FNB SERVICE LEVELS HAVE GONE WITH THE WIND

As a loyal FNB client for 44 years—since birth, when my parents opened a BOB account for me—and now a Private Wealth client with my property bond, vehicle financing through WesBank, and both my companies' accounts under FNB, I am deeply disappointed with the service I have received recently. This disappointment stems not only from the FNB Home Loans department but also from the complete lack of responsiveness from my so-called "Private Banker."

I recently submitted an application to adjust and increase my bond to fund necessary house repairs and renovations. From the very start, the process has been nothing short of a nightmare. After submitting the application via email as instructed, I did not receive a confirmation of receipt or a reference number. It took 10 days of persistent follow-ups just to get a reply and the relevant reference number.

After completing the mandatory valuation visit and having it submitted, I faced another hurdle: a request for proof of payment for a vehicle I had financed over 15 years ago through WesBank. Despite being an FNB sister company, it appeared no internal inquiry was made. Since this information was over 15 years old, it was not available on either the WesBank or FNB portals I could access. I sent as much documentation as I could find and requested confirmation, but once again, received no response.

Frustrated, I reached out to my "Private Banker" for assistance. After multiple ignored emails, I eventually contacted him directly by phone. While he promised to obtain the necessary proof from WesBank, his follow-up was non-existent. Instead, I received an email from him asking me to provide the same proof I had explicitly requested his help with. Left with no other option, I spent hours navigating WesBank's call center myself to finally retrieve the elusive document showing the vehicle had been paid off.

I promptly forwarded this document to the Home Loans department, copying my "Private Banker" in all correspondence. Again, I followed up repeatedly for three days with no reply. Eventually, I received the application approval, seemingly out of the blue. After completing and submitting the necessary paperwork, I asked for confirmation of receipt—but once again, received no response.

Over the past 45 days, I have followed up daily—sometimes twice a day—via secure chat, where I have repeatedly been promised callbacks, escalations to managers, and updates. Yet, none of these promises have materialized. Despite copying my "Private Banker" on every email, these messages have been entirely ignored. Even complaints submitted via FNB's official channels have gone unanswered.

It is unacceptable that, as a Private Wealth client, I have had to endure 1.5 months of this frustrating and unresponsive service. I now have an approved application with all supporting documents submitted but no way to obtain meaningful updates or resolution. This experience has left me questioning whether FNB can meet even the most basic service requirements. After 44 years, I may need to consider moving to a bank that values its customers and provides the level of service expected.

Let this review serve as both feedback and a call for action, though my expectations for a response based on recent history are understandably low.