Millions of NatWest and RBS customers are still not able to access any money as the ’major tec...
NatWest and RBS woes continue
RBS and NatWest customers continue to face problems that bugged them yesterday afternoon and all through the night.
Millions of NatWest and RBS customers are still not able to access any money as the ’major technical issues’ experienced by the bank yesterday continue into a second day.
Around 1,000 NatWest branches opened early today in order to help those affected by the problems, although some people can now withdraw money at cash machines.
But the vast majority of savers are still in the dark about the state of their finances. Many still don’t know if they have been paid or whether their direct debit and standing order payments have been successful.
Might not be ready by Monday
RBS released a statement this morning in an attempt to reassure people that work is being done to fix the problems. But customers are likely to have a worrisome weekend as the bank cannot confirm if the issue will be resolved by the start of next week.
NatWest commented: "We are continuing to experience technical issues with our systems, which is impacting a large number of our customers. As a result, money credited to accounts overnight may not be appearing on balances today.
"This problem is strictly of a technical nature and we are working hard to fix it as soon as possible. We will ensure that no customers will be permanently out of pocket as a result."
Corrupted systems
The problems seem to have come about as RBS staff tried to update the banking group’s payment processing system but ended up corrupting it, leaving its customers stranded.
More than 1,000 NatWest branches closed late last night to help customers who were stranded without any money and the bank has confirmed this will be extended to today and tomorrow.
An update on its website said: "Our branches open on Saturday will extend working hours to 6:00pm, and these branches will also be open this Sunday from 9:00am to 12:00pm."
-
Quick tips
- Make sure you check to see if any payments or direct debits have bounced
- Look to use your credit card until this problem clears up – but pay it off as soon as possible
- Keep checking your bank’s website for updates on the situation
You are protected by the law if a banking failure ends up costing you money