BANK ON IT
NatWest banking app went down leaving customers unable to make online transfers
Plus we explain what to do if you have been left out of pocket
THE NATWEST banking app went down today leaving customers complaining that they were unable to transfer money
Over 1,000 people complained about the issue, according to Down Detector a website which monitors outages.
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Some 67% of people reported issues about mobile banking, while a further 20% said they were struggling to make a funds transfer.
Both NatWest and its Royal Bank of Scotland mobile apps were affected by the technical issue.
Users took to X, formally known as Twitter, to raise the issue with the bank.
They said: "@NatWest_Help what is going on? I can’t send any money over to my other account?"
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While another said: "Anyone else’s@NatWest_Help app keep chucking you out when you try to use it?"
A third customer said: "I get logged out every time I try to authorise a payment.
"Please sort this out before Oasis tickets go on sale or you’re going to have a lot of angry customers!"
Other services, such as withdrawing cash, appeared to be unaffected by the issue.
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A NatWest spokesperson told The Sun: "Some customers experienced difficulty in making payments via the mobile app this morning.
"This has been resolved and customers can make payments as normal. We're sorry for any inconvenience caused."
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It comes as many people are set to get paid today as it is the last working day of the month.
A similar issue was reported back in May, with over 3,000 users unable to get access to their online banking accounts.
Around 10million people use NatWest online banking and the service has become increasingly popular as high street banks reduce the number of physical banks they operate.
Can I claim compensation for the outage?
Banks don't have to pay out compensation to customers if there has been a drop in service, unlike how telecoms companies have to.
But if you have incurred costs as a result of service issues, it's likely you could get your money back.
For example, if a bill payment didn't go through as a result of an outage and you’ve been charged a fee for missing it, you should be able to claim that money back.
How to check if your bank is down
THERE are a few different ways to find out if your bank is experiencing an outage.
Senior consumer reporter Olivia Marshall explains how you can check.
If you're trying to send money to someone, or you just want to check if you have enough cash for a coffee, finding your online banking is down can be a real pain.
Most banks have a dedicated news page on their website to show service problems, including internet banking, mobile apps, ATMs, debit cards and credit cards.
You can also check on any future work they have planned and what it might mean for you.
Plus, you can check websites such as Down Detector, which will tell you whether other people are experiencing problems with a particular company online.
If your credit rating has been affected by a service outage, because you got a late payment fee after being unable to make a transaction, for example, you should also keep a record of this.
If you spoke to anyone to try and resolve the problem, make a note of their name and when you spoke to them, as well as roughly what you discussed and what they advised you to do.
You can find out more details about how to complain on the bank's website.
It is worth gathering evidence of your problems so you can make a formal complaint to the bank directly.
What happens if my bank refuses to compensate me?
If you're unhappy with how the bank dealt with your problem, you can contact the free Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
It is an independent body that will consider the evidence you present and make a fair decision about the action a bank should take.
The FOS can usually get involved 15 days after you've raised concerns with the bank.
In the case of an IT system outage at a bank, the FOS says any compensation depends on your circumstances and whether you lost out as a result.
If it thinks you did, it has the power to tell the bank to reimburse any fees, charges, or fines you were hit with, for example, if you were unable to make a payment on a credit card bill or to your mortgage provider.
It could also tell a bank to pay you for any money you didn't receive, such as interest, if you weren't able to pay money in.
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If your credit score was affected, it may tell the bank to correct your credit file.
The FOS might also tell the bank to reimburse you for any extra costs you had to make, such as phone calls or trips to your local branch, as well as a payment for any inconvenience it caused.
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