The Royal Bank of Scotland Reviews 

Used to be a decent bank but there customer service is awful can’t get hold of any one just a stupid chat with out a real person that has not got a clue. Be closing my account and getting one with some one else

Could not access the RBS app as RBS said it needed to be updated. I uploaded latest version. Went back into app and it again told me it had to be updated so went back but app store told me I had the most recent version. Went round in circles, a total waste of time.
Tried to access my account on my PC but RBS sent the access code to the app which of course I couldn't access. Totally locked out of my accounts.
Had to uninstall and reinstall the app, which took ages, complete waste of a morning.
Other people complaining of the same issue so RBS need to get it sorted immediately.
Very unhappy with RBS.

I lost £75 from a bank machine operated by RBS not dispensing my cash. It took 2 months for them to refund my money. Good job I was not relying on that money to feed my family.
Appalling service from the bank.

The most unhelpful bank I have ever come across I have spent days trying to cancel my sons bank card which he has lost. My son has mental health issues therefore does not and cannot use a computer so does not have online banking therefore he cannot cancel the card online. I have tried ringing and speaking to someone with my son, but they need to know his bank sort code and account number which is printed on the card which he lost therefore he does not have this! so obviously he cannot tell them! so he went into the bank and took utility bills to prove where he lives but this was not good enough they need a passport with photo or a driving licence with photo due to my sons illness he can neither drive or fly therefore does not have either one so cannot get his money or cancel his card. So he has now got to buy a passport which he will never use in order to get into his account and be able to cancel card and in the mean time someone can access his card and spend £30 a day until such time as this is sorted out the minute it is if there is any money left he will be closing this account and going to another bank this is disgusting so this bank does not help people who are disabled or have learning problems the sooner it closes altogether the better!

terrible bank they shouldnt be trading customer service are rude had a account for a while then all of a sudden i get a email to say your account has had to be closed nothing has changed since opening it

I have banked with RBS for 35 years. In that time, every penny of my earnings and savings have been invested with the bank, despite some literally prehistoric services and interest rates.
I now find I have no choice but to change bank following repeated frustrations trying to deposit cash into Fixed Rate ISAs, being forced to deal with Cora AI (Artificial Idiocy) . I have spent literally hours going around in circles between Cora (which doesn't actually allow you to ask any questions but tells you what you can ask), App based and online banking; and of course trying to get to speak to a human being on telephone banking is I think, just a bridge too far, with 99 out of 100 'tell me what you'd like to do today' options, referring you bank online...
After hours of being fobbed-off by digital assistants, I finally got through to a human-being (this species is now virtually extinct in RBS with even the UKs Second City no longer even having a high-street branch); when I complained that the App and Digital Banking refused any way of actually depositing into Fixed Rate ISAs, I received commiserations and direction to do it on telephone banking... and when I say direction, that is it; no actual detail.
The Royal Bank of Scotland (under NATWEST) has now become probably Britain's least 'Personal' Bank; a very sad end to one of Britain's oldest banks.

Not been with them a year yet. Yet another glitch where my card was declined with plenty of funds. Repeated calls to them but its a/ the card b/the machine in the shop. I tested these and it was none of these. Just switched elsewhere. Dreadful service.

This bank has guts to close your business account wrongfully and unfaily and cause major disruption to your business transactions mercilessly, given that one has been using the banking system without problems for 35 years! Then it believes that it has the full right to do so without giving a reason why it has done so. This is gross professional misconduct. Then it has the right to mishandle your personal data and pass on to its partner, Natwest, who also close your other business account without proper notification procedure, thus leaving you hanging on a cliff in terms of your business and financial transactions, jeopardising your business reputation with other associates and clients. All this is done to a customer with a clean sheet reputation for 35 years within the banking system. I was once asked by RBS about a client of ours whom we have no relationship apart from him being a client who might have had problems in the past with RBS. So, now we become "guilty" due to association, what a fallacious way of conducting banking services! This is utterly unbelievable and completely acceptable.

Tried to open an account with RBS after moving to Scotland. The whole process is online and automated. Despite trying multiple documents, they wouldn’t accept any utility bills I uploaded, with no reasons given. I then got an automated “sorry it didn’t work out” email, saying I can’t open an account. No option to contact anyone, no support service, no offer to apply in branch, no reasons given. They seemed almost contemptuous towards prospective customers. Reading other reviews on here, I feel like I’ve dodged a bullet and will apply for a different bank instead.

Very impressed , got a 40k loan took 10 minutes

Excellent !!!

Sadly my brother passed away I contacted the RBS bereavement team and submitted the relevant forms. After not hearing from the bank for a few weeks I phoned to ask when I could expect the funds to be released to me. I was told at that time that my bank statement I submitted did not meet the assessors requirements. However, their staff member couldn't tell me in what respect it was not acceptable. I was told I would need to resubmit proof of address (and by inference, guess what else to do to make it acceptable). I resubmitted the bereavement form with further proof of residential address. In passing I was also told that the RBS couldn't email me to inform me whether the information submitted had been accepted this time but they would write to me instead. The fact that my residential address was not my postal address seemed to be beyond them or seemingly the RBS system. I was told I would have to phone back again in a few days time to establish the status of the application.
After spending numerous international calls about twice a week (now more than 550 minutes worth), speaking to different people in the bereavement centre, and having to repeat my information each time, it became clear that I wasn't making any headway. All I got was repeated apologies but not getting any useful information. I was repeatedly told I would have to resubmit the form yet again. Clearly by now I was reluctant to do this as it seemed totally pointless as they would not explain what was incorrect or incomplete in the prior ones. As I am in New Zealand, my UK based cousin spoke to a manager on my behalf and was told the the assessor team couldn't contact the person who notorised the copy of my bank statement. However they couldn't disclose when they tried to phone (ie was in in NZ work time or not) and what telephone number they used.
Meanwhile my cousin being aware of my frustration, phoned a RBS manager yet again and was told the staff member at RBS phoned an 0800 number, which, given it was plainly an NZ 0800 number clearly wasn't going to work! I note that both my bank's own New Zealand DDI number and a 'calling from overseas' number were on the statement and the cover email.
At about this time, a complaint was made on my behalf by one of the bereavement team, I was told someone from the complaints team would call me within 4 working days. No one called so once again I called RBS and spoke to the commercial complaints team. she has been the only useful person I have spoken to) established the person working on the case was on the phone and said he would call me the next day. He did call the next day but he also couldn't tell me why my proof of identity (notarised copy of passport) wasn't accepted or why it has taken over 8 weeks to notify me of this despite my numerous calls to bereavement team. He said a letter responding to my complaint was in the post to me and that the bereavement team had followed all due processes. However he also essentially confirmed that he couldn't do anything to help progress the process. In short there had been no point in the complaint having been raised.
I will be contacting the UK Financial Ombudsman as soon as the required resolution period has passed.

Trying to sort out fraudulent activity on our account and report a scam. Ended up with account totally frozen and no money back. Complete disaster.

Shocking customer service, each and every time!

RBoS refused to properly acknowledge a scam issue that had no connection with me. It was connected to them..... Pending not the issue! IMO.

However, a day later, I can say they quickly sorted it out. Even got me a cup of tea. So, fair play to those RBS folks.

Absolutely fantastic service, every single time. Very helpful

Bank account closed after 32 years. No explanation despite account being actively used during the whole time. I have 100% credit rating on Experian. No criminal record. And the bank will only allow me to remove my funds if I physically visit a branch. A note to phone staff - please don't be dismissive when I ask if I can withdraw my money. I don't know what happened and never will.

I've been with RBS for years (I've had an account since I was 8). They never offer anything, never treat you with value, trying to get any sort of service off them is like pulling teeth. I've been with other banks for less than a year and received better service all round.

INSANE
DO NOT CREATE AN ACCOUNT EVEN FOR THE FREE MONEY YOU WILL BE ON THE PHONE WITH THEM 10 times a week for issues that pop up. Also they have silly rules like you can’t transfer more than £1k a day

I switched to them to get a £200 cash incentive which arrived ok. The app was another matter and wouldn’t allow me to make payments as it needed bio approval but it didn’t let me register for bio approval for nearly a month! Just kept saying I was a new customer.
After a few months I applied for a balance transfer card which was passed to Nat West who wanted all payslips and my tax returns (part time self employed) for two years.
They had my income being paid into my account, including the monthly self employed income so had all the proof necessary.
Communication was via some 3rd party site that needed extra security details from me meaning divulging even more private information onto the net.
Total lack of customer care or concern and the lack of ability to think out of the box.
I am now switching to another bank and getting another cash incentive and will never return to RBS/NAT WEST again even if they offer cash incentives again.

Went into high street bank, terrible service, terrible experience, 6 machines and only one that worked, que out the door… Andy