Surely the best, and getting better.... (Natwest Bank)

Member Name: MichaelR

Product:	Natwest Bank
Date:	28/01/01 (494 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: No cash machine fees. No fees on arranged borrowing. Excellent range of services.

Disadvantages: Nothing anymore!

I have been a NatWest customer since I was very young. (OK, some of you may say at 21 I'm still very young now! but I've been with NatWest since I was about 5 years old)

I have held a number of different accounts with NatWest, at a number of different branches, and in the past, I have been very satisfied for the most part. Lately however, I've been more than satisfied, I've been delighted!

My first NatWest account was the one for young children where you used to get given the different piggy banks as you saved more money. I don't remember the name of the account, but I'm sure you remember the one! (It is no longer offered)

I then held a First Reserve account, and I now hold a Student Plus account and a Student Credit Card account with NatWest.

I have held accounts at both large and small branches. (Exeter - The Castle Branch, Exeter - High Street Branch, and Dundee Branch)

I have to say that although the service has always been good, it has got even better since the bank was acquired by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

My main gripe with NatWest in the past was that it charged extortionate amounts (up to £1.50 in some cases) for withdrawing cash from almost every ATM machine. The only ones you could use for free were NatWest's own, (of which there is only 1 in the whole city of Dundee) Clydesdale (of which there are 3) HSBC (of which there are none!) or TSB before they merged with Lloyds.

This naturally made getting to my cash something of a problem, unless I wanted to pay a fee to get to it each time.

Since the bank was acquired by the Royal Bank of Scotland however, it has scrapped all cash machine charges. No withdrawal on any network attracts a fee now. What other high street bank can boast that?

If only for that fact alone, I would recommend NatWest. I would also recommend NatWest as it has scrapped all fees on arranged borrowing. Again, what other bank can s
ay that?

As I hold a Student Account, I have never had to pay any fees or interest on borrowing, which is one of the great things about the particular account that I hold, but now no matter what NatWest account you hold, you will not have to pay fees on arranged overdrafts.

NatWest also pays quite generous amounts of interest on most of it's current accounts, and in many cases, the rate of interest rises the longer you stay with the bank, as a reward for your loyalty.

The Service Card issued on all current accounts comes with the popular Switch logo, making it easy to pay for goods and services over the counter without writing a cheque, and is accepted by most retailers on the Internet and can also be used over the phone obviously, and it doubles up as an ATM card for withdrawing cash from machines.

The other good features of the card are that is comes with the Cirrus and Maestro logos, allowing it to be used in cash machines abroad, as well as used as a debit card abroad, and it also guarantees your cheques.

The bank also arranges many special offers for customers. Although I did not open any of my accounts for "bribes" as it were, I have done very well out of being a NatWest customer, receiving things such as free pagers, free mobile phones, and a number of money saving offers. I was also given free life insurance just for being a NatWest customer.

The staff in all the branches I have been with, and visited to withdraw or deposit cash when away from home, have been very courteous and friendly, and they also offer very good on-line and telephone banking services which I use regularly.

I also find that since lending has been centralised, it is now very quick and easy to get an overdraft when you need one.

I just really cannot find a bad word to say about the bank since it has been taken over by The Royal Bank of Scotland.

This is the way that banks should be - and I would
recommend NatWest to anyone.

Summary: