Natwest closing Credit card accounts if not used for a period

[unclebulgaria67]

I have held a Credit Card with Natwest for over 30 years and in the last 6 months or so, I have not used it.  

 

The card is due to expire in a couple of months and I  have had a letter asking whether I still needed a Credit Card.  And that if I did not contact them within a month, they would close the account.  In order to keep the account, apparently I have to phone them to ask them to issue another card on the expiry of the current one .

 

I have always maintained a Credit Card, just in case of emergencies and if you hire a car for example, they often want details of a Credit Card.

 

Is this a new policy by Banks ?  First time Natwest have done this.   I have had zero balances near to card expiry dates before and they have not done this.

 

And this is a warning note to others, that you should never ignore letters from your Bank, thinking it is just advertising information on their services.  Otherwise you may find that the Credit Card  account you thought that you  had, has been cancelled. 

 

 

[Ethel Street]

I've also just had an email about my NatWest credit card to say they were halving my credit limit but if I called them I might be able to keep the existing one. The reduced limit is still more than double the maximum monthly balance I have  had in the last 3 years. They say it's to bring it in line with my needs. I suspect it's something to do with an overall review of credit given but I don't know what exactly.

[adam1992]

If a card isn't being used it's quite common for banks to reduce credit limits/accounts to therefore mitigate less risk. With COVID-19 a lot of companies are doing this that I've read either reducing unused limits or closing cards that aren't used. Makes sense really. 

 

If it hasn't been used in 6 months, then it's fair for them to begin to assume its unneeded, and they could close the account and offer credit to someone else, or reduce the risk of you potentially maxing out the card suddenly with the current climate. 

 

Just give them a call, explain you still require it. 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Yes I have phoned them and they are sending a new card.

 

The person I spoke to suggested that I use the card to make a small purchase every few months and to pay it off.  This will keep the account active.  

 

This is a change for Natwest and I think some people are going to find themselves without a credit card, because did not open the letter from Natwest saying the account would closed due to inactivity.