Royal Bank of Canada reviews
Negative reviews
Mary-Ann
I have had a RBC Visa for over 30 years. I am trying to keep my credit card use under control so I hadn't used it in over a year. It had zero balance throughout that time with a credit limit of $10,000. Suddenly I was informed by my credit/identity protection company that RBC had closed my Visa account in December 2018. I had no notification or knowledge of this, and my credit rating took a huge hit and is now at a "poor" rating, after having been "good" for decades. I called to find out what happened and was told that the annual fee of $20 (due in August apparently) hadn't been paid so they closed my Visa account. I told them I knew nothing of this fee and no one had contacted me to notify me of either the fee or the closure.
Rhonda
We were taken advantage of and lied to regarding a credit line. When we renewed our mortgage we got a credit line as well. Come December the rate doubled!! We were never told and now they say our rate when we signed was just a promotion!! Branch manager said he'd look after it, he didn't, we now pay twice the interest. Should BE CRIMINAL!!! The last response from them was "I do appreciate that rate adjustments are not pleasant" REALLY?!? They doubled the rate without notice, CROOKS!!!
Valerie of Other
First of all that temporary card you can't do ** all with which made it so I couldn't get a rental car when my car was stolen with my debit card in it. Had to wait 7-10 business days for a new card but any other bank actually has their systems up to date. Not to mention the fact that the RBC atm machine at RBC still wouldn't accept my card. I hate RBC more than any other bank. STAY AWAY FROM GETTING AN ACCOUNT HERE.
Jack
It was so easy for a hacker to gain access to my account through a mere text message. I lost $900 because of it. I tried TD first, but their security was good. Then RBC fell victim to this 3rd party...
Rick
Do not fall for their iPad **. I was with TD everything running so smoothly and RBC asked me to come back. They told me I just need 2 payrolls to enroll. This was done Sept 12 2018. Dec 12 2018 still nothing on my iPad after numerous calls emails etc. I finally heard from branch manager who said sorry because I was with RBC 2 years ago I dont qualify for iPad. So no letter nothing saying this. In fact when I went into RBC to open new account they used my old info from before right there in front of me and they never said, "You dont qualify for it" and kept saying, "6 weeks you will get iPad." 12 weeks later after no word on iPad I called time after time for them to tell me this. I changed EVERYTHING payroll auto withdrawals etc just to get screwed by RBC. Stay away from them. Once they get you they no longer care.
Cori C.
I was passed to Anum Bhatti when I inquired about the option of buying my ex out of our investment property and taking over the mortgage. I provided him with all the paperwork he asked for and then...he ghosted me.
I followed up after a week and got no response. It took 2 days to get approval for the original mortgage.
This doesn't bode well for when we need to renew the mortgage at the end of the term, so it makes simply selling and being done with RBC a more attractive option.
Deb P.
THIS IS THE WORST BANK IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY - and I am referring to the Bank as a whole.
1. My card was compromised (it happens), but I had refunds owing to me and they didn't transfer them to my new card. I told merchants that I hadn't received their refund ... when in fact ... I had. I just didn't know about it and the Bank hung on to my money;
2. My online service was suspended (for reasons unclear/unknown to me);
3. Called to ask that my password be re-set - NO ONE ANSWERED THE ENGLISH LINE ON FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 2017 BETWEEN 8:15 P.M. AND NOW. I pressed "2" for the French language line. And I had to call twice because the first agent gave me an incorrect temporary password.
Folks, AVOID BANKING AT THIS INSTITUTION AT ALL COSTS!!!!!!!!! Go elsewhere!!!!!!!!!!
Deborah D.
Don't invest with the Wealth Management branch. Completely irresponsible, uncommunicative and uncaring. They dropped the ball, lost $50k of my money (I'm disabled and count on every dollar to live on) and after being treated like a second class citizen in trying to pull out and calling the headquarters, you realize there are no stops in place. I wrote to the president of RBC and received no response. After a 10 year relationship I would have hoped for more. There are better places to invest with.
Petty
I took a check into RBC Bank to get it cashed. The person that wrote me the check has an account there. The teller told me that there would be a 5 dollar charge for cashing the check. No I don't have an account there but the person that pays service and maintenance fees does. I think this is petty and cheap just like a pawn shop.
My bank does not do this. If I wrote someone a check and they tried to cash it at my bank and was charged a fee to do so I would quit them in a second. I pay my bank to honor the checks that I write to anyone. RBC is petty and cheap. If someone writes me a check from RBC I have to charge them 10 dollars extra to accept their check. That is sick. I guess that has become the American way. Oh my god!!!
Fees
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA -- RBC Bank recently purchased First American Bank in Alabama. Due to the drastic change in the way that they post your deposits and check card fees it threw my account into the negative. I continued to get hit with fees while my deposit was waiting to be posted (for three days). This ended up costing me over $500 dollars just in bank fees. I've had the same checking account for 10 years and have never had this kind of issue.
After speaking with RBC customer service and getting nothing resolved other than them passing me off to one of the branches, I've made the decision to close my account and go with a more local bank. I would advise anyone looking to bank with RBC to completely check out the processing of their deposits and check card transaction before making the decision to open an account. Who wants to use a bank that's based in Canada anyway? We live in the USA people!!!
Neutral reviews
Pauline W
It is a bank and it is the main branch. The main floor has over 10 banking service counters. When I am the next in line to be serviced, I always have to keep looking to the right and to the very far left end just to keep an eye the whole time to know when I am called next to the service counter. Some bank representatives at the far end need to walk all the way to the lineup entrance to grab the customers because we are never able to notice which counter is available most of the time.
Easy7777
To all the bank bashers on CBC comments and elsewhere on Reddit...this is good news.
Canadian Banks are the backbone of our economy. The major source of employment, taxes, growth in Canada. Pretty much every pension fund including CPP has a major stake in Canadian banks.
Looking forward to BNS earnings next week
bliss19
To add on to this. Canadian banks are some the most regulated and customer friendly banks on the planet. I hear alot of predatory lending. Man have people really forgot what the U.S. banks were doing in '09. Call it being careful or helpful but Canadian banks are a very heavily regulated industry and in part protects the consumer.
Additionally, these banks are the main source of investment happening in Canada, whether it be direct or indirect. Without Canadian banks lending funds out, we would see a massive stop in our economy. Foreign investments always gets diverted to the states, so the banks indirectly and direct help support a large percentage of the business.
Could the CEO"s be paid less (meh). Could your service fee be reduced by $2? (wouldn't make a difference).
The banks really are trying to adopt a model to better suit their clients. Personally, I think US banks sold their souls a long time ago, but I still believe Canadian banks are the best investment you could make when all other domestic options are so limited.
Negative reviews
Mary-Ann
I have had a RBC Visa for over 30 years. I am trying to keep my credit card use under control so I hadn't used it in over a year. It had zero balance throughout that time with a credit limit of $10,000. Suddenly I was informed by my credit/identity protection company that RBC had closed my Visa account in December 2018. I had no notification or knowledge of this, and my credit rating took a huge hit and is now at a "poor" rating, after having been "good" for decades. I called to find out what happened and was told that the annual fee of $20 (due in August apparently) hadn't been paid so they closed my Visa account. I told them I knew nothing of this fee and no one had contacted me to notify me of either the fee or the closure.
Rhonda
We were taken advantage of and lied to regarding a credit line. When we renewed our mortgage we got a credit line as well. Come December the rate doubled!! We were never told and now they say our rate when we signed was just a promotion!! Branch manager said he'd look after it, he didn't, we now pay twice the interest. Should BE CRIMINAL!!! The last response from them was "I do appreciate that rate adjustments are not pleasant" REALLY?!? They doubled the rate without notice, CROOKS!!!
Valerie of Other
First of all that temporary card you can't do ** all with which made it so I couldn't get a rental car when my car was stolen with my debit card in it. Had to wait 7-10 business days for a new card but any other bank actually has their systems up to date. Not to mention the fact that the RBC atm machine at RBC still wouldn't accept my card. I hate RBC more than any other bank. STAY AWAY FROM GETTING AN ACCOUNT HERE.
Jack
It was so easy for a hacker to gain access to my account through a mere text message. I lost $900 because of it. I tried TD first, but their security was good. Then RBC fell victim to this 3rd party...
Rick
Do not fall for their iPad **. I was with TD everything running so smoothly and RBC asked me to come back. They told me I just need 2 payrolls to enroll. This was done Sept 12 2018. Dec 12 2018 still nothing on my iPad after numerous calls emails etc. I finally heard from branch manager who said sorry because I was with RBC 2 years ago I dont qualify for iPad. So no letter nothing saying this. In fact when I went into RBC to open new account they used my old info from before right there in front of me and they never said, "You dont qualify for it" and kept saying, "6 weeks you will get iPad." 12 weeks later after no word on iPad I called time after time for them to tell me this. I changed EVERYTHING payroll auto withdrawals etc just to get screwed by RBC. Stay away from them. Once they get you they no longer care.
Cori C.
I was passed to Anum Bhatti when I inquired about the option of buying my ex out of our investment property and taking over the mortgage. I provided him with all the paperwork he asked for and then...he ghosted me.
I followed up after a week and got no response. It took 2 days to get approval for the original mortgage.
This doesn't bode well for when we need to renew the mortgage at the end of the term, so it makes simply selling and being done with RBC a more attractive option.
Deb P.
THIS IS THE WORST BANK IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY - and I am referring to the Bank as a whole.
1. My card was compromised (it happens), but I had refunds owing to me and they didn't transfer them to my new card. I told merchants that I hadn't received their refund ... when in fact ... I had. I just didn't know about it and the Bank hung on to my money;
2. My online service was suspended (for reasons unclear/unknown to me);
3. Called to ask that my password be re-set - NO ONE ANSWERED THE ENGLISH LINE ON FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 2017 BETWEEN 8:15 P.M. AND NOW. I pressed "2" for the French language line. And I had to call twice because the first agent gave me an incorrect temporary password.
Folks, AVOID BANKING AT THIS INSTITUTION AT ALL COSTS!!!!!!!!! Go elsewhere!!!!!!!!!!
Deborah D.
Don't invest with the Wealth Management branch. Completely irresponsible, uncommunicative and uncaring. They dropped the ball, lost $50k of my money (I'm disabled and count on every dollar to live on) and after being treated like a second class citizen in trying to pull out and calling the headquarters, you realize there are no stops in place. I wrote to the president of RBC and received no response. After a 10 year relationship I would have hoped for more. There are better places to invest with.
Petty
I took a check into RBC Bank to get it cashed. The person that wrote me the check has an account there. The teller told me that there would be a 5 dollar charge for cashing the check. No I don't have an account there but the person that pays service and maintenance fees does. I think this is petty and cheap just like a pawn shop.
My bank does not do this. If I wrote someone a check and they tried to cash it at my bank and was charged a fee to do so I would quit them in a second. I pay my bank to honor the checks that I write to anyone. RBC is petty and cheap. If someone writes me a check from RBC I have to charge them 10 dollars extra to accept their check. That is sick. I guess that has become the American way. Oh my god!!!
Fees
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA -- RBC Bank recently purchased First American Bank in Alabama. Due to the drastic change in the way that they post your deposits and check card fees it threw my account into the negative. I continued to get hit with fees while my deposit was waiting to be posted (for three days). This ended up costing me over $500 dollars just in bank fees. I've had the same checking account for 10 years and have never had this kind of issue.
After speaking with RBC customer service and getting nothing resolved other than them passing me off to one of the branches, I've made the decision to close my account and go with a more local bank. I would advise anyone looking to bank with RBC to completely check out the processing of their deposits and check card transaction before making the decision to open an account. Who wants to use a bank that's based in Canada anyway? We live in the USA people!!!
Neutral reviews
Pauline W
It is a bank and it is the main branch. The main floor has over 10 banking service counters. When I am the next in line to be serviced, I always have to keep looking to the right and to the very far left end just to keep an eye the whole time to know when I am called next to the service counter. Some bank representatives at the far end need to walk all the way to the lineup entrance to grab the customers because we are never able to notice which counter is available most of the time.
Easy7777
To all the bank bashers on CBC comments and elsewhere on Reddit...this is good news.
Canadian Banks are the backbone of our economy. The major source of employment, taxes, growth in Canada. Pretty much every pension fund including CPP has a major stake in Canadian banks.
Looking forward to BNS earnings next week
bliss19
To add on to this. Canadian banks are some the most regulated and customer friendly banks on the planet. I hear alot of predatory lending. Man have people really forgot what the U.S. banks were doing in '09. Call it being careful or helpful but Canadian banks are a very heavily regulated industry and in part protects the consumer.
Additionally, these banks are the main source of investment happening in Canada, whether it be direct or indirect. Without Canadian banks lending funds out, we would see a massive stop in our economy. Foreign investments always gets diverted to the states, so the banks indirectly and direct help support a large percentage of the business.
Could the CEO"s be paid less (meh). Could your service fee be reduced by $2? (wouldn't make a difference).
The banks really are trying to adopt a model to better suit their clients. Personally, I think US banks sold their souls a long time ago, but I still believe Canadian banks are the best investment you could make when all other domestic options are so limited.