Nationwide online loan payment difficulties

mpw_ix

Anyone here tried to settle their personal loan with Nationwide via their online service? I have just tried, and failed, and Nationwide were unable to help. I have just sent them this complaint:

"I'm just e-mailing you to say how annoyed I have been with both your telephone and online banking system today.

I recently contacted you to request to pay off my personal loan early, and was told I'd receive a settlement figure in the post. Sure enough I did, and it was received promptly. However, the instructions on how to pay it online were inadequate. I was given a sort code, an account number, and a reference number. The letter said to select the payments and transfers tab, then manage arrangements, and set up a new single arrangement. Then select Another Nationwide Account, then Personal Loan as the account type. Then click Transfer Money to complete payment. Simple, or so you'd think.

On the Another Nationwide Account screen, the only input boxes are:

'Name of person to pay'
'Arrangement description'
'Nationwide Account type'
'Account Number'

Who's the name of personal to pay? Nationwide, or myself? What's the arrangement description? Is that where I enter the reference number? Nationwide Account type, okay. Account number - do I enter the reference number, or the account number here, and where do I put the sort code you've given me? After scratching my head about what goes where, and failing at several attempts, I phoned your general enquiries line (why no internet banking helpline?) and the girl I got through to didn't know what to do. She said she'd transfer me to the loans dept, which she did, and it was closed.

So, I tried setting up the arrangement again, and this time it worked. I put Nationwide Loans as the name, your account number as the description (though I had to leave out the sort code due to length) and my reference number as the account number. This seemed to work.

Hooray, arrangement set up, now to pay off my loan. So I went to Pay Bill or Transfer Money, selected Nationwide Loans as the payee I'd set up, entered the amount, clicked Next and then Confirm. And then it came up with an error, which said 'We are unable to process this request.' No explanation. So I checked Limits and Restrictions, and the amount I wanted to transfer was fine.

Again, I called your general enquiries line, and said I was having trouble making an online payment. And again, the girl I was speaking to wasn't able to help, and said to call the loans dept tomorrow. Which is only open whilst I'm in work by the way.

One last attempt online, I went to New Single Arrangements, and selected Set Up Details Myself, which allowed me to enter sort code, account number, and reference number. I tried to set this up, but was given the message "To set up an arrangement to a Nationwide account, go back a page and select 'Another Nationwide account' from the list." At which point I felt like punching my monitor.

I had recently been considering paying my monthly salary into Nationwide instead of HSBC, but obviously, this is now not going to happen, and my opinion of Nationwide's customer service has lowered considerably. I work in the finance industry myself, making calls to many different finance companies every day, and dealing with countless online systems, and never before has one frustrated me this much. Also, in the interest of Treating Customers Fairly, and not putting up any unreasonable barriers to settling arrangements or transferring to other providers, I feel I have been let down by your poor service today, and therefore felt compelled to write to you.

Finally, I've just noticed a little banner to the right which says "Do you want an answer in seconds? With our search it's quick and easy to find the answers to your questions." Well, for your information, I tried this before calling your call centre before, and was provided with no answers."

jonesMUFCforever

I have no accounts with Nationwide so perhaps I'm not the best person to reply but I know with many other banks the facility to even make a repayment online is not there let alone repay a loan.

I would suggest that having obtained a redemption figure that you send them a cheque for that amount or call in at a branch where I'm sure they will help.