As the title suggests, you get a lot of positives and negatives with this particular credit card. I shall begin with what I see as being its most redeeming qualities, before explaining several factors that let Nat West down a bit on this product.
Firstly, as most reviewers have mentioned, you receive air miles - 1 mile for every £20 you spend, in fact. This is a good bonus for spending Nat West's money, although you have to spend quite a bit before you can pack your bags for Australia!
Secondly, and I must disagree with certain reviewers on this issue, they have a very helpful telephone enquiry service. A particularly impressive example of this came when I had problems using my card on the Internet (a point which I shall come back to later). I received a call within hours of my card being rejected by a website, to verify that I was aware of what had happened. Fortunately, it was really me that had been using the card, but had it been anyone else, I would have been most relieved that Nat West had checked with me first!
As a student, I must also congratulate Nat West on making use of the card so simple and easy. For many of my friends and I, the Nat West card has been our first credit card, and we have found it to be the most suitable card of those on offer by the High Street banks. For instance, the initial £500 credit limit may sound annoying, but it forces restraint, and has prevented many from falling into the trap of over-spending.
Perhaps the best attribute of this card, however, is the Internet banking facility. Not only does it provide a secure, user-friendly facility, but it also enables cardholders to check their payment schedules, credit limit, and best of all, to pay off their balance.
Nevertheless, as promised, I also have a number of grumbles regarding this credit card. For instance, its high APR and its pricey administrative charges, can make it extra awkward to not pay off your balance in full.
In addition, I have noticed a variety of extra, albeit small, charges, which I have no knowledge of, and which seem to vary each month, seemingly at the whim of Nat West, e.g. "Credit Card Repayment Protector"? Indeed, I intend to complain to Nat West for charging me for something that I never even applied for!
Finally, and perhaps most annoyingly, I have sometimes had trouble using my card on certain websites (always on American ones strangely). 'My card number is invalid' apparently, although no shops and most websites don't seem to think so. Visa, Nat West and the websites involved can (frustratingly) offer no explanation, but several friends of mine have shared the same experience. Surely this is no mere coincidence.
In summary, therefore, what can I say about the Nat West credit card? I think that, on the whole, I would recommend it to anyone (particularly the under-25s) who intends to pay their balance in full and on-time every month. It would also be of use to anyone who wants a High Street brand credit card that they can manage via the Internet. However, I would not advise those who want a card with a competitive APR to apply for this, nor would I suggest that you go for this card if you have no interest in the air miles scheme. But, all in all, there are lots of credit cards worse than this, and not that many better.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Advantages: Convenience of High Street bank credit card for payments and cash withdrawals. Decent online facility. Disadvantages: Poor loyalty scheme value, extortionate charges.
Briz_Hatchings 10.10.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Natwest Card
Sep 2nd, 2001
very helpful by (92%):
somewhat helpful by (4%):
not helpful by (4%):
