Complain About City National Bank - File a Complaint Today

Locked out of your account again? It's not just you. Since the disastrous system integration with RBC, City National Bank's customer experience has completely fallen apart. Their Better Business Bureau page is a testament to this chaos, with a shocking 1.09 out of 5-star customer rating and over 280 complaints closed in the last three years alone. Customers are furious about being unable to access their own money, facing constant technical glitches, and getting stuck in endless loops with unhelpful customer service. The most common complaints flag issues with "account access," "transaction errors," and a total lack of support. If you're at your wit's end trying to get a straight answer, you're in the right place. Visit City National Bank

Last Edited on 03 Nov, 2025

Olivia Harper, Senior Content Manager

7 min read

Best ways to complain to City National Bank

Contact Method	Details & Availability	Why use this instead
Phone	1-800-773-7100 (Mon-Fri, 6:00 AM - 5:30 PM PT; Sat, 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM PT)	Best for urgent issues like suspected fraud or being locked out of your account.
Secure Message	Via your online banking portal (24/7)	Creates a written record of your complaint and their response. Good for non-urgent, detailed issues.
Mail	City National Bank, United States, P.O. Box 60520, Los Angeles, CA 90060-0520	For formal complaints or sending sensitive documents. Use certified mail for proof of delivery.
Social Media	@CityNational (X/Twitter)	Public complaints can sometimes get a faster, albeit generic, initial response. Use for visibility.

Estimated Response Times from City National Bank After Complaining

Honestly, 'estimated' is a strong word here. Prepare to wait.

Method	Expected Wait Time
Phone	15 - 60+ minutes (hold time)
Secure Message	2 - 5 business days
Mail	7 - 10 business days
Social Media	24 - 48 hours

Tips to Get a Quicker Response from a Complaint

Call Early: Try calling the moment their phone lines open (6:00 AM PT) to avoid the longest queues.
Have Everything Ready: Before you call or write, gather your full name, account number, and specific details of the issue including dates, transaction amounts, and error messages.
Use Keywords: When speaking to an automated system or a representative, use clear keywords like "formal complaint" or "dispute a transaction" to get routed correctly.
Keep it Simple: Explain your problem clearly and concisely in the first sentence. Don't bury the important details in a long story.

How to Escalate Your Complaint

If City National Bank is ignoring you or giving you the runaround, it's time to escalate. Don't just give up.

Step 1: Internal Escalation When you're on the phone, calmly but firmly say, "I need to speak with a supervisor or manager." Standard representatives often have limited authority, and a supervisor can sometimes resolve the issue immediately.

Step 2: File a Complaint with the CFPB If internal escalation fails, your most powerful tool is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

What it is: The CFPB is a U.S. government agency that protects consumers in the financial sector. Banks are legally required to respond to complaints filed through them.
How it works: You can submit a complaint online at consumerfinance.gov. The process is straightforward. The CFPB forwards your complaint to City National Bank and ensures they provide a timely response, typically within 15 days.
What to expect: This gets their attention. Filing with the CFPB often moves your case to a higher-level internal resolution team.

Step 3: Report to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) While not a government agency, the BBB provides a public forum for complaints.

How it works: File a complaint on the BBB website. City National Bank will be notified and can respond publicly.
What to expect: This adds public pressure. It's less powerful than the CFPB but can be a useful secondary step. Be aware, the bank might just give a generic corporate response.

Email Template to Complain to City National Bank

Subject: Formal Complaint: Unresolved Issue with Account #[Your Account Number]

To Whom It May Concern,

This is my third attempt to resolve a critical issue regarding my account, #[Your Account Number]. I previously contacted customer service on [Date of first call] and again on [Date of second call] (Reference #[Ticket/Reference Number], if you have one), but the problem remains unresolved.

On [Date of incident], [Clearly and concisely describe the problem, e.g., an incorrect fee of $XX was charged to my account, I was locked out of my online banking portal following the system update, a promised refund was never processed]. This has caused significant inconvenience, as I have been unable to [Describe the impact, e.g., pay my bills, access my funds, confirm my balance].

To resolve this, I require you to [State your specific demand, e.g., immediately refund the $XX fee, restore my online banking access, process the outstanding refund].

Please be aware that if this issue is not fully resolved within 5 business days, I will be escalating my complaint by filing a formal report with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Thank you for your prompt attention to this serious matter.

Sincerely,

[Your Full Name] [Your Phone Number]

Additional Helpful Tips to get Your Complaint Resolved

Get a Reference Number: Never end a phone call without a reference or ticket number for your conversation. It's your only proof.
Document Everything: Take screenshots of online banking errors, save chat transcripts, and keep a log of who you spoke to and when. Paper trails are powerful.
Use the Magic Words: On the phone, mentioning your intent to file a "CFPB complaint" can sometimes get you transferred to a more senior resolution department.
Send a Certified Letter: For major issues, sending your complaint via USPS Certified Mail creates an undeniable legal record that they received your correspondence. It feels old-school, but it works.

Let Pine AI Help Raise the Complaint to City National Bank

Tired of explaining your issue for the tenth time? Or listening to that awful hold music just to be disconnected? Sound familiar? Instead of wasting another hour navigating their phone tree, let Pine AI handle it. We'll draft the complaint, send it through the right channels, and manage the follow-ups. No more repeating yourself or wondering if your message was even read. It's the perfect tool for when you're done dealing with the hassle but still need results. Seriously.