I just had this account for a month and I am already feeling quite concerned. Having been given a solo card only, I am unable to purchase anything online because virtually all websites require a debit/credit card. I guess I was to blame since I thought the solo card could be considered as a debit card, but only maestro cards are allowed to be used for online purchasing.

Now a days, it is quite common to purchase products online. Moreover, the deals given online helps me out with my financial status. It is hard enough being an international student without having to deal with a card that only allows me to withdraw cash.

I am also unable to apply for savings account in Natwest. It seems tough to save money here. I do understand though that we cannot apply for credit cards until a year later, for credit history, but what am I suppose to do with just a cash card? Moreover, the interest rate of the savings account is not that high either, for the few accounts that I am entitled to apply for.

No cheques are provided as well. I accept the customer service's reason though, but it makes life a little tougher as well. What made me angry the most was that they 'forgot' to request for our first reserve card. We waited for 3 weeks for that card. And if we did not go to the bank to check, we most likely will not get it until months later.

I feel quite frustrated having an account with Natwest at the moment. And will be switching to another bank.

As a new customer to Natwest and banking in general I had been recommened to try the Step account at Natwest. After applying online only to be told I have to go into the branch as the site was faulty, the customer service representitive on the enquiry desk seemed like he couldn't be bothered opening the account. He merely photocopied the ID I had brought in and told me to send it to an address he worte down for me with a note explaining the services I required!
After recieving nothing back in the post after 4 weeks had passed I went back down to the Park Row branch in Leeds to try and open the account again. I spoke to another member of staff who photocopied my ID AGAIN and had me sign forms to the effect of opening my account. He then said it would be open by the next working day and I would recieve confirmation in a week to 10 days.
2 weeks passed and nothing so I contacted the branch by telephone only to be told, by 3rd member of staff, I would have to go into the branch as the 2nd member of staff hadn't completed the account opening procedure and my ID would have to be taken again, which I did with Number 4, again at the Park Row branch in Leeds.
Numner 4 said the account would be open at the end of the day and I would recieve postal comfirmation within 3 working days.
Again nothing happened.
I called the branch a number of times and was told someone would call me back to no avail. I finally spoke to 3rd member of staff again 6 weeks or more after the first phone call only to be told the account was 'half open', he told me they had a reference but no account number. He said he would make enquiries and get 4th staff member to call me back. Staff member number 5 called me back moments later. With no previous dealings with her I hoped for the best only to be informed I would have to go into the branch and start a fresh application procedure.
I politely told her to forget it and throw my application in the bin. I couldn't stress any more strongly how unproffessional and dissapointing the service is at Natwest. Do not go with this bank for a basic account or any other, only bad things will come of it.

As a foreign student, I was offered an account with Natwest through my university. When I joined, I was told I was not eligible for a student account, but could get a STEP account for now, and upgrade after a year. Since I needed an account, I accepted.

I should have gone somewhere else.

Natwest has a lot of branches, which is good. However, with a Solo debit card, no overdraft and charges whenever they can find something to charge you with, they leave a bad taste in your mouth. I went in after a year to take them up on their promise of a student account, only to be told I needed to have been with them for 3 years. I also went over my statements to find charges I had not realised I had.

I recommend somewhere else, like RBS, which offers student accounts to foreign students (EU anyway), with overdraft.

When I was a student, I tried to open a bank account. I was recommended to Natwest by a friend. This is the first bank account that I had.

When I went into Natwest and told them I wanted to open a Student Account, I was told that I was not eligible and was offered a Step account instead. I accepted it, as at that time, all I wanted was a place to put my cash, and I thought all accounts were the same.

How wrong I was! This account does not come with a cheque book or a "proper" card. Yes a Solo can be used in a number of places, but it cannot be used in, for example, Boots and to buy train tickets.

The worst thing is there is no overdraft, and if you accidentally let your account go below zero, you will be hit with a huge charge for it, bringing it even further below zero.

I thought that after a year I would be able to "upgrade" my account to a better one, but I was wrong. Even after 3 years, they still refused to upgrade me. My requests for a cheque book had also been turned down many times.

One other bad point about this account is that the statements only comes once every 3 months, and you will have little idea what is going on with it.

I am still holding on to this account because it has a large number of branches, so it is easy for me to drop off cheques. But that is all I use it for. I had switched to Bank of Scotland 2 years ago, and I have been give much many benefits with a student account there.

Therefore, I will NOT recommend this account to anyone. Try Halifax of Bank of Scotland instead. They have better customer service too.