I do not think that is quite right. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/p...-answered.html

Phew that's a relief. I have had an account with Nat-West since I was 13 and no way would I go with crappy Santander.

No, it's nowhere correct, but that would spoil his story! And of course the only reason they "are mopping up" is because the dreaded EU ordered RBS to sell the branches, plus all their insurance business. A telling line from Santander, if I had money there, it would be transferred by now.

but The Times says Santander will be taking on all RBS and Nat West Branches.

Isn't it just Nat West branches in Scotland? I must admit it still seems strange. Unlike the likes of RBS, Alliance, Lloyds-TSB, Northern Rock, RBOS etc I thought Nat West didn't need any bail-out?

Edit: It appears Nat West was part of RBOS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Westminster_Bank

It's a done deal, they extended the deadline from September until December, they're paying 1.5 billion. Santander will be the biggest retail bank in the UK by far. I don't think anyone can complain, the current owners, RBS, who have owned Nat West for years, are practically bankrupt and the UK government who bailed them out can't possibly get their money back, the shares are now trading at something like 30P after a high of 700P.

Come on Mr Nasty, this is well beyond you,

Perhaps Santander will sort out the rubbish that is the so called banking system in the UK. I used to have an account with Nat West but they were totally incapable of sensibly changing our address from the UK to Spain, if it was possible to cock it up they managed it. The final insult was when my laughingly called customer relations guy asked me to organise a David Villa shirt, at that time he played for Valencia.
I used to bank with Midland but they could not honour cheques or card transactions even though there was loads of cash in my account. The manager, a friend and the reason I was with them, was always apologetic but of course sorry is easy when they do not have to suffer the embarrassment.
I have no time for the UK banking system and the total cockup they have made of the UK economy bears this out, at least Santander has an excellent track record financially and that is something very few banks have now.

Graham

The Yanks are not too friendly towards us Brits, and even less friendly towards the Germans who have had the cheek to openly criticise them on the World stage.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...788807,00.html

It got me thinking about JP Morgan, the last big one in the US. They were around in 1929, perhaps not a good recommendation in these troubled times.

Have you still got the piggy collection? I know some of them are worth money these days. More money than Natwest gave you.

Other countries have also criticised the eurozone and told them to get their finger out. Including Japan and Australia..perhaps they are all wrong

Didn't Santander come out worse for customer service and bank charges last year. Never had problems with NatWest all the 15 yrs in Spain. Santander wouldn't get my custom anyway!

"Britains Worst Bank".


http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011...ins-worst-bank


Santander has made little short of a disastrous start in the UK with the various powers that be buried under mountains of complaints about their service.

Despite a massive publicity campaign and various offers of cash givaways to new clients, the customer feedback has been so bad that it even makes some of the other not so good banks seem not so bad after all.

Yeah but people like the Oddities don't read that stuff Perhaps they don't know that spanish banks have the highest charges in Europe. Wonder if they want to buy my rose tinted glasses only £600

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ers-chaos.html

Is it Spain or Italy - because charges are damn high here too. Extortionate!