Hi,

Just trying to get the old carnet, and I've decided to try the bank guarantee route since the insurance method bears a striking resemblance to daylight robbery.

Anyway, I've retrieved the necessary form from natwest (see here http://www.natwest.com/content/comme...tee_072010.pdf) and I'm not entirely sure as to how I fill it out.

Any guidance provided would be greatly appreciated.

This is very interesting. I'm approaching Natwest too at the moment for the Guarantee. I went into my branch with a completed RAC Bank Transfer request in hand and the manager sent it off to the Lending Centre for me. Or it all should have gone smoothly but he sent the form to my 'other' branch who then rang me to tell me that I needed to see the manager again to give my consent to a reference check etc. They're trying to be helpful but they just make life so difficult and I've banked with them for ages so they should know who the hell I am.

I get the feeling it's about time I moved bank (25years is probably too long to go without reviewing any business arrangement). The grass may not be greener but this is another example of how painful it is to deal with them.

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Experienced the same reaction with my NatWest Branch when I showed them the RAC bank guarantee form last November. The bank manageress [dozy cow] looked at me as if I was an alien. I've banked with NatWest for 38 years now BTW; the last 34 of these years with the same branch in question.

I always laugh my arse off when I see one of the latest intensely irritating batch of NatWest TV ads promoting it's serious commitment to a 'Customer Charter'. What a load of .. !!

I won't switch banks though ed, as I don't see the point. Stuff like frying pans and fires; better the devil you know etc, all spring to mind ..

I had a meeting with Paul Gowen (RAC Carnet Executive), a top bloke, back in December last year and told him the tale, and he didn't seem the least bit surprised that said bank manageress looked down upon me .. as if I came from the moon. Paul informed me that there's a specialist unit within the NatWest hierarchy that exist to consider and deal with applications for carnet guarantees and such like. They will review your banking track record, credit rating etc and issue the guarantee accordingly. PG knows who these chaps are, and therefore I recommend that you refer and progress the matter through him. Forget your local NatWest branch; by-pass them completely ..

Please let us know how you get on.

Thanks

Keith
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Right Way Round ...

Cheers Keith.

I agree on the moving-on sentiment but you can't help but wonder why some people have no problems at all with Carnets and we Natwest customers get looked down upon like we're aliens. Might have to give Paul a call...

edit: Does it really matter who you bank with? They all give debit cards, call centres in a marginally english-speaking neck of the woods and try to flog you financial products while telling you how much of a valued customer you are. I shop in places that make me happy and provide me with good service so when I go and ask my bank for a guarantee they should bloody well know what I'm talking about and make an effort to get it done. Rant over.

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Find out details of my 2011 trip to Siberia on a lightweight dirtbike:
www.brighton2expeditions.co.uk

If you're with Natwest and want to talk to people who actually know what a carnet is call 011329033013. They explained to me how to fill out their general form and it is just for you and the bank, not the RAC.

Cheers for the input chaps, and I too concur with the sentiments.

Actually this number doesn't work anymore. It looks like they were very bored of all this annoying customers and just managed to switched it off.
Now you have to contact them through your local branche, going there in person, queuing for an hour or so, "ET" stage etc.

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