Nationwide bank - monumental incompetence, avoid!!

Solwaybuggier

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I know they get good press for commission-free ATM withdrawals abroad - but they are totally incompetent and unresponsive.

My son is about to go off travelling, he set up an account in adequate time but has not had a card. After he made the inevitable lengthy calls to contact centres ("just transferring your call...") they've agreed they mishandled setting up his account but despite this cannot rectify their error in less than 10-12 days. (By which time the lucky little devil will be in Brazil!)

Useless! I know it's not specific to wildcamping but we do include a lot of travellers abroad and a) if it warns anyone off them so much the better and b) it helps me to let off steam!
 
What a disaster, hope your lad manages to sort something out, no joke not being able to draw out your cash abroad.
Happened to me a few years, when the card wouldn't satisfy the ATM's. I now carry cards from two different Banks, one of which is Nationwide, because of the commission free policy, but to be fair not had any problems at all. Good luck.
 
i've always found them to be competent & responsive.

been with them for 25 years and like all of us they make mistakes but the few they have made affecting me have been sorted out quickly.
 
Commiserations, Solwaybuggier, but have to say I've never had any
problems with them these past 10 years ( tho I've read many complaints
about their Isa transfers recently.) I've been fooltiming these past 2 years,
mostly abroad , & it's hard to beat commission-free ATM withdrawals.
The only problem I've had was when an ATM swallowed my card on one
of the smaller Greek islands. It was a faulty machine. Thankfully, the friend
I was visiting was the unofficial mayor of the place & frog-marched the
bank manager down to the machine demanding the immediate release of my
card. ....there were about 3 dozen other cards in there ....thank goodness
for friends in high places..... otherwise ... mucho hassle.
Made me realise, when traveling overseas , it make sense to carry at least
2 bank cards , just in case things go t*ts up.
Hope things work out for your son ..... a possible solution might be one
(or 2 )of those pre-paid cards .... think the Post Office do them.
HTH, vanmandan.
PS....only a lousy 63 degrees down here in southern Greece today.
bbrrrrr ...time to dig out the thermals ;-)
PPS ....the local Lidl has a sale on 40% proof vodka ..... 3.99 euros a bottle.
so that was nice.
 
Nationwide

Never had problems with them,used our card all over Europe.

We still take another card with us so that We have acces to Visa and Mastercard
 
Nationwide

My favourite bank also, I'm afraid. Switched from RBS and after they pay their big bonuses I will not be swapping back.
 
Yes, it was as a backup he was ordering it. The problem was that he ordered it in time for their quoted 10-12 day delivery - but having (by their own admission) messed up the processing they exceeded that and wouldn't then show any flexibility in getting an emergency card out.

Added to which, he is currently working 12 hour night shifts so arranged via an adviser yesterday that my wife could speak to a manager today on his behalf - they now refuse to do this and say the adviser yesterday was wrong.

He's given up on them in favour of a Travelex-type card.

I have to say our impression of Nationwide is of total incompetence - even by the standards of our magnificent financial institutions!
 
I had a similar problem with Nationwide just before I went to America - they just said 'sorry, there's nothing we can do!!' so I transferred my money elsewhere (Abbey) and they were able to sort me out immediately. I know anyone can make mistakes, but the adamant statement that carrying out a simple transfer was 'against policy and we can't make an exception' was what got to me.

Marc
 
so far i have had no problems with them and find them esay to deal with internet banking is a wiz

but i am aware that new account holders may have to wait some time for a visa card to be issued
for new account holders this is usualy after 6 months of regular payments into the account for a visa card to be issued
cash withdrawl cards are normaly available within a few weeks of opening the acount
my only problem with them is they are paying an enormous amount of our money to sponsor to FOOTBALL companys i see a chap called beckham on tv with a roawork hi viz vest on with nationwide logo on
for me our money should be more wisley invested
 
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