Furious NatWest customers pledge to leave bank following latest IT crash

Customers unable to withdraw cash, pay for goods or do telephone or online banking

guardian.co.uk, Lisa Bachelor, Thursday 7 March 2013

Helpful banking? NatWest has declined to elaborate on the cause of its
latest IT woe. Photograph: Bloomberg via Getty Images

NatWest is facing a growing backlash from angry customers who claim they will shut their accounts after another IT problem at the bank left millions without access to their money on Wednesday night.

Customers were unable to withdraw cash, pay for goods and services, or carry out telephone and online banking on Wednesday 6 March and into the early hours of Thursday 7 March after an apparent IT error caused the bank's systems to crash.

NatWest said in a statement it was "disappointed" with the disruption but that the problem, which it declined to elaborate on, had been resolved.

However, some of its customers were still reporting problems this morning. At 9am on Thursday Daniel Adkins tweeted: "Still can't access my online banking. #Natwest statement says everything was fixed at 1am."

Another customer, stigbeater, tweeted Natwest to ask: "When will online banking be back on? Try to login = ssl connection error!"

It is not the first time the bank has been hit by IT problems. In June 2012 a botched software upgrade at the Royal Bank of Scotland group meant millions of NatWest, RBS and Ulster bank customers were left without access to their money for more than a week in some cases.

It now appears the latest technical problem has proved the tipping point for many RBS customers, who took to Twitter on Thursday to say this time they would shut their accounts.

Phil, who tweets as @wheatear9 said: "Why oh why have I stayed with #naffwest I should know better and will depart." Andrew Bissett, meanwhile, tweeted: "Disgraceful service. Am moving my banking to Santander! You cannot be trusted with our money!!!"

Anthony Gray said: "No money on my Oyster card last night. No way of getting money out. Had to walk home. Will now spend today changing banks."

Following the previous NatWest computer meltdown, and other banking problems including Barclays Libor-rigging scandal, millions of people switched their accounts to co-ops, building societies and credit unions.

The Co-op saw applications for its accounts increase by 25% in the week following the last NatWest IT debacle; Charity Bank, which lends its savers' money to charities, saw a 200% increase in depositors; the Ecology Bank had a 266% jump in applications; and Triodos, a Bristol-based "sustainable bank", a 51% increase.

Speaking about NatWest's latest problems, Laura Willoughby of the campaign group Move your Money said: "This is like groundhog day. Could RBS make things any worse for their already battered and bruised customers?

"What is for certain is that RBS customers already seething from news of Libor fines, bonuses and last years meltdown will not be as forgiving a second time around."

A spokeswoman for RBS was unable to say what caused the latest problems and whether or not affected customers would be compensated. However, the bank does not appear to be offering any additional assistance to customers. Those who are tweeting it to complain of fees incurred because of failed direct debits are being told by the bank to "speak to the charges team".

Related Article:

NatWest 'glitch' leaves victims without pay (June 2012)