[PDF] Our commitment to you - NatWest

Our commitment to you

Different ways to bankWith your account, you decide – how, where andwhen to do your banking. Stick to your favouritemethods, or use all three, the choice is yours.In-branchDo your banking over the counter or use our cashmachines. Many of our branches also offer a quickdeposit facility, enabling you to pay in cash or chequesin a matter of minutes. An increasing number of ourbranches also have extended opening hours and are openon a Saturday. Please check with your branch for details.TelephoneEnjoy access to your account day and night, all yearround with our telephone banking service. Obtainbalance and transfer information, make instant transfersbetween your NatWest accounts, pay bills and setup or amend Standing Orders*. To register, call0800 881177. Once registered, call 08457 88 444.Minicom users please call 0845 917 0527.InternetWith our online banking service you can use yourcomputer to manage your account day and night(unless essential maintenance or upgrades are beingcarried out). Register at www.natwest.comKeeping you up to dateWe like to keep you informed of our products andservices – existing, new or improved. But if, forany reason, you would prefer not to receive thisinformation, just tell us and we’ll remove your detailsfrom our mailing list. Please note, if you have apackaged account, even though you may have optedout of marketing, we shall keep you informed ofpreferential offers and additional benefits that aredirectly associated with the account.Remember we’re here to help with all your bankingqueries, to give you the best advice possible, and toreduce opportunities for fraud, so if your contactdetails change – for example, because you movehouse – please contact your branch who’ll updateyour records. Please note for some accounts, theaccount is only operable via online or telephonebanking. You will be advised of this prior to openingthe account.*Please note Standing Orders, Direct Debits, overdraft and chequefacilities are not available on all accounts. Please check your terms andconditions for further details.5

Cheques made out to one party can be paid into asingle named or joint account, but a cheque made outto joint parties cannot be paid into a sole account.There are some cases in which, for legal reasons, oras a result of circumstances beyond our control, thepayment of a cheque into your account may beprevented or may take longer than the timescalesmentioned above. This may effect the day on whichthe money is added to your balance; the day on whichwe will start paying interest on the cheque (or stopcharging overdraft interest if your account isoverdrawn); and/or the day on which you will be ableto withdraw the money if your account is in credit.Consequently, you should not rely on the abovetimings and check in branch, online or at a cashmachine to ensure funds have cleared to your account.When a cheque is returned unpaidSometimes a cheque which has been added to thebalance on your account is later returned unpaid.If a Sterling cheque issued by a UK bank is returnedunpaid after it has been paid into your account, wecan deduct the amount of the cheque from yourbalance (or add it onto your overdraft) at any timebefore the end of the sixth business day after the‘transaction day’ or ‘T’. As explained above, T is theday on which the money is added to your balance (ortaken off your overdraft). In other words, you will notbe sure that the money is yours until the end of T+6.For example, if the money is added to your balance ona Monday (T), the point at which you can be sure themoney is yours (the end of T+6) will be the end of theTuesday of the following week (or the end of theWednesday of that week if the Monday is a bankholiday). If, before then, the cheque is returned unpaidwe will deduct the amount of the cheque from yourbalance – even if we have already allowed you towithdraw the money. If this means that an unarrangedoverdraft arises on your account, you will have topay interest and fees as explained in the fees leafletPersonal and Private Banking – A Guide to Feesand Interest.However, if the cheque is not returned unpaid untilafter the end of T+6, we will not deduct money fromyour account (or add it onto your overdraft) unless:(a) you give your consent; or (b) you were knowinglyinvolved in a fraud concerning the cheque.As before, longer timescales apply where the cheque isnot in Sterling, or is not issued by a UK bank.7

Out of date chequesBanks reserve the right not to pay a cheque which isover six months old. A cheque older than six months isno longer valid and you may not be able to pay it in.You should refer back to the person who issued thecheque and ask for a replacement if you still need it.If you have issued a cheque to a third party and it hasnot been cashed within six months, you should speakto us to get it stopped if you don’t want it paid.Faster confirmation of paymentWe can specially present a cheque to the bank orbuilding society it was drawn on to obtain earlyconfirmation (usually the next business day) that itwill be paid. You may not receive the funds any earlierthan normal, but you will have confirmation that thecheque will not be returned unpaid. If you use thisservice, we will charge a fee. For details, please readthe fees leaflet Personal and Private Banking –A Guide to Fees and Interest.Salaries, pensions and benefitsRegular income can be paid directly into your currentaccount. Just give your employer, pension provider orbenefits agency your current account details i.e. sortcode and account number, and they will take care ofthe rest.Please contact your branch or Relationship Manager ifyou would like further information on any of the above.8

In addition to paying bycash, cheque and debitcard, there are a numberof other ways you canmake paymentsDirect Debit*Direct Debit is a convenient way to pay regular bills.Once set up, the amount is automatically collectedfrom your account, saving you time and hassle. Somecompanies even offer discounts for paying this way.It’s easy to:■ set up a Direct Debit by filling in the form suppliedby the company you wish to pay;■ cancel a Direct Debit by telling us in writing, or ifregistered, by using our online and telephonebanking services – usually we require at least threebusiness days’ notice to cancel a Direct Debit, butplease note that we are only able to cancel a DirectDebit if you tell us before we are committed to makethe payment. When cancelling a Direct Debit, youshould also tell the recipient.Our Direct Debit Guarantee protects you againstunauthorised Direct Debits being taken from youraccount in error, whether by a company ororganisation, or by ourselves. For example, if:■ too much is taken;■ it is taken too early;■ it is taken after you have cancelled;■ you have not been given enough notice of a changeto a Direct Debit amount or date.If you think an amount has been wrongly taken fromyour account under a Direct Debit, tell us straightaway and if it is an error, we will give you a full refund.Standing Orders*With a Standing Order you can instruct us to pay aregular amount out of your account to a person ororganisation. It’s easy to:■ set up a Standing Order by filling in a form at abranch or, if you are registered, by using our onlineand telephone banking services;* Please note Standing Orders, Direct Debits, overdraft and chequefacilities are not available on all accounts. Please check your termsand conditions for further details.12

■ cancel or change a Standing Order by telling us inwriting or, if registered, by using our online andtelephone banking services – usually we requirethree business days’ notice to cancel a StandingOrder, and seven business days’ notice to changea Standing Order, but please note that we are onlyable to cancel a Standing Order if you tell us beforewe are committed to make the payment.Recurring PaymentsIf your account comes with a card with a Visa Debitlogo you can use it to set up regular payments for billsand services, for example magazine subscriptions ormemberships using the repeat payment functionality.Electronic transferYou can transfer funds out of your account to otherpeople by electronic funds transfer. If you do, you needto ensure that you give us all of the correct details of theperson you are paying the money to – such as the sortcode and the account number. If you give us the wrongdetails, the money might end up going to someone elseand you may not be able to recover it.Clearance of Standing Orders and Onlineand Telephone Banking paymentsThe introduction of the Faster Payments Service in May2008 means that Standing Orders and Online andTelephone Banking payments between accounts atbanks which are in the system will normally be receivedalmost immediately (but may sometimes take up to twohours), providing the payment amount is within theFaster Payments limits. Payments between banks whichare not in the scheme or outside the set limits willcontinue to take two business days after the paymentday to reach the account. You can also set up andmake Faster Payments in-branch as long as you have adebit card. Standing Orders and payments madebetween accounts in NatWest are also immediate.When you set up an Online or Telephone Bankingpayment you will be advised if the payment will gounder the Faster Payments Service or via the currentthree day cycle. Payments set up in branch can onlybe processed through the Faster Payments Scheme.For higher value payments you will still need to useCHAPs, for which the normal charge will apply. Wemay carry out extra identity checks when you aremaking larger payments or withdrawing large amountsof cash from your account.Where monies are paid into your account under the FasterPayments Scheme on a weekend or bank holiday, it willbe added to your account balance for interest purposeson the next business day. Please see the sectionheaded ‘Interest’ on page 14 for more details.13

Managing your money,some points to noteKeeping you up-to-dateIt is important that you’re aware of your balance andhow available funds are affected by overnight and realtime transactions. The amount of funds you canwithdraw at weekends and on bank holidays will takeaccount of Standing Orders, Direct Debits, debit cardtransactions, forward dated payments and salarypayments due on the next business day.Please remember that some instructions for paymentsto be made from your account (including payments bycheque, Direct Debit and some Standing Orders) areprocessed during the night before the payment is due.To be sure that a payment can be made, you shouldensure that you have sufficient available funds in youraccount by close of business on the business daybefore the payment is due to be made. For example,if a Direct Debit is due to be paid on a Monday, youshould make sure that you have sufficient availablefunds in your account by close of business on theFriday before. Please note that even on a weekdayevening the amount available for withdrawal will beaffected by payments due on the following day.Arranged OverdraftsIf money gets tight, and you need access to extrafunds, contact us immediately and we may be able tooffer you an arranged overdraft on a current account:■ it’s easy to set up – just speak to a member of staff;■ there are no fees when you have an arrangedoverdraft up to a certain limit – all you pay is theinterest on the overdrawn balance;■ you can access the money as soon as the overdraftis set up;■ we will only demand repayment of an overdraft ifwe have a valid reason for doing so and we giveyou at least 30 days’ personal notice. In certaincases, our notice may take effect immediately(e.g. where we reasonably believe that you mayhave difficulty meeting your commitments).■ if we increase your arranged overdraft, or place anew arranged overdraft limit on your account, we’llnotify you personally.It’s important to note that we will only approve anapplication which we believe you can afford, as youshould only take on financial commitments you can16

easily afford. Our fees leaflets contain detailedinformation on interest rates, charges and arrangementfees that may be applicable to you.Unarranged Overdrafts and Unpaid ItemsOccasionally, you may find that you need to makea withdrawal or other payment that cannot be met fromthe money in your account or (if you have an arrangedoverdraft) will take you over your overdraft limit. If youfind yourself in this position, we recommend that youask us to provide you with an arranged overdraft or anincrease to your existing arranged overdraft which willcover the payment. If we agree to your request, youcan be sure that your payment will be made, and youwill avoid unarranged overdraft and unpaid item charges.When you issue instructions for a withdrawal orpayment to be made from your account, we decidewhether your instructions would result in anunarranged overdraft by looking at the available fundsin your account, i.e. the cleared balance in youraccount, plus any unused arranged overdraft facility.We give examples below of the fees, charges andinterest which apply in cases where we are instructedto make a payment which, if made, would give rise toor increase an unarranged overdraft. For full details,please refer to our leaflet, Personal and PrivateBanking – Terms and Conditions and the fees leafletPersonal and Private Banking – A Guide to Feesand Interest. We recommend that you read thoseleaflets carefully.Here are some examples of how our fees, charges andinterest in relation to unarranged overdrafts andunpaid items work. We recommend that you look atthese examples carefully. But do bear in mind thatthey are only examples.Example 1:You write a cheque in circumstances where, if we pay thecheque, an unarranged overdraft will be created. We decideto pay the cheque and an unarranged overdraft is created.You then pay off this unarranged overdraft in the followingmonthly charging period. We apply the following fees, chargesand interest:■ We charge you a Paid Referral Fee following our decisionto pay the cheque.■ We charge you a Maintenance Charge for the monthlycharging period in which the unarranged overdraft is created.■ We charge you a further Maintenance Charge for thefollowing monthly charging period (this is because yourunarranged overdraft remains owing for part of that period).■ While your unarranged overdraft remains owing, we chargeinterest on it at the higher rate which applies to unarrangedoverdrafts.*17

Example 2:You write a cheque in circumstances where, if we pay thecheque, an unarranged overdraft will be created. We decideto pay the cheque and an unarranged overdraft is created.On each of the following four days in that calendar month aStanding Order falls due, each of which, if paid, will furtherextend your unarranged overdraft. We decide to pay each ofthe first three Standing Order payments, further extending yourunarranged overdraft. We decide not to pay the fourth StandingOrder payment. You then repay your unarranged overdraftwithin the monthly charging period in which it was created.We apply the following fees, charges and interest:■ We charge you a Paid Referral Fee following our decision topay the cheque.■ We charge you two further Paid Referral Fees following ourdecision to pay each of the first two Standing Orderpayments.■ We do not charge you a Paid Referral Fee in relation to thethird Standing Order payment (this is because we do notcharge more than three of these fees in any charging period).■ We charge you an Unpaid Item Fee in relation to the fourthStanding Order payment, which we decided not to pay.■ We charge you a Maintenance Charge for the monthlycharging period in which the unarranged overdraft is created.■ While your unarranged overdraft remains owing, we chargeinterest on it at the higher rate which applies to unarrangedoverdrafts.*Example 3:You write a cheque which, if paid, will result in an unarrangedoverdraft. You use your debit card to guarantee this cheque.Because your cheque is guaranteed, we are obliged to pay it.We pay the cheque in accordance with our obligations and anunarranged overdraft is created. You repay the unarrangedoverdraft within four days, but in the meantime one monthlycharging period ends and another monthly charging periodbegins. We apply the following fees, charges and interest:■ When the cheque is presented to us for payment, we firstdecide whether we are willing to make the payment withoutat this stage considering whether we are obliged to make it.If we decide that we are willing to make the payment, wecharge you a Paid Referral Fee.■ If we decide that we are not willing to make the payment,we then check to see whether you used your debit card toguarantee the cheque. When we do so, we find that you diduse your card and that we are therefore obliged to make thepayment. In these circumstances, we charge a GuaranteedCard Payment Fee instead of a Paid Referral Fee.■ We charge you a Maintenance Charge for the monthlycharging period in which the unarranged overdraft is created.■ We charge you a further Maintenance Charge for thefollowing monthly charging period (this is because yourunarranged overdraft remains owing for part of that period).■ While your unarranged overdraft remains owing, we chargeinterest on it at the higher rate which applies to unarrangedoverdrafts.*Example 4:We decide not to pay a Direct Debit which, if paid, would havecreated an unarranged overdraft. As a result, an Unpaid ItemFee is debited to your account in the following monthly chargingperiod. At the time when this fee is debited, there is not enough18

InterestWe will always tell you the current interest rate whenyou open an account, take out a loan, arrange anoverdraft or apply for a credit card. Your branch willalways be able to tell you the latest rates which applyto your account or to any other account that might bemore suitable for you.When you have money in your account, you maybe eligible to earn interest on it. If you are eligiblefor interest, we will work out the interest due on thecleared amount in your account at the close ofbusiness every business day. Over weekends and bankholidays, the balance eligible to earn interest is thebalance calculated at the close of business on thepreceding business day. For example, over a normalweekend, interest will be calculated for Friday,Saturday and Sunday based on the amount actually inyour account at close of business on Friday.Interest on current accounts is normally paid into youraccount once a month, usually the day after we sendyour statement to you. The main exceptions to this aredetailed in our Fees leaflets.We usually pay interest on savings accounts everymonth, every three months, or annually, dependingon the type of savings account you have. We like tohelp you compare interest rates on all our savingsaccounts more easily. If you have a savings accountwith a balance of at least £500, we will send you asummary, at least once a year, of the current rates foryour account and those which have applied during thelast 12 months for your savings accounts, as well asdetails of any changes in the Bank of England baserate. We will also tell you about the accounts we nolonger offer and how you can find out about ourcurrent rates of interest. If you have £250 or more ina variable rate savings account and the interest ratehas fallen significantly compared to the Bank ofEngland base rate, we will contact you withina reasonable period of time to:■ tell you that the change in rates has happened;■ tell you about our other accounts and help you toswitch to one of these, if you wish to;■ tell you that you can withdraw the money in youraccount in full;■ give you a reasonable time to switch to anotheraccount or withdraw the money without any noticeperiod or any charges.20

You will usually pay interest if you borrow moneythrough an overdraft. The interest rates we applywill depend on the type of account you have andwhether you arranged the overdraft with us beforeyou went overdrawn.Interest rates change from time to time. We maynotify a change to the rate of interest that applies toyour account, by putting advertisements in threestandard daily newspapers. If we notify you by pressadvertisements, we will also advertise the change onour website www.natwest.com and, where thealteration applies to branch based accounts, bybranch notices. We may also change interest ratesby notifying you personally not less than 30 daysbefore the change takes effect. You can ask ourbranch staff, telephone us using your usual contactnumber or visit our website at www.natwest.comto find out our latest interest rates.Changes to account terms and chargesOccasionally, we may change the terms andconditions and charges relating to your account.If we do so, we will tell you as described in Personaland Private Banking – Terms and Conditions. If wemake a change to the terms and conditions which isnot to your advantage or if we introduce or increasea charge, we will always tell you personally at least30 days beforehand and we’ll ignore any notice periodfor 60 days from the date we first notify you –enabling you to change or close your account withoutcharge or loss of interest.Important information forjoint account holdersWith an “either to sign” joint account, both accountholders:■ have full access to funds;■ can set up an arranged or unarranged overdraftwithout the other party’s consent;■ are responsible for the whole debt, even if they didnot agree to it.The way a joint account is operated is governed bya document called a mandate, signed by each jointaccount holder, which usually forms part of the jointapplication form. We can also send statements toeach party and to different addresses, if you ask us to.21

What happens if a party to a jointaccount dies?The balance on your joint account usually passesautomatically to the remaining joint account holder(s).The name of the deceased party is removed and theremaining party(ies) can continue to operate theaccount normally. If there is an overdraft on the jointaccount, when one of you dies, we may insist that theborrowing is paid from the other parties’ assets andthat the account is closed.When can the Bank ‘freeze’ yourjoint account?We may ‘freeze’ your account if we have a validreason for doing so. We set out below some examplesof cases in which we may find it necessary to do this:■ When we receive a request to convert the jointaccount into a sole account and we do not haveyour joint agreement as to how the money in thejoint account is to be divided between you.If the joint account is overdrawn, the bank maydecide not to let you convert it to a sole accountunless you both remain responsible for the debt.■ Following notification of bankruptcy of the jointaccount holders. We will have to return chequesdrawn on the account, even if the account is incredit.■ Where we know of a dispute between the accountholders. You should tell us immediately if you areunhappy about the way your partner is using theaccount, or are worried about how it may be usedin future.■ If the relationship between the account holders hasended, e.g. divorce, all account holders mustcontact us to arrange for the joint account to beclosed and new sole accounts to be opened. We willneed you to give us joint instructions about how tohandle existing Standing Orders or Direct Debitsand how the money in the account is to be splitbetween you. We will need you to confirm yourarrangements for repayment of any borrowing withus. Until you cancel the joint account instructions,all parties will continue to be liable for newpayments and any overdraft and charges thatresult. If any cheques are supported by a chequeguarantee card, we may have to pay them.22

Financial difficultiesIf you have financial problems, come and talk to us,and we will try to help you solve them. Depending onyour circumstances, we could set regular or fixedrepayments for debts, or we could reduce or suspendyour repayments for a certain period.If you have a more serious debt problem, we will workwith you and put you in touch with organisationsthat offer independent financial advice. In certaincircumstances, we may ask you to return either yourcheque book, debit card, credit or charge cards, or insome cases all of them. We do this to help make surethat any problems do not get worse. As long as thereis money in your account, we will usually be happy toallow you to use a debit card to withdraw the moneyfrom cash machines. The sooner you come to us, themore likely it is that we will be able to help.Please note:At NatWest, we aim to be responsible. As lenders, thismeans we will work with you to decide how much youcan afford to borrow and which is the most appropriaterepayment programme. We stress the need for carefulbudgeting. We also offer payment protection plans toguard against sudden changes in your circumstances,but we will not insist that you buy an insurance productfrom us when we agree to lend to you.We try never to offer credit to you unless we havegood reason to think you can make the necessaryrepayments. If we offer you an arranged overdraft, orarrange an increase in your existing arranged overdraftlimit, we will only demand repayment if we have avalid reason for doing so and we give you at least30 days’ personal notice. In certain cases, our noticemake take effect immediately,for example, where wereasonably believe that you may have difficultymeeting your commitments.If we are not able to help you, we will explain thereasons why in writing, if you ask us to. We do notoffer credit to people under 18. Security may berequired in support of loans and overdrafts.23

Whether you use youraccount a lot, a littleor share access witha joint account holder,it’s important to protectyour money from theftor fraudProtecting your accountYou can help to protect your account by followingthese simple guidelines:Looking after your financial detailsCriminals can use personal information about youfraudulently. You should take great care whendisposing of documents which contain your personalor financial details. These items may include bankstatements, benefits books, utility bills, blank chequesor card receipts. We recommend that any papersshowing information about your financial affairs areeffectively shredded.Never provide your account or security details to anycaller you do not recognise or have not expected.Always know who you are dealing with. If you haveany doubts call them back on a phone number thatyou know to be genuine. We will never ask for yourcomplete security details.You must tell us immediately if you discover thatyour cheque book or card has been lost or stolen,or that someone else knows your PIN, passwordor other security information.Identity checks and unusual transactionsAt times, we may make extra identity checks whenpayments are made from your account and we mayalso need an extra period of notice if you arewithdrawing a large amount of cash from youraccount. To make it easier to confirm your identity inbranches, we have introduced Chip and PIN terminals.You may be asked to use your card and PIN toauthenticate some transactions.Our fraud detection systems also help us to identifyany unusual transactions on your account. If anythinglooks out of the ordinary we may contact you by24

telephone. Please note, we will never ask you for yourtelephone or online banking security details, so pleaseact with caution when receiving a call or emailregarding your accounts.Reporting a lost card and liability for lossWe have a 24-hour Card Loss Centre for you to reportlost or stolen cards. The number is 0870 6000 459.Minicom users please call 01423 700 545.If your card is misused before you tell us that it hasbeen lost or stolen, you will normally have to pay upto £50 towards any overdraft which is created orincreased on your account. If you have acteddishonestly or carelessly, you may be responsible forall amounts spent or withdrawn.Please bear in mind that this is only a short summaryof your liability for loss. For full details, please look atour leaflet Personal and Private Banking – Termsand Conditions.Cards, PINs and security information■ Ensure you take extra care to shield your number whenentering your PIN at cash machines and shopkeypads.■ If you have a debit card, keep it separate from yourchequebook at all times.■ If you have a debit, Credit or Charge Card, you mayalso have a Personal Identification Number (PIN),which you will need to use cash machines and topay for goods and services.–Always learn the PIN or other security informationwe may send you and immediately destroy the slipgiving you the information.–Do not keep a note of your PIN number whereanyone else might recognise it. If you think thatsomeone else knows your PIN, or other securityinformation, you must tell your branchimmediately and they will arrange for you toreceive a new card and PIN.–For extra security, you can change your PIN toa number of your choice. You can do this at anytime using a NatWest cash machine, which willtell you how to do this. Please choose your newPIN carefully so that other people cannot guesswhat it is.–Always keep your card receipts safely and shredthese when they are no longer required.–Never allow anyone to use your card, PIN or othersecurity information. If you do, we could hold youresponsible for money taken from your account.25

■ When disposing of any card, please ensure the cardis cut in half along the entire length of the magneticstrip. We recommend that the two sections are thencut into small pieces. Please ensure that the chipwithin the card is also cut in half.■ Be careful when using cash machines. Always beaware of individuals who may try to distract youwhen using the machine. Ensure that no-one cansee you entering your PIN and make sure that youput your money away before leaving the machine.Cheques■ When writing a cheque, it is always good practiceto draw a line through any unused space, as thiswill prevent unauthorised people from adding extranumbers or names.■ Cheques should bear the date on which you writethe cheque. If you post-date a cheque, there is arisk that we may pay the cheque prior to the dateyou have written on it. Therefore, we recommendthat you do not post-date cheques.■ If you are sending a cheque through the post to alarge organisation, for example HM Revenue &Customs or paying into a bank or building societyaccount, we recommend you write clearly the nameof the account (and/or reference number) you wantthe cheque paid into, for example‘HM Revenue & Customs account – J Jones’.Online BankingNatWest’s online banking service is a simple, safe andconvenient way to access and manage your accountsonline. To ensure that you stay safe online werecommend these simple steps to protect you and yourcomputer.1. Never divulge your full online customer number,PIN and Password. Remember that we only askfor random characters, not the full online PINor Password.2. Never respond to any e-mail that asks forconfidential or personal security information.We will never send you such an e-mail.3. Ensure that there is up to date and functioningAnti-Virus and Firewall software on any computeryou use for internet banking. To find out more aboutanti-Virus and Firewall software, or how you canprotect yourself from security and fraud threats,please visit our website at: www.natwest.com/security26

4. When shopping online, only make a payment viasecure websites.5. If at all possible, avoid disclosing sensitiveinformation when using computers in publicplaces/internet cafes. If this is not possible, takeextra precautions.6. Ensure you log off your secure personal accountbefore leaving any public computer.Please be aware that if you pass on your securitydetails to an account aggregation service provider, youwill be in breach of your terms and conditions andmay be liable for any unauthorised transactions thatoccur on your account as a result. For full details,please look at our leaflet Personal and PrivateBanking – Terms and Conditions.27

Are your personal detailssafe with us?ConfidentialityAt NatWest, we understand how important it is for youto know that we will keep your account detailsconfidential. We will not pass on information aboutyou to other companies or people outside The RoyalBank of Scotland Group of companies (the “Group”),of which we are a member, unless we have yourpermission to do so, or we are required or permittedto do so. For example:■ to follow legislation aimed at preventing moneylaundering;■ when we have to do so to follow an order of a courtor other authority (such as the Serious Fraud Office);■ when we need to pass on information about you inorder to prevent fraud or get back any money youowe us. Where you owe us money, we will try togive you at least 28 days’ notice, to allow you timeto put matters right;■ when we provide information to other companieswho provide a service to us or you.We may exchange information about you and yourdealings with any Group company with othercompanies in the Group. We may do this to:■ assess credit and insurance risks;■ prevent and detect fraud; and■ develop customer relationships, services and systems.We will not exchange information about you with othercompanies in the Group for marketing purposeswithout your permission.Data ProtectionUnder the Data Protection Act, you can request acopy of the information we hold about you. For detailson how to go about this, and the fee that applies,contact your branch or refer to our leaflet Personaland Private Banking – Terms and Conditions.Credit reference agenciesWe may make searches at credit reference agenciesand will disclose information to them as set out in ourleaflet Personal and Private Banking – Terms andConditions.28

Banker’s reference, options andstatus enquiriesWhen making a long-term financial commitment suchas a Rental or Hire Purchase Agreement, the otherparty may wish to know about your ability to makepayments. One of the ways they can do this is byasking us for a reference. We would always ask foryour written permission first, take care to answergenerally and not disclose details of your account.We will charge you for this service. Similarly, youcan request a reference on another person ororganisation from their bank, but your request mustinclude their written permission. It’s worth notingthat this reference is no more than an opinion andis in no way a guarantee of your/their ability tomake payments.29

Customer ServicesYour account has been designed with you in mind,which is why it’s important that you talk to us –about where we’re getting it right and just asimportantly, where we could do better.Our commitment to youIn each and every aspect of our service we arecommitted to:■ providing financial services which meet your needs;■ giving value for money;■ delivering the best possible service;■ resolving complaints speedily and without fuss.Customer Service ReviewWe can help to make sure that your money is workingas hard as possible, with a review that:■ is free and easy to organise at a time that suits you;■ helps you make the most of your money;■ either covers all our products or concentrates onone, depending on your needs.Give your branch a call to arrange an appointment.You can find the number of your branch on yourstatement or by visiting our website.Moving your accountIf you wish to transfer your current account to us wewill tell you:■ how the process for transferring your account willwork and where responsibility will lie for each stepin the process;■ what information your old financial institution willpass to us;■ what features you will be offered with the newaccount so that you can compare your new accountfeatures with your old account;■ how long the transfer is likely to take.If you choose to move your account to another bankor building society, we will co-operate with them andgive them information about the regular paymentsfrom your account within three business days, so thatthe transfer is made as efficiently as possible. We willclose your account without undue delay when you askus to do so.We will provide you with what you need to operatethe account within 10 business days of approvingyour application.30

Dormant AccountsIf you do not use your account for some time,we may make your account dormant to protectagainst fraud. Your money with us will always remainyour property, no matter how many years pass. Youcan access any money in your account by contactingus directly or via the British Bankers’Associationdormant account schemes at www.bba.org.ukBranch ClosuresIf we plan to close, move or significantly reduce theopening hours of your branch, we will tell you at least12 weeks beforehand. We will also tell you how we willcontinue to provide banking services to you, includingyour nearest branch and free cash machine services.Account ClosuresOccasionally, we stop providing certain types ofaccount because we have developed others thatprovide a better service. If we have to close youraccount for this reason, we will let you know at least30 days beforehand.If we have to close your account for other operationalreasons, we will write to inform you of the appropriatedetails.Your feedback countsMany of the features we have added over recent yearsare a direct result of customer feedback.If you have a suggestion to make, fill out a feedbackleaflet, available at our branches. Alternatively,provide your feedback online at www.natwest.comvia the “feedback” links. You may also receivea questionnaire by post, asking what you think of ourservice. If so, please take a few minutes to completeand return it.31

If you need to complainWe do everything we can to make sure ourcustomers get the best possible service. However,sometimes, we don’t get things right. When thathappens, we always encourage you to tell us aboutyour complaints, so that we can put matters right.We want to:■ make it easy for you to tell us about your complaint;■ give your complaint the attention it deserves;■ resolve your complaint without delay;■ make sure you are satisfied with how your complaintwas resolved.The following information explains what to do if youhave any complaint about NatWest’s service. It alsotells you how quickly we will deal with your complaintand who to contact if you are not completely satisfiedwith our response.How and where to complainIf you’re not satisfied with any aspect of our service orproducts, you can tell us about your concerns in thefollowing ways:■ In person – visit any of our branches and speak toone of our staff.■ In writing – address your letter to the BranchManager or your Relationship Manager.■ By telephone – use your usual number forcontacting the Bank. If you have access to our24-hour telephone banking service our advisers areavailable at all times.■ By e-mail – visit our website at www.natwest.comand address your complaint to us via the “contactus” page. Alternatively, you can send an e-mail tocustomer.relations@natwest.com. Please notethat additional personal information should notbe included in this message for security reasons.We will respond by telephone or letter for thesame reason.How long will it take?We aim to solve your concern straight away.If we have not been able to resolve your complaintwithin one week, we will write to tell you:■ why we have not yet resolved your complaint;■ who is dealing with your complaint;■ when we will contact you again.32

We will usually sort out most complaints within twoweeks. We will contact you regularly until yourcomplaint has been resolved.If your complaint is particularly complex, it may takelonger to resolve. If, together, we cannot reach anagreement by the end of eight weeks, we will:■ send you a letter giving our reasons for the delayand an indication of when we expect to provide aresolution; or■ refer your complaint to our Customer Relations Unit– they will issue the Bank’s final response letter,which will explain our final position. You will alsoreceive a leaflet explaining your referral rights tothe Financial Ombudsman Service, which isdiscussed later.If you are unhappy with the way we aredealing with your complaintWe are committed to resolving your complaint fairlyand quickly. In most cases this can be done if youcontact us as soon as possible. We will try to resolveyour complaint by listening to your concerns andagreeing a solution with you.Our aim is to resolve your complaint as quickly aspossible and to your complete satisfaction. If you’renot satisfied with our action or explanation, themember of staff dealing with your complaint will behappy to discuss your concerns further.However, if you remain unhappy, you can ask foryour complaint to be reviewed at a higher level withinthe Bank. Our Customer Relations Unit will reviewyour complaint and will aim to give you a full responsewithin two weeks. If their investigation is likely totake longer, they will keep you fully informed oftheir progress.You can write to the Customer Relations Manager atthe address shown below. Please quote your accountnumber, branch sort code, details of your complaintand what you would like us to do to resolve matters.Customer Relations ManagerNatWestFREEPOST NAT 12685London WD6 1BROr telephone 0800 015 4212 (If you have speech orhearing difficulties and are a Minicom user, you cancall us on 0800 917 0527). If you are calling fromoverseas, please dial +44 (20) 7649 9315.33

The Financial Ombudsman ServiceOur aim is to resolve all complaints internally.However if you are not satisfied with our suggestedresolution, or if eight weeks have passed since you firstbrought your complaint to our attention, you can referyour complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.If you want the Financial Ombudsman Service to lookinto your complaint, you must contact them within sixmonths of the date of any final response issued by us.You can write to them at:The Financial Ombudsman ServiceSouth Quay Plaza183 Marsh WallLondonE14 9SRAlternatively, you can phone 0845 0801800.Further helpful information can be obtained fromvisiting the Financial Ombudsman website onwww.financial-ombudsman.org.ukThe Financial Ombudsman Service offers a freeindependent service and they can help with mostfinancial complaints. However, there are somelimitations on what the Financial Ombudsman Servicecan look into, and further information about this canbe obtained from them directly.34

Additional extrasWe can also offer you a number of other usefulservices, as and when you need them – frompersonal loans and mortgages, to long-terminvestments.Savings and investmentsLooking for a good return on your money? We havea range of savings accounts and investment services –from Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), to instantaccess and notice accounts, and a selection of bonds.Credit cardsA credit card is one of the most convenient ways topay for your shopping, either on the Internet or on thehigh street. Choose between a MasterCard or Visaand make your repayments in a number of convenientways, including in-branch or by our telephone andonline banking services.LoansIf you need to borrow a large amount of money –whether it’s for a new car, luxury holiday or help withreorganising your finances – our personal loans canprovide you with the financial flexibility to let youspend your money on whatever you want.We also offer loan protection which would protect yourrepayments in the event of unforeseen circumstancessuch as accident, sickness or involuntaryunemployment. Please speak to a Customer Adviserto find out more and to check your eligibility.MortgagesWhether you’re looking to buy for the first time, movefrom one property to another, re-mortgage or simplywant to switch mortgage provider, we have a selectionof mortgages to choose from.YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEPUP YOUR REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.OffsetWith our Offset Flexible Mortgage and your eligibleNatWest current account and savings account workingtogether, you could save money over the life of yourmortgage.35

InsuranceWhen it comes to protecting the things you careabout, NatWest has it covered. We offer:■ home insurance, including building and contents;■ car insurance;■ travel insurance, including 24-hour MedicalEmergency Service;■ student possession insurance.Travel moneyPlanning a trip away? You can order foreign currencyor travellers cheques by visiting a branch, orderingonline at www.natwest.com/travel or by calling0845 300 1279. If you order online you can choosewhether to collect your order at a branch or have itdelivered to your home.We offer a comprehensive range of options – just askin branch. If you are a Advantage Blue, AdvantageGold or Advantage Private customer then you benefitfrom preferential exchange rates when ordering throughmembership services, check the ‘Useful Numbers’ pageat the back of this leaflet. To protect against fraud,there is a £2,500 limit in any 90 day period when youorder travel money online or over the phone. There isno such limit if you place your order in-branch.36

GlossaryBelow, we explain some of the most commonterms, in plain English.Account aggregationAn online service that allows consumers to consolidate and viewon one webpage financial information from multiple products,across multiple financial institutions.Annual Equivalent Rate (AER)This is a notional rate used for interest bearing accounts whichillustrates the gross credit interest rate (excluding any bonusinterest payable) as if paid and compounded on an annualbasis. It helps you to compare the effective rates of creditinterest on different accounts.Annual Percentage Rate (APR)To help you make a meaningful comparison between thedifferent interest rates on loans and other credit facilities,all lenders are obliged by law to use a standard method ofcalculating and displaying “APR”. An APR is an interest ratethat takes account of the full amount of interest on any moneyborrowed, the timing of repayments and any other chargeswhich may be payable.Arrangement feeA fee which we charge over and above interest when we set upan arranged overdraft facility for you.Base RateA rate of interest set by the Bank, which moves from time totime as the general level of interest rates move.CHAPSSame day electronic transfer of funds between bank accountsin the UK.ClearingWhere your account is credited with a payment by cheque orelectronic transfer, clearing is the process by which the bank,building society or other organisation which has been instructedto pay the cheque or make the electronic transfer confirms thatthe payment will be made. For more information about thenormal timescales for clearing cheques and electronic transfers,see the section headed “Paying money in”.Credit CardA credit card – such as a MasterCard or Visa – allows you tobuy now and pay later. When you receive monthly statementsyou can pay the monthly balance in full or part. You will normallybe charged interest on what you owe – if you decide to repaythe amount you owe in full by the payment due date shown onyour statement, you may not have to pay any interest.Credit referenceWhen you apply for a new bank account or loan, we may referto a credit reference agency – a company licensed by the Officeof Fair Trading which holds information about an individual’sfinancial background – to help us reach a lending decision.We will tell you in advance if we have to do this.37

Credit ScoringA system used by banks to help make lending decisions basedon statistical analysis.DrawerThe person who signs and issues a cheque.Effective Annual Rate of Interest (EAR)The real annual cost of an overdraft, stated as an annual rate,which takes into account how often interest is charged to theaccount. All other charges, such as arrangement fees, mustbe shown separately from the EAR. For example, if interest ischarged at a rate of 1.50% per month, this is equivalent to anEAR of 19.56%.Loan agreementA document detailing the Terms and Conditions of a loan, issuedeach time we agree to provide a loan. It includes, among otherthings, the interest rate to be charged, the fees payable, thesecurity required and the repayment arrangements.MaestroAn international payment system which gives debit card holdersaccess to goods and services at the point of sale where theMaestro symbol is displayed and access to cash at cashmachines displaying the Maestro logo.PINYour Personal Identification Number (PIN) is unique to you and isneeded to use cash machines or verify purchases at retailers.SoloA payment system which gives debit card holders access togoods and services at the point of sale in the UK where the Solologo is displayed.Visa DebitAn international payment system which gives debit card holdersaccess to goods and services at the point of sale where the Visalogo, access to cash at cash machines displaying the Visa logoand cash over the counter at banks at home and abroad whichdisplay the Visa logo.38

Useful numbersCustomer Service Review: 0800 200 400Savings: 0800 255 200Loans: 0800 200 400Minicom: 0800 404 6161Home insurance: 0800 051 5450Car insurance: 0800 051 5405Travel insurance: 0800 051 5401Minicom: 0800 051 3030Telephone banking Customer Advisers:08457 888 444To join telephone banking: 0800 88 11 77Lost/Stolen Bank Cards: 0870 600 0459(When phoning from abroad, call +44 1423 700545)Minicom: 0800 404 6161Credit Cards: 0800 096 0220Minicom: 0800 028 5304Mortgages: 0800 068 8971Offset: 0800 068 8965Minicom: 0800 917 0789Advantage Blue Membership Services: 0845 301 1317Minicom: 0870 600 0856Advantage Gold Membership Services: 0845 300 3695Minicom: 0870 523 9670Advantage Private Membership Services:0845 877 7111Minicom: 0870 154 1196Useful web addresseswww.natwest.com/onlinebanking – find out more,register or log-on to our online banking services.If you need any help with online banking, answers toyour questions can be found through our ‘Got aquestion?’ service, which can be found on the URLabove or within online Banking.www.natwest.com/security – online security tipsfrom our websitewww.banksafeonline.org.uk – website set up by theUK banking industry to help online banking users staysafe online.www.natwest.com/personal – find out where yournearest branch is.39

This leaflet is also available in Braille, large print and on audio tape. Please askat any NatWest branch for a copy of our leaflet Disability Discrimination Act –How we make our services accessible to everyone.If you are unhappy with your choice of account, you have 14 days tocancel it. That 14 day period runs from the later of the date on which youraccount is opened and the date on which you first received copies of eachof the following:■■■Personal and Private Banking – Terms and Conditions;Personal and Private Banking – A Guide to Fees and Interest; andany other documents containing contractual terms relating to youraccount (which, in the case of a savings account, will include SavingsInterest Rates).If you wish to cancel a branch-based account, you must confirm your decisionin writing addressed to your branch. If you wish to cancel an account which isnot branch-based, you should write instead to the address given in the AccountSpecific Conditions which apply to your account (you will find these in Personaland Private Banking – Terms and Conditions).If you cancel your account, we will give you all your money back withany interest it has earned and we will ignore any notice period and anyextra charges.The 14 day cancellation period does not apply if you have an account, suchas a bond, whose price depends on fluctuations in the financial market outsideour control.Contact usIf you want any help, information or advice on any of our services, or if you havea complaint to make, just ask at any NatWest branch, or call us on 0800 015 4212(Minicom users call 0800 917 0527).Calls may be recorded. Our lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pmand Saturday 9am to 3pm, excluding Bank Holidays.Registered Office: 135 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3UR.Registered Number: 929027, EnglandNWB 3828 5 September 2009