Inefficient (RBS Advanta)

Member Name: NFH.

Product:	RBS Advanta
Date:	29/10/02 (772 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: 0% APR, 0.75% cashback

Disadvantages: Inefficient, Poor communication, Hefty fees for foreign use

Earlier this year, I applied online for an RBA Advanta credit card. They wrote to me in early February advising me that my application had been declined. After appealing against their decision, I received a letter from them at the beginning of March asking me to send my bank statements, which I did at the end of April when my bank statements would show annual bonuses etc.

A few days later, I spoke to RBS Advanta by phone who confirmed that my statements had been received but had not yet been processed. At the beginning of May, I spoke to them again when they confirmed that my statements had been processed and that a decision would be made within seven days.

In the middle of May, I received a letter confirming that my application was successful and that I should sign and return the terms and conditions. The T&Cs had the wrong APR (it should have been 0%) so I phoned them again, upon which they advised me to amend the T&Cs because of a discrepancy on the promised APR. I did so, and returned the T&Cs to RBS Advanta the same day.

Since then, despite several phone calls, I had not heard anything from RBS Advanta. I therefore wrote to them asking for my bank statements back or to pay me £20 for each statement (as they were originals). Barclays cannot reproduce exact originals of my statements, only copies in a different format, so I do need the originals for any other credit card applications I may make in future. As RBS Advanta cannot find my statements, I have just received a cheque for £50 from them which I am happy with. However, they had the cheek to say that if I still want a card, I will have to start my application again and supply more bank statements. Unbelievable!

If you do apply for one of these cards, don't send them originals of anything, as you may not get it back.

Also, beware that RBS Advanta charges a hefty commission when you use their cards abroad or for any transactions not in Sterling. You will
pay 2.65% commission for any foreign retail transactions, a fee set by RBS Advanta, not by Visa/MasterCard. On top of this, you also pay another fee if you are withdrawing cash. Don't be tempted to use this card abroad in order to get cashback, because the cashback will be less than the commission you pay.

If you need to use a credit card abroad, try one of these cards, which charge no commission or less commission on retail transactions:

- Nationwide Building Society: 0% commission (and very low cash fees too)

- Liverpool Victoria / Frizzell: 0% commission

- Cahoot: 2.25% commission

Summary: