WesBank review: Vehicle finance

WesBank has been keeping my own money from me and is refusing to let me speak to anyone who can address the issue.

Stay away from this company! They display a systemic disregard for their customers.

I had purchased a car through WesBank a few years ago and had a good experience. The integration with FNB is very convenient, allowing you to view your WesBank balances on the FNB app. The WesBank account displays under your other accounts, and you can easily transfer funds to your WesBank loan account. Note the word "Transfer" above. Not "Payment". You get to transfer your money from your FNB account to your WesBank account.

On my previous car, I would transfer extra cash to my WesBank account as I had it available. When I do the transfer, the WesBank account would display the amount that I had transferred in advance as an "Available" balance. As I need the cash in the WesBank account, I could again easily go into the FNB app and transfer back to my bank account.

I purchased another car with WesBank last year. I followed the same process as I did with my previous vehicle, transferring some extra cash into the WesBank account. As previously, it displayed my balance as "Available". Imagine my surprise when I needed MY Available balance back in my main account, and the option to transfer in the app is gone. I could now transfer into the WesBank account, but I could not transfer back out.

I contacted FNB, who advised me to contact WesBank. WesBank's phone representative said that they have a policy that they do not do any refunds on advance payment. They refuse to listen when I say that it did not always work like this.

I opened a ticket via email, and again they refuse to acknowledge that I could transfer out of the account originally. They refuse to put me in touch with anyone who can actually look into the issue.

They acknowledge that nowhere on the agreement I signed with them is this policy specified.

According to the Consumer Protection Act: "Suppliers are not permitted to mislead consumers in respect of pricing, the nature, properties, advantages or uses of goods or services advertised, if such goods or services are not actually available for purchase or procurement in accordance with these standards."

They advertise the balance on my account as available, which is misleading as the money they supply is completely false.

The money is NOT "Available" as it states on the app.