Nationwide - be afraid, be very afraid (Nationwide Building Society)

Member Name: mrsbbq

Product:	Nationwide Building Society
Date:	04/11/00 (529 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: none at all

Disadvantages: no customer care at all

I was patting myself on the back three years ago when I secured myself a fixed rate mortgage at a VERY good rate from my local high street Nationwide. This does have several terms and conditions applied to it, one of which is that I MUST purchase my buildings and contents insurance through the Nationwide. The rates seemed very competitive however, and so I signed on the dotted line.

A couple of months ago I had need to make a claim when the wash basin overflowed and damaged the hall ceiling. I hunted out my dusty documents, telephoned the claim number (a local rate call, not freephone) and was shocked when the (very long) recorded message informed me that I was through to Nationwide insurance, and that "they shared information regarding claims with other insurers to protect themselves against fraud". I was surprised, shocked even, that even before I had discussed my claim with Nationwide I had already been "warned off" making a fraudulent claim.

The Nationwide operator talked me through the problem, agreed that my policy covered the damage, minus the excess, and said a tradesman would contact me directly to resolve the problem (a new ceiling and re-wallpaper the hall). The tradesman they appointed (a company called Rainbow, who obviously subcontracted the work, since all the vans that turned up had other names on them) duly arrived, told me it would take two days (with one day inbetween for the plaster to dry).

To cut a l-o-n-g story short, the tradesmen were a bunch of cowboys who made more damage, thus occupying my home for seven days in total, yet despite repeated calls to Nationwide I have been unable to get an apology or assurance they will not use this company in the future.

No doubt the Nationwide has paid they cowboys and they have moved on to the next victim.

Summary: