Nationwide International Offshore Banking

I have been a customer with Nationwide for over thirty years. I've developed a kind of attachment to them. However, during the last couple of years or so there has been a definite change of atmosphere. Some people might never experience these problems but we have been subject to an endless stream of goalpost-moving so that we always have to provide more information or get a certified copy of something or other OR WE LOSE CONTROL of the account! It just rolls on and on. As soon as one thing is taken care of they come up with a new problem. Added to that, they often change their story or give contradictory information and occasionally simply don't reply to a question.

For example, they wanted my tax number. I asked what that was as the system hadn't even started then and they didn't reply. I eventually sent this confidential information when the new system was introduced and they seemed happy but they never at any point explained precisely what they wanted. I find it all incredibly suspicious.

They send out pompous letters explaining it all in terms of things like "the global fight against crime" but it all sounds bogus to me.

To be perfectly honest, it seems like they're always testing out the waters to see what they can get away with and that has become their policy. It never used to be like this. It is likely to very inconvenient to do so but I feel like we had better take our money out before too long.

As a non-dom, I've been using Nationwide International for more than ten years. I always thought the service was good and quite personal, but in the past couple of years something seems to have changed. Did they reorganise? It now seems so impersonal and they have made a few mistakes over the past couple of years that always required me to chase them to get things put right. I am also getting better interest rates onshore now, even taking tax into account. The most frustrating recent incidents: 1) getting locked out of my online account and having to re-register for the service, which involved waiting for new login details to come by post; 2) waiting two weeks for a payment transfer to be set up whilst the money sat idle.

Been trying to open an account for about the last 3 months and am at the point of giving up. Each time I send some paperwork in a a new piece comes back. I have even had an account with them in the past but that does not matter, My advise is just not bother.

Interest rates are low everywhere but Nationwide are usually near the top. You have to make sure though to renew the account when the bonus finishes each year. Service has been OK, though nothing special.

I've just opened an offshore account for the first time as I ma rather belatedly fulfilling a wish to work in France. I have found Nationwide to be both polite and punctual and their efforts to ensure that I had the account opened before moving were admirable, which is why I have taken the trouble to comment here. All too often the "system says no" is the answer but in my case they went that extra mile to get details to me in short order. Well done.

I've just opened an account with Nationwide having been a customer in the UK and the service if anything is better. The account was opened within two days and I had a letter and statement by the following day. They have sent a statement every time I've made a transaction which is a bit irritating so not full marks but otherwise they have been reliable and quick.

I've been with these guys 6 months and they are quick. I use the online service all the time (overnight UK time) to transfer money to and from checking account in sterling and US dollars and they have processed each transfer without fail the next day and confirmed it online and by post subsequently. The service is ideal if you just want to get more for your buck and don't leave your cash rotting with the clearers making squat.

Sent a interest calculation query on their secure sight and they posted the response but failed to advise by secure message. Asked them via secure message to copy and paste their calculation response on the secure site and they replied that they could not do that. Then asked them via secure message to scan and e mail the interest calculation they answered by secure mail as follows.

"Thank you for your message

In response to your enquiry no we do not have a scanner and we do not use external e mail nor do we have plans to implement the use of either in the near future

The information has been sent to you and hopefully you will receive it shortly

Kind regards

******************

Senior Operations Manager"

I trust that this can of assistance

In case you are reading this Alysson this is of no assistance whatsover and 3 months later I am non the wiser as to why you have not paid interest on a substantial amount of funds you had on a particular day and a simple explanation could have been given by secure mail regarding why no interest was paid.

When my funds have matured, no more business is the message relayed.

These guys have given me a pretty good service over the years. That being said I don't ask much of them, I deposit savings here and use my main bank account to do the daily transactions. They've paid decent interest rates consistently provided you watch out for the bonus dropping off. I have recommended them to friends and they seem happy enough with them too. I've tried quite a lot of other offshore banks and building societies and this is the one I have ended up staying with so that must tell you something. Re 24 hour opening in my experience none of the offshore banks offering a decent rate are open 24 hours. I use the online service to do transactions in the evening and they do them the following day, never been a problem.

Very very disappointed with the inability to transfer monies to a non nominated A/C.given that they only add additional nominated A/C's via written instruction (fax, email,telephone instruction not accepted)

In practice, this made an unforeseen "emergency" transfer impossible.

When I queried this, I was informed that I should have set up the "emergency" nominated A/C when I opened the A/C. (so I'm expected to have the foresight of knowing every A/C that I might need to make a transfer to)....

Their customer services is not manned 24/7....(something I find ridiculous for an "offshore" operation)

In short, I find their services very poor and totally unsuitable for the needs of non UK domicile customers.