BankWest Online

Bankwest on-line service kept me waiting for 30 minutes or more to talk to one of their consultants. At the end I gave up. I needed to do a simple payment for my vehicle licence but Bankwest system cut me out. That's why I needed to discuss it directly with one of their consultants. Not happy for sure!

I applied for a zero international fee credit card 5 weeks ago.
Application on-line was simple but the pain starts when they assess your information.
I provided a yearly rental statement, they requested 3 month rental statement.
I had to explain to them that all the information they were after were contained in the yearly statement.
Was looking to get this card before my next overseas trip which was never going to happen.
Customer Service is unbelievably poor, I have no idea what the hold up is but have decided this bank isn't worth my time

We opened a home loan account on 18th July. T
1. They repeatedly got our address wrong, sending all our personal loan docs to the wrong address, and then, after we complained and gave the correct address (which they already had on the docs we had filled out), sending our credit cards to the same wrong address.
2. They repeatedly got our email addresses wrong, despite having documents which we had filled out with the correct email addresses. After 3 phone conversations to complain about this issue, they still had one of our (my) email address wrong. I had to speak to head office to sort this out.
3. For some reason, my account isn't correctly attached to my PAN and code numbers so I'm unable to log in. I phone to get a new code, and each time I can log in once, but never again - I've been through this process 3 times now.
4. We opened the account on 18th July, and now, 9th August, I still don't have a valid credit card (our original ones had to be cancelled) or online access - I'm really fed up.

Had to follow up on my credit card application almost 10 days later, after I sent all paperwork, including payslips. Then had to explain my payslips (my employer’s accountant should be doing that - he’s got all details, not me). Then had my application rejected because I couldn’t close my other credit card (owing about $500) straight away. Apparently, they don’t care if I cop a late fee or non-payment fee because my old credit card has plenty of auto direct debit payments. And it WILL take a while to sort them out and set up new direct debit payments. They want commitment upfront. For a conditionally approved credit card of $1000. Funny. After my application was rejected, they sent me a letter saying they closed my card, “as per my request”. I DIDN’T request it to be closed - you refused to open it in the first place. And another two weeks later they sent me a letter with a PIN number. For the credit card I never received. Because they rejected my application. Is that a joke or what?

Also unhappy with the Source of Wealth and Source of Funds form they asked me to fill out before I even made my first transfer to my Everyday and Savings account. Was that a joke too? I haven’t got any money in their account yet and haven’t even started dealing with them - but they already want to investigate me and my funds. I’m a lawful Aussie citizen who earns wages full time, pays rent and taxes, and everything else lawful people do in this country. How does that become suspicious? Or maybe they’re concerned about my Russian citizenship? Well first, it is racist to discriminate people based on their first citizenship. Second, it never hurts to ask politely before requiring someone to figuratively strip down like a criminal.

Other than opening Everyday and Savings account (big deal, yes), they gave me nothing but a plenty of annoyance. They want commitment and trust upfront - without having done anything for me as a customer yet. As if I’m supposed to just put my faith in them without having any history and relationship with their bank. How’s that fair?

This trainwreck of a story begins last year when I got married. I applied for the Bankwest Zero Platinum Mastercard (no intl fees so it looked like the perfect travel credit card to take with us) in 2018, about a month before my wife and I were due to leave for our honeymoon. I thought, there's no possible way that a credit card application could take that long right?

WRONG - The card arrived at my parents' house the day after I left for my honeymoon, as if it was part of some cruel joke. I never used the card in the end and it was cancelled due to inactivity. Fair enough. First crappy experience with BW.

Fast forward 15 months and BW advertise 90k bonus QANTAS FF points on their "Bankwest Qantas World Mastercard". PLUS 50% off the annual fee for the first year. 90k bonus points for a measly $135 annual fee? (plus spend requirements of course). PLUS no intl transaction fees. Who wouldn't be up for that?!

Fool me twice....here I am writing this review after having waited 30 mins for customer support. They have just told me that my application STILL hasn't moved after a month, even though I have provided all the ID and income check documents. The "case manager" (whom I don't think exists) asked for documents that I had already sent TWICE. How many times do I have to prove my income?? Time after time they provide no update, but when I call to chase them up it takes a proverbial year to get anyone on the dame phone!

Meanwhile AMEX approved me for a QANTAS discovery card in 30 seconds, and it never takes me more than a minute to get customer service on the phone. Miles apart....

I am in need of this credit card for travel purposes AGAIN (I leave at the end of August). I applied for this credit card 2 months (this time) before I am scheduled to fly out...Bankwest will you go for the record here and take 2 months to approve my application?

Ball's in your court.

the second they realize your in financial troubles they make it their business to ruin you.
currently my account is being overdrawn with no explanation. STAY AWAY!
I post my grief when they ask for feedback but never get a reply, I guess they know due to the financial problems us everyday people have no finances to pursue them in court, in fact they bank on it with hollow apologies and offer 'compromises' that seem to add to up exactly their fees. Perhaps that's the game, make up these fees.
I signed up with a fixed rate HL and forfeited alot of options based on the assumption they have bricks and mortar branches, well the branches closed a month after. This to me is a failure to provide a service so I highlighted it and got ignored (repeatedly) with only a poor compromise.
I asked to be switched back to the variable but of course, that means a huge exit fee etc etc.
They count on your failing, thats how they make their money, on others misery and loss.

I applied for a Bankwest credit card earlier this year (2019). They made it difficult to get the card, and then they made it impossible for me to do online banking. Here's my story: I chatted with Bankwest online when I wanted to dispute a charge I did not recognize. They responded by arbitrarily putting a hold on my online banking. Later I called around 6pm and waited for 40 minutes for customer service to pick up. They could not identify me although I had given them my driver's license number, my PIN, my PAN number, my full name, and date of birth. A representative named Jenni Bushby called me back two days later and was rude to me on the phone. He/she demanded that I send Bankwest a picture of me holding my passport through email with other sensitive info and docs. I refused because anyone who intercepted that email could easily perpetrate identity theft. I went into the Burke Rd branch in the city. I spoke with a consultant for half an hour. She assumed I could easily get on online banking. She was completely wrong. I waited 15 minutes as she waited for customer service. And still they could not identify and they would not release the hold on my online banking!
**I can only conclude that this is a serious systemic problem in their customer service** I gladly canceled the credit card and recommend to all people never to do business with Bankwest

Applied for home loan on 9th April 2019. What a disaster. After giving all the details to Jodie Allison of BankWest, she advised approval would be given within a few days. I even got an email to say the valuation had been done. But then the finance date in the contract came and still I had not received anything from BankWest. I chased and chased but the vendor advised he was cancelling the contract due to no finance approval. I finally got in contact with Jodie who asked if approval was given that day would it still be OK? I contacted the vendor and asked. He gave approval and I confirmed with Jodie. But did not hear from her again. I kept chasing and chasing but to no avail. I lost the property due to finance not being approved in time. A waste of time dealing with BankWest. I would never deal with them again!

Received a phone call from the outbound customer service department 1 week back to discuss the various options for my home loan. My home loan is currently fixed for 2 years, I wanted to switch to base variable loan due to the recent rate cuts and also due to the bleak outlook for the housing market in general. First she discouraged me from switching, as I will be charged around $10 000 for switching to base variable rate. I did mention that my contract doesn't clearly state how the breaking fee is calculated, for that she came up with her formula for calculating fee using some bank jargon . She said that the best interest rate she could offer for variable loan will be 4.29% p.a after the recent rate cut and convinced me that I was better off staying with fixed term. Also she informed me that for the new customers, Bankwest is charging loans at 6.25% p.a. After hanging up the phone, I checked the paperwork for the home loan from last October and the variable interest rate offered by Bankwest then to me was 4.09% p.a. The lady was blatantly telling lies that the current variable interest rate was 4.29% after the recent rate cut. Also I want to know how many of their home loans customers are currently on 6.25% p.a rate? Looking back, had I seen the reviews posted on this site, I would not have gone ahead with Bankwest, instead borrowed it from some small banks like Bendigo Bank or credit unions. With my brief experience, I am convinced that Bankwest solely takes care of its interests and profits; and the staff are trained to tow the same line.

Called Bankwest to cancel credit card and was told that I couldn't do it because I did not meet the identification process (sound just like another complaint listed below). Maybe if they implemented a system like other banks that asks hints you can remember, like mothers maiden name. Was told I needed to go into a branch for verification purposes or wait two work days for supervisor to ring back. The closest branch is 45 kms from work or 25 kms from home, so when to branch on Saturday morning. I arrived a couple of minutes before opening time but had to waited five minutes as the branch didn’t open on time and then another five minutes before the teller could login, after numerous failed attempts. Can’t believe how hard is it to simply cancel and close a credit card account. But definitely better for Bankwest to verify in person as on the phone i could only verify my name, DOB, mobile number etc. I will never use Bankwest again.

I have had no end of trouble with this bank and all I have is a credit card!! They were slow from the start. Then they randomly stopped sending me statement reminders and charged me interest for not knowing when I had a statement. They were rude when I called up saying that all my other credit card providers send me reminders. Security is obviously also poor as I got hacked and lodged a dispute for fraudulent transactions which is taking them an inordinate amount of time to investigate. It's now been over 4 weeks and they still don't know what to do. Hopeless

So far a great bank, easy to contact (via online chat or the app) and always get a quick response. Great products and simple banking, so far very happy with them.

I've been with the bank for 7y, they've progressively become worse to deal with. Unreliable, poor customer service and putting me through hell and back every time I need something.

Worst bank ever, I’ve been with them for 6 years and because I moved 3 hours away from the closest branch they have frozen my account! I have a lot of bills to pay and now I’m told that I have to wait until further notice.

I applied for a BankWest credit card so that I could use it overseas without fees and so that I could get the cool halo ring. I wasn't approved for their top card but was approved, according to the website, for the mid tier card. The site asked me to submit my payslips so I sent those over immediately. I received an email saying I would get a call or email from BankWest with next steps. And then.... nothing. Today, almost 3 weeks later, I called up to ask what's going on. Apparently they had sent me a letter saying I've been declined. I'm fine with them declining my application, but why tell me I'm approved if I wasn't? All the info I provided matched the info provided in the application. And why tell me that they will email or call me when all they're doing is posting a letter? In some ways I'm almost glad I wasn't approved if this is the level of customer service. Though I really did want that halo ring!

The balance in my Easy Transaction Account was $0 and due to personal circumstances I did not use my account for 6 months. Bankwest closed my account without my consent and I only found out when logging into Internet Banking and did not see the account. They deemed the inactivity period of 6 months is sufficient to close an account without notifying their customer. They tried to offer a solution by requiring me presenting myself to a branch and fill out a form so my account can be re-opened. What a joke. No wonder why their branch in Bankstown Centro has closed down and their rating on productreview is so low. Don't bank with Bankwest if you don't want to go through trouble like me and other people.

The rate of return on the Gold Term Deposit Account is reasonably competitive. However, if you want to vary the amount to be rolled over at the end of the term, the product is very deficient. If you want to redirect a portion of the invested amount back to your transaction account, you can't roll it back directly. Instead you have to write (or fax) a letter to the Gold Term Deposit Team with details of the BSB and account number to which you want the portion deposited (in my case it is with a different bank). Once the rollover has been effected, I then have to transfer the money from my account with the NAB back to Bankwest.

This is just appalling service. My wife has an account with the Bank of Queensland which I administer on her behalf. When the time comes for rollover of moneys held in her term deposits with BoQ, I just have to phone up and arrange with BoQ staff what amounts I want rolled over and what portions of the term deposit I want redirected back to her 24 hour daily transaction account.

I shall be looking for an alternative to Bankwest's Gold Term Deposit Account when I return from overseas later this year and I would recommend that other people with deposits in this account do the same.

The hold music is so irritating it makes me want to tear my hair out, it's so cringeworthy. I'm a mortgage broker and deal with banks hold lines day in day out Bankwest is by far the worst!!! This silly female voice over going on and on about all the crappy credit cards and home loans they have on offer.... PLEASE. MAKE IT STOP!!!

Easy application process for Zero Platinum MasterCard. Very streamline online setup, activation and general login process with detailed terms and conditions. Can't wait to use my card. Zero foreign Currency fee!

This was the easiest application and process I have ever experienced. Extremely helpful people online and excited about my new relationship with Bankwest. I am considering arranging banking for my company and shifting my home loans to them. Keep up the great work!