MASSIVE nightmare opening Nationwide Flexplus

Hi.

This will be a long post, but I am in need of desperate help and will shorten as much as possible. I will be ever so grateful for anyone to take the time out to help me sort out this mess/guidance/advice.

On Monday 5th June 2017, I decided to apply for a Nationwide Flexplus account (firstly because of the benefits and secondly, because my Natwest graduate account was being converted over to a select account which had no benefits). I applied online and was approved with an email being sent to me not long after saying that I would be contacted within 5 working days if anymore information was needed from me.

I was not contacted.

On Thursday 8th June 2017, I called up the Nationwide applications number and was informed they could not locate my application and that I should apply again. I said I would think about this and called back. However, I called back hoping that someone else might be able to help but they also said they could not locate my application - this was odd, I know it was there!

I went onto Twitter and spoke to NW's team who called me back and eventually found my application. I was given a reference number and told to pop into my local branch with some ID for verification purposes. I did this straight away (and told my card would be with me shortly) and contacted NW yet again, there I was told that it was a joint account, I clarified it was not and was apologised to by the gentleman and told that everything was fine and would go ahead.

Despite this, I still felt uneasy and contacted the Twiiter team once again who again called me and put me on hold for over 15 minutes, when they came back on the line the lady said that everything was fine, and that Terms and Conditions were sent out to me and I should receive them today (Friday 9th June 2017). I did not.

Today, I called up NW again for my call to be transferred over and told that my application was DECLINED due to my address history.

When I applied it asked for 3 years of address history, which I supplied. However, the lady mentioned an address which I lived in over 5 years ago... Had this address been needed it would be prompted me for it however it did not. This made no sense but the lady told me to reapply but there was no guarantee it would be accepted.

Feeling frustrated, I called up NW yet again to be transferred over to a number of departments to then be told my application was declined due to a loan that I had taken out in 2015. Firstly, I did not take out a loan (I've checked this on my Experian) secondly, I was again told to reapply...

I reapplied and was approved yet again now I am just waiting to see what will happen.

Please can somebody advise me who I need to get in touch with, I feel like I'm being fobbed off with silly reasons behind the opening of this account. NW just seem very unhelpful in every way possible... Not only have I spent numerous hours on the phone, but everyone I have spoken to is contradicting what the last person has said.

I intend to fight this in every way possible... But I need some help and support :(

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this.

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 35,242
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    You sound uncertain as to ether you had a loan or not, in which case you need to check all your files, not just Experian.

    However, you can't fight a commercial decision if they choose to decline you, however much support you get.
  • Placitasgirl
    Placitasgirl Posts: 381
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    I'm not clear what it is you wish to fight in every way possible. With regard to the first decline; was this based on incorrect information held on your credit file (the 2015 loan)? if so you'll need to follow up on this and get it corrected.

    Similarly is your address correct with all of the CRA's - could an anomaly be why NW have been unhappy with your address history?

    Either way NW is using information from the CRA and is not at fault for basing a decision on this information. If it is incomplete/out of date/incorrect you need to focus on addressing that.

    Finally you say that your application has now been approved. I'd hang fire and await confirmation or at least give it a few days for normal processing to take place before getting in touch to check on progress.

    From what you say it's clear you could have (and should have) received better customer service from NW, but I really don't see what you want to fight. Perhaps a letter outlining your experience from a customer service/information provided perspective might be warranted but I d wait and get your account confirmed and up and running first.
  • Tinker_bells
    Tinker_bells Posts: 14 Forumite
    I'm not clear what it is you wish to fight in every way possible. With regard to the first decline; was this based on incorrect information held on your credit file (the 2015 loan)? if so you'll need to follow up on this and get it corrected.

    Similarly is your address correct with all of the CRA's - could an anomaly be why NW have been unhappy with your address history?

    Either way NW is using information from the CRA and is not at fault for basing a decision on this information. If it is incomplete/out of date/incorrect you need to focus on addressing that.

    Finally you say that your application has now been approved. I'd hang fire and await confirmation or at least give it a few days for normal processing to take place before getting in touch to check on progress.

    From what you say it's clear you could have (and should have) received better customer service from NW, but I really don't see what you want to fight. Perhaps a letter outlining your experience from a customer service/information provided perspective might be warranted but I d wait and get your account confirmed and up and running first.

    On the advise of NW's team who declined my application, I reapplied and it was approved...
  • TheShape
    TheShape Posts: 1,777
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    I think your own impatience is what's led to you spending countless hours on this rather than allowing the application process to be followed.

    You said you applied on the 5th June and were told you'd receive a response within 5 working days but you did not receive one. I would make the fifth working day from your application Mon 12th or Friday 9th if including the day you applied (I wouldn't expect to include the day of application). Either way, you got impatient and contacted them on the 8th.

    You were also expecting to receive your t&cs today. If that was your expectation then I think you are being unreasonable if expecting to receive them that quick. If it's Nationwide's assumption you'd receive them today then surely you'd make allowances for postal delays?

    If you choose to keep contacting NW, that's up to you but i think you should wait until at least next Friday for a response to your new application. If it's declined, check your details are correct with the CRAs and apply for an account with someone else.
  • eskbanker
    eskbanker Posts: 30,430
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    Is it just me who sees emotive phrases like 'MASSIVE nightmare' and mentally translates them into 'minor hiccup'? :)
  • Tinker_bells
    Tinker_bells Posts: 14 Forumite
    TheShape wrote: »
    I think your own impatience is what's led to you spending countless hours on this rather than allowing the application process to be followed.

    You said you applied on the 5th June and were told you'd receive a response within 5 working days but you did not receive one. I would make the fifth working day from your application Mon 12th or Friday 9th if including the day you applied (I wouldn't expect to include the day of application). Either way, you got impatient and contacted them on the 8th.

    You were also expecting to receive your t&cs today. If that was your expectation then I think you are being unreasonable if expecting to receive them that quick. If it's Nationwide's assumption you'd receive them today then surely you'd make allowances for postal delays?

    If you choose to keep contacting NW, that's up to you but i think you should wait until at least next Friday for a response to your new application. If it's declined, check your details are correct with the CRAs and apply for an account with someone else.

    I completely understand what you are saying and I admit I was impatient after not hearing anything but is it correct for me to be treated how I have? If I did not dig this much, I probably would have never got to where I am now... A misplaced application? Being told to go into branch? Being told my T&C's were in the post and then being told it's declined...

    NW did not mislead me? Why would I not told it was declined.. then I would have not needed to go into NW with ID and I would have not been told the T&C's were in the post. Why send them when you've declined me.

    This is what I don't understand.
  • TheShape
    TheShape Posts: 1,777
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    edited 9 June 2017 at 6:58PM
    I think the most likely cause of the problem is that everyone you've talked to is working with incomplete information. Until the application has been fully processed it may not be certain whether it has been accepted or declined.

    You application may have been 'approved' by Nationwide only for it to be subsequently declined due to information regarding your address history. You may have called at a point at which the account appeared to be approved and the terms due to be issued only for the application to subsequently be declined and the t&cs not posted. You may even receive the t&cs if they've been posted prior to a subsequent decline. Its not uncommon for someone to receive their card/PIN etc and to subsequently have their account closed if adverse information is discovered on a credit file.

    You may have been asked to take ID to branch if the application did not show that ID had been verified even if it was in the process of being so.

    As to the misplaced application, it may be the case that the application is not easily viewable or indeed hidden during application processing to avoid anyone accessing or editing the application while processing is taking place. In my work place some files/applications are difficult to find/view so as to prevent accidental editing/tampering while processing.

    A better response from Nationwide to your first contact may have been to tell you to wàit to receive a decision. It's possible that they've tried to be too helpful in giving you information when the result of the application was not yet certain.
  • Shakin_Steve
    Shakin_Steve Posts: 2,695
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    When I applied for my first Tesco account, there was no contact for nearly two weeks. I rang customer services only to be told that they couldn't find any details of my application. I decided that I wasn't going to be messed around and just said 'OK, that's fine, forget it'.
    Next day I received the paperwork to sign and everything went smoothly from there.
    My point is that the department that deals with the applications and checks credit files and ID information is not the department you speak to when you ring up. These CSR's have no information on screen. You are best just letting these things run their course.
    I came into this world with nothing and I've got most of it left.
  • msallen
    msallen Posts: 1,494
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    You need to apply again (online), and then wait 17 minutes before chasing them up via Twitter. At 9.32 the following morning you should post to their facebook page telling them to expect a letter from you in 4 (working) days - however you you send this by first class registered the next day to make sure it gets there early. When you get back from the post office contact them via whatsapp and ask why they haven't responded to your letter yet, warning them that unless you get an answer via snapchat before 5pm the Thursday before last then you will have no option but to sue them for their DISGRACEFUL spelling.
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