Natwest 'blacklist' auto-decline

NewUser1972

In or around 2004 I defaulted on a credit card with Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).  In 2012 I opened a bank account with Natwest. At the same time I applied and was given a credit card and granted a 1K overdraft.  For a few years I was using the credit card and was, towards the end of month into my overdraft before it was cleared at payday.  In 2016 I took a loan of around 4K which I paid back, without missing a payment over 4 years (in fact I actually cleared it up a few months early) In around 2019 they wrote to me to tell me that they were withdrawing my credit card. I was a bit surprised and a slightly miffed but accepted it as had another one elsewhere.  I still have a overdraft although I haven't dipped in to it for a few years but since about 2020 everytime I click on the 'overdrafts' or 'credit cards', 'loans' or 'buy now/pay later' (basically any finance product) I get an instant message saying something along the lines of 'due to my recent account activity they can't approve blah blah'.  There's literally not even a nanosecond between me clicking the link and getting the denied message and they have never (for years) conducted any soft or hard check on my at any of the three credit reference agencies.  I have called them and they can't tell me anything, just 'computer says no'.  I actually have a good salary and multiple thousands positive balance pretty much all the time, I also have a Black Account with them (that they did approve!).  I can only guess I am on an auto deny list either by accident or by design (due to the RBS connection).  I appreciate the semantics about a 'blacklist' before people post to say blacklists don't exist, GDPR, it's against regulations blah blah but if I am on a list I will consider it to be a blacklist, even if I am the only one on it! Anyway, I don't need a card, loan or to increase my overdraft but it's just annoying me so I have raised a SAR to see if anything shows up.  I was just wondering if anyone else had a similar experience. I will post again if I find anything in my data although I don't imagine something like that would be included.

DullGreyGuy

Blacklists in general are lists that companies share with their competitors, its the anti-competitive nature of blacklists that makes them illegal even if someone managed to get around the GDPR issues.

A company or group are perfectly entitled to have a list of customers they dont want to deal with as long as it isnt on the basis of protected characteristics (sexual orientation, race, religion etc).

I had a somewhat similar experience, had a joint account and loan with g/friend at the time. When we split removed her from the current account but was too much faff to deal with the loan which I was paying in full. A year or two later was told they were closing both, they wouldnt fully say way but said it was to do with the co-debtor on the loan. Wasnt all bad as they allowed a reduced payment to clear off the loan as full and final settlement.

Circa 3 years later opened a Black current account with them started using it, applied for the credit card and was declined. Queried why, was told the same thing, questioned why I had been able to open a current account with them and they said I shouldnt have been able to and so would be closing it.

Fast forward another 5 years and they approved a substantial mortgage which has now been running 5 years. 


Why are you so desperate to be their customer if they dont want you? 

NewUser1972

DullGreyGuy said:

Why are you so desperate to be their customer if they dont want you? 

I'm not desperate but I travel a fair bit and the free *unlimited* lounge access with the Natwest Black is very useful and I also get about £20 cash back through them too. No other bank offers this

MattMattMattUK

NewUser1972 said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Why are you so desperate to be their customer if they dont want you? 

I'm not desperate but I travel a fair bit and the free *unlimited* lounge access with the Natwest Black is very useful and I also get about £20 cash back through them too. No other bank offers this

Amex almost always works out the best deal for people who travel a lot, have a look at their cards. 

Iansellers

DullGreyGuy said:

Blacklists in general are lists that companies share with their competitors, its the anti-competitive nature of blacklists that makes them illegal even if someone managed to get around the GDPR issues.

A company or group are perfectly entitled to have a list of customers they dont want to deal with as long as it isnt on the basis of protected characteristics (sexual orientation, race, religion etc).

I had a somewhat similar experience, had a joint account and loan with g/friend at the time. When we split removed her from the current account but was too much faff to deal with the loan which I was paying in full. A year or two later was told they were closing both, they wouldnt fully say way but said it was to do with the co-debtor on the loan. Wasnt all bad as they allowed a reduced payment to clear off the loan as full and final settlement.

Circa 3 years later opened a Black current account with them started using it, applied for the credit card and was declined. Queried why, was told the same thing, questioned why I had been able to open a current account with them and they said I shouldnt have been able to and so would be closing it.

Fast forward another 5 years and they approved a substantial mortgage which has now been running 5 years. 


Why are you so desperate to be their customer if they dont want you? 

No such thing as a "blacklist"

NewUser1972

Iansellers said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Blacklists in general are lists that companies share with their competitors, its the anti-competitive nature of blacklists that makes them illegal even if someone managed to get around the GDPR issues.

A company or group are perfectly entitled to have a list of customers they dont want to deal with as long as it isnt on the basis of protected characteristics (sexual orientation, race, religion etc).

I had a somewhat similar experience, had a joint account and loan with g/friend at the time. When we split removed her from the current account but was too much faff to deal with the loan which I was paying in full. A year or two later was told they were closing both, they wouldnt fully say way but said it was to do with the co-debtor on the loan. Wasnt all bad as they allowed a reduced payment to clear off the loan as full and final settlement.

Circa 3 years later opened a Black current account with them started using it, applied for the credit card and was declined. Queried why, was told the same thing, questioned why I had been able to open a current account with them and they said I shouldnt have been able to and so would be closing it.

Fast forward another 5 years and they approved a substantial mortgage which has now been running 5 years. 


Why are you so desperate to be their customer if they dont want you? 

No such thing as a "blacklist"

The term 'blacklist' is a colloquialism. If you honestly think that businesses, particularly financial institutions don't have records of people who they don't want to deal with which, if printed out would constitute 'a list' then you're very naive

LunaLater

NewUser1972 said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Why are you so desperate to be their customer if they dont want you? 

I'm not desperate but I travel a fair bit and the free *unlimited* lounge access with the Natwest Black is very useful and I also get about £20 cash back through them too. No other bank offers this

This is a normal an fair response to you having defaulted.

Did you make good on the default?

NewUser1972

I paid it off eventually, yes. I have no issue with them if they choose not to do business with me, that's their prerogative. It's just frustrating and odd how it's all panned out and wish they would just tell me rather than suggest its to do with my 'recent account usage' or deny there is anything on my file if and when I call and ask them. 

LunaLater

I understand it’s frustrating, but there’s really not much to be done about it.

Barclays seem to provide decent lounge access.

martinbainbridge1975

Never defaulted with them nor used my overdraft but they wont give me a credit card or car loan yet i qualify for a 5 grand overdraft at 39.9 apr - profiteering at its finest.

A default from 2004 will be dead in the water, goes off credit file after 6 years

I moved to Natwest for the £175 incentive, in hindsight I wish i had stayed with Lloyds

LunaLater

martinbainbridge1975 said:

Never defaulted with them nor used my overdraft but they wont give me a credit card or car loan yet i qualify for a 5 grand overdraft at 39.9 apr - profiteering at its finest.

A default from 2004 will be dead in the water, goes off credit file after 6 years

I moved to Natwest for the £175 incentive, in hindsight I wish i had stayed with Lloyds

The credit file is irrelevant here. The bank is allowed to keep data on who’d defaulted on them as long as it’s deemed necessary, and there’s no ruling to say that that’s not forever.

Ask yourself this, if someone you had lent money to had defaulted on you, would you honestly pretend it had never happened after six years?