So I just got a response from Natwest and I thought I'd update my post. While it did take them several months to get back to me (with a letter every now and then telling me they hadn't forgotten and were still looking into my complaint) they sent me a formal apology a few days ago, and a cheque for £110 in compensation. As annoyed as I was with them for the wasted time and poor service, this is considerably more than I expected (I didn't expect any money to be perfectly honest). In short, I think that they can safely add me to the list of people who's complaints were resolved in my favour and I am quite happy with the outcome in the end. I'm glad they took my complaint seriously and felt the need to make amends. Hopefully they will improve their branch service in future, but I approve of their method for dealing with complaints.

Nice link, thanks!

I signed your petition. I also remember when there was all that news about the unfair bank charges and banks possibly being forced to refund people who were treated unjustly. That was so long ago I hadn't even started university yet. I'll share it on Facebook too and see if I can't get you some more from my friends. Pretty sure they will all unanimously support it.

:/ So maybe HSBC wasn't the best to go with... At least they were quick and helpful though. What do you think is the best bank to go with right now? One that won't treat me like a peon and might still be in business in 10 years time preferably.

I've been studying for the last few years and so I haven't had to deal with any banks for quite a while. I really could not believe how bad the service was. Worst I have ever experienced in my life. And watching person after person walk in, get angry that no one was around and then walk out is something I won't soon forget. How any bank that operates like this is still in business is beyond me...

I have just sent this to the NatWest complaints department, but I thought I'd post it here too so that people can see how bad their service is. Here it is: I am a mature student and I have just finished university. I have just taken a new job and I was looking to open up a new current account with NatWest. This was largely because a friend has told me your online banking was good and I've had major problems trying to get my existing Barclay's account to work online at all (after literally 7 failed attempts I've given up, they simply can't seem to sort it out so I'm changing banks). I first tried to create an account online, and that seemed to work. I was sent the following email yesterday (12/06/2012): ----------------------------------------------------- Dear Mr ***** Thank you for your application We're pleased to confirm that we've received your application for our Select account. Please note your application reference number: ********** What you need to do now We need to confirm some additional information about you. Below you'll find details of the documents we need to see. All you need to do is bring them to your local branch along with your application reference. We've saved all the details you've given us so far, and your customer advisor will be able to help you to complete the application process quickly and easily. Bringing your documents into a branch is the quickest and easiest way to complete your application. For details of your nearest branch, use our branch locator. Can't get to a branch? If you're not able to visit a branch, you can send the documents we need by post. This does not include valuable documents such as your passport. We've sent you a letter explaining how to post documents to us, together with a prepaid envelope for you to use. The letter also explains what you need to do with the documents that can't be posted. The documents we need from you Please note that we can only accept originals - we can't accept copies, even if verified. To complete your application, we are legally required to confirm your identity and where you live. To do this, we need to see one item from Table A and one from Table B: Table A (to confirm your identity) Table B (to confirm your current address) Current signed Passport EU National ID Card Current full UK photocard driving licence Current full UK driving licence (old style paper version) UK Armed Forces ID card Police Warrant Card From HM Revenue and Customs: Coding Notice or Demand Notice Disabled Persons Tax Credit Notice National Insurance contributions account statement From the Department for Work and Pensions, notification of your entitlement to: Child Benefit Working Tax Credit Child Tax Credit Pension Disability Living Allowance Income Support Incapacity Benefit Only if you are under 20 Birth certificate NHS medical card A statement (no more than 6 months old) from your: Bank Building society Credit card provider Mortgage provider A utility bill (no more than 6 months old) for your home e.g. gas / electricity / water / telephone / cable services / satellite TV. We can't accept your mobile phone bill or TV licence as proof of your address. A document from your local authority (no more than 12 months old, valid for the current or the upcoming financial year): Council Tax bill or demand Rent Book/Card Don't have all the documents you need? For a full list of valid documents, go to [won't let me post links because I'm new - deleted] What happens next? Once we've checked the document(s), we will complete your application and as long as everything is in order we will confirm your new account details. We’re here to help If you have any questions about your application, ask at your local branch or call us on 0845 3030 299. Calls may be recorded. Yours sincerely Signature Allan Hardie Current Accounts --------------------------------------------------------- So all seemed well. As I said, I have just finished university. I am still living on campus for another week, so I went into the NatWest branch in High Wycombe, which is the nearest to the university. I took my passport and a bank statement for my Barclays account from last month with my home address on it (which is the one I provided above, in Putney). Upon arriving, I gave them the number provided in your email to me and they told me that it was not showing up on their system. I asked the woman behind the desk if it would be alright opening the account in Wycombe, when I actually live in Putney and would be moving home next week. She said that it did not matter. This was further backed up by the email you sent me, which said: "Bringing your documents into a branch is the quickest and easiest way to complete your application." Clearly implying any branch would do. Since they couldn't find my online application in their system, despite me already having the confirmation email (which I showed to them on my Android), they photocopied my documents and told me someone would call me the next day. The next day (this morning) I was called up and told that the online application had vanished into the ether and that I would have to come in and set the account up manually. I made an appointment for 4pm. At 5 minutes to 4pm, I went into the bank and no one was at the front desk. So I waited patiently for someone to come and assist me. I waited a full 25 minutes, till 4:20pm before a man came out of an office and asked if he could help me. I told him I had an appointment for 4pm and he said someone would be right with me. At 4:30pm, half an hour after the agreed appointment time, a woman finally appeared from the back and came to help me. I saw no less than 4 different people come in, wait at the front desk, get angry and then walk out between 3:55 and 4:30. I considered doing the same thing but I wanted to get my account sorted out so I waited. So I went into this lady's office and after going through the required legal speech she looked at my documents and noticed that I live in Putney. I said yes, as I already told the other lady yesterday, I have just finished university and I will be going back home in a week. She said that I should open the account in Putney, not in the Wycombe branch. That really was the last straw for me. I was told twice, once by your email which I have shown above and then again by a member of staff that the branch did not matter. I specifically asked this question the day before so that my time would not be wasted. And now I am told that, in fact, my time has been wasted and that both your online service and the Wycombe local branch are completely useless to me. At this point, it was 4:40 and I'd had enough so I left. You may be interested to note that I walked out of NatWest and straight into HSBC, which just up the road. I went online on my Android to the HSBC site, applied for a current account with them, got a similar email to the one you sent me about a minute later, showed my documents to the lady behind the counter (they actually had someone serving people, unlike your bank did today) and managed to get everything done before 5pm. The fact that I was moving back to Putney in a week didn't bother them a bit. That's less than 20 minutes. I waited longer than that at NatWest for someone to even acknowledge my presence and I had an appointment! I don't expect a response, but I thought you should know why I am angry. I can only imagine how many others feel exactly the same as I do but couldn't be bothered to write out a lengthy complaint. I know I saw several of them storm out of your Wycombe branch today because there was no one working the front desk. Terrible service, employees giving me contradictory information, and ultimately wasting huge amounts of my time. Appalling.