Nationwide Building Society

Yes, I’ve been with them a few years now. As I cannot update my Qype review, here’s a new one. I like Nationwide because they’re not sharks like HSBC or The Royal Bank of Scotland who used to keep ringing me up and trying to get me to buy additional products. Nationwide leave me in peace.
I like the fact that they employ British staff in a UK based call-​centre and it’s open 24 hours a day. I have no overdraft upon my own instructions but pay no fee and receive free European travel insurance which I was able to claim on once. On the very rare occasions I’ve gone overdrawn, I’ve asked sweetly and they’ve refunded the charge (although there is a slight buffer zone for below zero balances now anyway). I cannot transfer money over the phone from my Nationwide Current Account to my Nationwide saver account but I don’t mind. Being left alone is worth its weight in gold.
The only time my visa debit card was rejected was in the Caribbean after I’d successfully made a card payment in a restaurant in Cartagena, Colombia. This is the only time it hasn’t worked abroad.
Nationwide have branches in most High Streets and I really like them.
Update February 2016/​/​Downgraded to 2 stars for the following reason. I know one can’t expect everything to please one in life but…
Nationwide would not let me go overdrawn by less than 2 Pounds. I have no agreed overdraft but on phoning the bank to ask if they would grant this small amount of money on my debit card as I was being paid for a week’s work the next day, they said they couldn’t guarantee it. My card was refused in Sainsbury’s. Good job I have an M&S voucher to buy food. Rather dim-​witted and mean. Before I went to Australia, I sent two cheques 2^nd class on a Saturday and wouldn’t you know, Royal Mail must have delivered them to the utilities company in quick time and the cheques bounced before the following Friday when my wages were credited. For this I was charged 30 Pounds. Companies have got to make money, but I’m not in any debt and I think Nationwide’s refusal to grant a debit card payment of less than 2 Pounds below zero was mean and dim-​witted.

So far so good. I transferred to Nationwide over the phone and everything including direct debits transfers went smoothly. The automated paying-​in machines in Nationwide branches are better than HSBC. One’s cheque amount gets instantly credited (although it obviously doesn’t clear immediately). Their telephone banking operates 24 hours a day and well done Nationwide for employing British staff in a UK based call-​centre. I’ll see how it goes.

Nationwide Building Society in Pipers Way Swindon is the head office of the Building Society, where hundreds, if not thousands of people work.
It is not your typical high street branch of the building society, although there is a branch within the building if you needed to go and pay in some money or use their cash machine.
It is a beautiful modern building, really airy and spacious. Bright and clean and well maintained. If you are after a job in Swindon and are looking for office type work, then it may be worth seeing what vacancies they have.

As I have worked here for a few years in the past, I thought I would review as an employee.
The Nationwide Building Society is a great place to work. I worked there a few years back and found that nearly everything is centred around the needs of the individual and not necessarily the business needs. However, all the work gets done and everyone seems happy with this and they are very successful managing, unlike some, to keep hold of all the money invested with no help from the government. The motivation for this good will to employees could stem from one or two places — it’s mutual status allows it to do this without answering to shareholders and it needs to be good to retain staff Whatever the reason try working there to find out more.

Did you know that here, at their Head Office, they have a walk in customer service centre? You can do all the transactions that you might usually go to the Regent St branch but without the parking problems. They have designated customer parking places just outside. Also have cash machines for withdrawals and paying in. Another bonus is that it’s nowhere near as crowded as the town branch.