happens. My brother recently opened a flex plus account with 15 odd defaults.

Yeah their eligibility checker for a new account also only recommends flex basic.

It's alright, it's not been long since my BR, I'll just sit tight carrying on exactly as I am.

Really appreciate everyone's input 👍

[Deleted User]

Fighter1986 said:

stclair said:

Fighter1986 said:

Thank you for all your replies, it's very helpful and although none of this is solid evidence it does suggest that I've made the right choice with Nationwide. I'm comfortable banking with them and will just carry on as I am, enquiring about an upgrade every six to twelve months until the day comes that they trust me. 

Grand, Thank you. 

I would just apply for a new account with them and see what happens. My brother recently opened a flex plus account with 15 odd defaults.

Yeah their eligibility checker for a new account also only recommends flex basic.

It's alright, it's not been long since my BR, I'll just sit tight carrying on exactly as I am.

Really appreciate everyone's input 👍

The FlexBasic does almost everything that the FlexAccount does except the overdraft.
Good ATM limit (£500), supports contactless payments and works at Pay at Pump too.

xlnc99

Similar situation to you OP and ive spent the last 2 years cleaning my file. Still a about 18 months left till its all squeaky clean but better then it was 2 years ago. I opened basic accounts around 3 years ago, never offered a current account. Opened basic accounts with every bank

Since 3 years until around mid 2020 things changed with the following:

BOS  Basic - upgraded me to Vantage with 1k OD
HAlifax Basic - upgraded me to rewards with 1k OD
Lloyds Basic - Upgraded to Club Lloyds 1k OD

Every month i kept going to the upgrade section and the OD section on the APP and eventually i was upgraded. No credit check and i didn really have a main account and regular money going in and out. 

Santander - Basic account - upgraded to current with 1k OD
Again kept going to the upgrade on the APP/online banking until i was accepted, around 1 year after my basic. Cant remember if they did a credit check

Barclays basic account - Upgraded to Current 0 OD
Again did it on the APP. Cant remember if they did a credit check

TSB basic account - cant upgrade, have to go start a fresh application and they do a CC. Tried once ages go for an upgrade, was rejected didnt try again. Still got the Basic

HSBC Basic account - keep applying for upgrade but they wont give it. Stuck with the basic. No credit check

Nationwide Basic - Been over a year or so but wont upgrade me yet. Keep rejecting me

Monzo - Had the account for a year, never put a penny or used the card but applied for an OD a few weeks ago and accepted for 1k OD

My personal experience using all these banks - LLoyds, Halifax and BOS are by far the best bank account to have in terms of app layout, app ease, customer service - everything is 10/10. Santander is 2nd for me and just as good. The rest are meh.

HSBC - worst interface for app. TSB not great either. NAtionwide i found pretty poor.