Natwest remains the typical inefficient, slow bank with clunky processes and systems

SouthLondonUser

I decided to apply for a Natwest account, mostly because I was interested in a bank giving me instant app notifications on both debit and credit card expenses - I had made a post about it https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6390166/instant-app-notifications-for-both-debit-and-credit-cards-only-natwest/p1

TLDR: opening the account is taking forever and is proving to be a bureaucratic mess. If the account and the app work smoothly after the initial hiccups, I'll keep it, otherwise I'll probably switch the bank account to Starling and maybe keep Natwest just for the credit card, if they let me. Not Monzo because it doesn't have an IBAN to receive foreign wire transfers and because its process to authorise large, one-off payments seems much slower and generally worse than Starling's.

The beginning hasn't been great.

I applied for an account 3 weeks ago and immediately submitted the documentation requested.

The same PDF scan of my passport I have used dozens of times elsewhere was not accepted. I took the original passport to a branch. The copy must have got lost in some black hole because after a week I was asked to upload it again.

After 15 days I received an email that the account had been approved.

After a few more days I activated online access but couldn't activate the app because "my mobile has been updated recently" - it has not, it's always been the same.

After a few more days the switching process from my old bank started; so I logged back in, but this time "account access is restricted" because I don't yet have a card reader (which should be on its way but who knows when it will arrive). The website says there is an option to receive an activation text but I need to contact them to update my mobile number.

So I contact them and someone says that maybe it's because my number had been entered as +447 so they change it to 07 but I still need to wait a few more days before I can receive an activation code via text. Why? Unclear.

So basically these geniuses first activate my account and enable my online banking, then, while switching my account from another bank, they restrict my online access. Maybe don't start the switch till you have sent me the card reader and verified I can fully operate the account? Just a thought.

Before they restricted the account I managed to apply for a credit card. But I was asked to re-upload identity documents and to take a picture of my face in an app. But I was already a customer. Two different ID verification processes for bank accounts and credit cards, which must be repeated even for existing customers. Odd.

Rob5342

That sounds horrendous. With Starling it took about 15 minutes to go from never having dealt with them before to having an account open that I could transfer money back and forth in the app.

SouthLondonUser

@Rob5342 Have you ever had to make large, one-off payments with Starling? E.g. paying  a house deposit, or moving large amount of savings from one account to another (with the money transiting through your bank account in the meanwhile)? With Monzo it was a pain. I don't need to do this every week, obviously, but I need to know it is possible.

DullGreyGuy

Rob5342 said:

That sounds horrendous. With Starling it took about 15 minutes to go from never having dealt with them before to having an account open that I could transfer money back and forth in the app.

Natwest can also be straight through processing but the fact that they asked the OP for docs means the electronic ID checks werent passed... no idea how Starling's process is if they cannot ID you with the CRAs. Could imagine they are even more painful if they want certified copies of documents sent given they dont have a branch you can go into for their staff to confirm its a genuine document.

I think all banks can be a pain if you fall out of the process... its the old building societies that I've found still have terrible processes as standard. I was used to banks changing your address straight away so on moving day let all my other banks know either by phone or self serve online however a single one said that for them you either have to download a form and post it off and they'll process it within 21 days or you have to go in branch, fill in the same form there, they'll send it for you to the central office also for processing within 21 days. To me its a bigger security risk sending post to an old address than allowing it to be change online but they claimed it was for security purposes that they didnt allow over the phone or online change of address yet  could transfer £20,000 or more to anyone in the world via those methods. 

eDicky

DullGreyGuy said:

Rob5342 said:

That sounds horrendous. With Starling it took about 15 minutes to go from never having dealt with them before to having an account open that I could transfer money back and forth in the app.

... no idea how Starling's process is if they cannot ID you with the CRAs. Could imagine they are even more painful if they want certified copies of documents sent given they dont have a branch you can go into for their staff to confirm its a genuine document.

Starling Bank account opening is entirely with the app (or perhaps also now with their website). Even if they locate you electronically, presentation of photo ID, selfie, perhaps also video and voice now, is required. So if anything additional such as address verification is needed, it would be uploaded in the same way in-app.

DullGreyGuy

eDicky said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Rob5342 said:

That sounds horrendous. With Starling it took about 15 minutes to go from never having dealt with them before to having an account open that I could transfer money back and forth in the app.

... no idea how Starling's process is if they cannot ID you with the CRAs. Could imagine they are even more painful if they want certified copies of documents sent given they dont have a branch you can go into for their staff to confirm its a genuine document.

Starling Bank account opening is entirely with the app (or perhaps also now with their website). Even if they locate you electronically, presentation of photo ID, selfie, perhaps also video and voice now, is required. So if anything additional such as address verification is needed, it would be uploaded in the same way in-app.

Assumption or known fact?

If they've had no match at all via CRA seems a rather weak KYC process to accept a random photo of a claimed to be genuine document. Not that you couldnt collude with a doctor or branch staff to give a certified copy but its certainly a more robust check given someone else's job is potentially on the line if its shown they intentionally assisted in fraudulent setup of an account.   

My assumption was they probably just decline rather than either have a weak process or start having to deal with physical documents

MovingForwards

The phone number thing is to reduce the risk of fraud eg someone changing the number, setting up a new payee and emptying your account.

If you've a card reader for another bank you can use that.

Can't comment on the ID issues.

SouthLondonUser

DullGreyGuy said:

Rob5342 said:

That sounds horrendous. With Starling it took about 15 minutes to go from never having dealt with them before to having an account open that I could transfer money back and forth in the app.

Natwest can also be straight through processing but the fact that they asked the OP for docs means the electronic ID checks werent passed... no idea how Starling's process is if they cannot ID you with the CRAs.

I have no idea why online checks weren't enough. I also quadruple checked by obtaining the statutory credit reports from the credit reference agencies, and they are all correct. My name and address don't lend themselves to different variations in spelling (it's something like 123 Roady road, no building names etc). I have lived at this address for more than 2 years, have a mortgage, 2 credit cards, multiple bank accounts including a joint one with my partner. It just felt like one of those "computer says no" type of moment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n_Ty_72Qds

SouthLondonUser

MovingForwards said:

The phone number thing is to reduce the risk of fraud eg someone changing the number, setting up a new payee and emptying your account.

If you've a card reader for another bank you can use that.

Can't comment on the ID issues.

I had no idea you could use the card reader of another bank. I have just tried with an old Barclays one which was collecting dust in a drawer and it worked. Thank you!

But I still believe that, since it is 2022 and not 1999, a card reader is unnecessary and just creates e-waste. If even dinosaur banks like HSBC and First Direct got rid of it, I can't see why Natwest can't. In fact, I haven't quite figured out if the app makes the card reader redundant, or if there are still some things for which I'd need the card reader.

Yes, I get the telephone thing, but here my number hadn't changed at all. I provided it 3 weeks ago, when I applied for the account, and it hasn't changed,. The fact that the person on the phone thought of changing it from +447 to 07 "so maybe the system recognises it" is laughable!

MovingForwards

I think it's just large payments for the card reader, I've not used mine for ages as I only use the app. 

eDicky

DullGreyGuy said:

eDicky said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Rob5342 said:

That sounds horrendous. With Starling it took about 15 minutes to go from never having dealt with them before to having an account open that I could transfer money back and forth in the app.

... no idea how Starling's process is if they cannot ID you with the CRAs. Could imagine they are even more painful if they want certified copies of documents sent given they dont have a branch you can go into for their staff to confirm its a genuine document.

Starling Bank account opening is entirely with the app (or perhaps also now with their website). Even if they locate you electronically, presentation of photo ID, selfie, perhaps also video and voice now, is required. So if anything additional such as address verification is needed, it would be uploaded in the same way in-app.

Assumption or known fact?

If they've had no match at all via CRA seems a rather weak KYC process to accept a random photo of a claimed to be genuine document. Not that you couldnt collude with a doctor or branch staff to give a certified copy but its certainly a more robust check given someone else's job is potentially on the line if its shown they intentionally assisted in fraudulent setup of an account.   

My assumption was they probably just decline rather than either have a weak process or start having to deal with physical documents

Certainly other documents such as source of funds etc, on occasions when required, are uploaded with the app, the same as any fintech such as Revolut, Monzo etc. I don't think I've ever actually heard of address verification being required by Starling, whose basic purpose for the address is to send your debit card.

Below is a description of my own experience of opening a Starling account 5½ years ago which I posted in the first thread about them here. It doesn't include any address verification, but shows a contrast with the NatWest process experienced by OP:

I must have put myself on their list last year, because Starling sent me a sign-up code by email on Friday as I awaited my flight in an Indonesian airport. To pass the time I installed the Android app, checked their terms and fees, and saw that there are no fees even for using the card overseas, plus some token interest, full FSCS protection. So I proceeded to sign up and verify myself on the app, with a photo of my passport and video with my face and voice. All done within minutes, my sort code and account number shown, and card due to arrive Tuesday. It will lay safely on my doormat for a while, not activated until I do that on the app. So I took off with a brand new fintech bank account on my phone.
Later I emailed to request that my personal data not be used for marketing purposes, and received a polite reply from Patrick within the hour. I deposited £100+ by FP from my Loot account app, and the Starling app, which has a no-nonsense efficient feel, gave me a notification when it arrived shortly after.
That's all I can say for now, but to me it looks good - so far...