Having spoken to three different advisers at Nationwide call centres and the branch, about a 1 year ebond, I was told that I could give 90 days notice to close an ebond without any penalty, or immediate closure and access to the amount invested, with a penalty equivalent to 90 days interest. I invested my savings of £315,000 into an ebond and then three months later wondered how I could give the 90 days notice. (I did not want to close the account but wanted to know how I could if I found the right house to buy). I was told that I could not close the account and there is no 90 day notice facility. I explained to a senior manager that I was told I could and could they find the voice recordings to prove it. A few days later they phone me up to tell me that they found the recordings and that I was correct, that I was told I can give 90 days notice. They also closed my ebond account without my agreement and returned the moneys. Is this not a breach of contract? I will loose £2555 interest.

My point is this: The staff are clearly not trained very well regarding their products and senior staff are difficult, argumentative and hostile. Beware of erroneous advice from their staff!

And I thought that Nationwide is "proud to be different" and "run for the benefit of our members" I benefit FA

Not sure about Nationwide, but fight for the interest you should have received. If you're not satisfied, escalate your case!

Talking of call centre staff, I switched my current account to the Halifax. If I used their switching service I would receive £100, so I thought I would use it. I opened my current account in Feb, and started the ball rolling with the switching service. Eventually, it took until July for them to complete the switching, they were that bad! Hey ho, I wasn't too fused as I was getting £100 for the privilege.

I waited 3 months of paying in my salary, and expected my £100 at the end of Sept. I duly rang up and complained, and on several occasions was told they will email the switching team. Eventually, I got through to someone who really pissed me off. She said I was not entitled to the £100 as I had a web saver with them since 2004; very rudely she said I will never get the £100.

So, what do I do? I find the paperwork saying not applicable to existing "current account holders". So rang up, and explained this and I had been told the wrong information by this woman (I got her name). After about 10 phone calls in total, and about a 5weeks waiting I got my £100.

Just goes to show the call centre staff know Jack.



Oh, and with Barclaycard I was told they were bringing a load of deals at the end of Aug, and I should be getting a cash back offer. Eventually I got a balance transfer offer, which I didn't want. I rang up, and no one could help. Eventually I wrote to the CEO of Barclaycard to complain, and they replied with no existing card holder was offered a cash back card. So again, I had been told the wrong info. Worth a try though, but they will be losing my business anyway.

I looked into it and was told there was no option to close the account with 90 days notice - maybe they've tightened up on training?

I am going through their complaints procedure (about 60 days I think) but they would not restore my ebond that they had closed without my specific instructions. They say that I can open a new ebond but that would be at 6.5% not the previous 6.7% and I would have to start the thing for whole year again, rather than the 9 months left on the old one.

With such a large amount of cash, I can understand your anger azazel. I transfered my ICE SAVE cash to N/Wide and had loads of problems like sending my bond certificate to the wrong address. My partner never even received her certificate until after several visits to our branch. To be fair to N.Wide, they have just undergone a massive change with the amalgamation of my old society Portman. The manager at our branch was very honest, she admitted they seriously under estimated the amount of new business from ex portman customers and cash from fleeing N.Rock customers. She admitted it was chaos in there call centres due to under staffing and trying to organise new staff from potman and recruit new staff will take months. I still believe N/W to be a solid mutual B/Soc compared to some very dodgy ex-B/Soc's we have.

I've been a member of the Nationwide for 20+ years and your experience confirms my recent impression. The Nationwide has been wearing the garb of a bank for some time now and its recent programme of swallowing smaller societies is clearly giving it indigestion.

In your case you have lost a sizeable amount of money through their failure to carry-out a general duty of care. I would visit a solicitor and get legal advice - on the face of it you have a good case.