NatWest and RBS online banking and app down on Black Friday leaving customers without access to cash
FURIOUS Natwest and RBS customers have been unable to access payday cash on Black Friday as the banks' online services and apps were down until 5.30pm.
More than 2,700 users of NatWest and RBS, which are part of the RBS Group, reported problems at the height of the issues on website DownDetector.
The bank experienced "intermittent issues" with online banking, app banking, its bankline business banking service, as well as delays processing some transfers.
The problem took until 5.30pm to be fixed.
But the group said there was no impact on debit cards, credit cards, ATMs, telephone and branch banking services.
More than 240 First Direct users reported similar problems first thing this morning, although as of 11am the bank said the issue had been fixed.
It's bad timing for customers, many of whom, were expecting their wages to come in as it's the last Friday of the month.
While others were likely trying to snap up bargains in the Black Friday sales.
One customer tweeted: "Looks like #NatWest online banking is down today. Good job it’s not payday and Black Friday or anything... @NatWest_Help"
Another said: "Really helpful for @NatWest_Help online banking and app to go down on pay day AND Black Friday."
Someone else added: "@RBS_Help @RBS The website is down, but your service page thinks there isn't a problem (Have got same screen using two browsers)."
Another wrote: "@RBS online banking is down for me? I assume #BlackFriday is clogging up the banking systems? #RBS"
One First Direct customers added: "@firstdirect is online banking down? Can’t login with thumb print."
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- Under the Current Account Switching Service, swapping banks should take seven working days. That includes all your payments, direct debits and standing orders being moved too. Just open your new account and then ask your new provider to close your old account using the switch service.
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A spokesperson for NatWest and RBS said: ““All our services are now operating as normal. We apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused.”
First Direct added: “We experienced a brief technical issue with access to our online and mobile banking this morning.
"This was quickly resolved and everything is now working as it should. We’d like to apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused and thank them for their patience.”
More on money
NatWest and RBS have experienced a number of outages this year, including one in September where an upgrade left people unable to access their accounts.
The banks have also come under fire for scrapping cashback on bills for 1.7million customers next year.
First Direct recently began to accept customers with bad credit scores – and help them improve their rankings.