Co-Op cashminder - forget it!

circuit · 2 April 2006 at 6:49PM

I've been trying to open a second account recently in case HSBC decide to close my account when I take them to court.

I applied for a Cashminder account over the phone on 14 Feb. I had the argument over whether I would be credit checked - they insisted I would, I said I shouldn't be. Anyway, a couple of weeks later I was asked to send my passport as proof of ID, which I did. My passport came back to me in a recorded delivery envelope some time later.

Last weekend I called and the girl on the phone told me that I should have had a letter (I hadn't) because they didn't accept passports - they wanted a certified copy. She told me to take my documents into the branch to get the application finished. The next day I received the letter that the woman had told me about - at least 2 weeks late.

I went into the branch with documents - my passport, and my benefit book. The lady behind the desk told me that my application had expired, and was I ok to be credit checked again? I reluctantly agreed after arguing that it wasn't a credit checked account. As soon as she did that, she told me that my benefit book wasn't acceptable ID. I pointed to the letter. "No, that means a letter from the Benefits Agency". Am I supposed to be psychic?

Last Friday, I went back, armed with a credit card statement and passport and queued to see the same lady. When I got to the desk she told me I couldn't see here at that desk and had to queue for the other one.

I marched out of course - and got home to TWO more letters asking for ID!

Every time I have called they confuse my application with a Smile account which I was turned down for, which is obviously on my record, yet they can't seem to distinguish between the two.

As for Natwest... they're no better. Is it REALLY so hard to get a basic bank account??

looby75 · 2 April 2006 at 7:47PM

you think that's bad you want to try to get HSBC to admit that a 13 yr old isn't going to have a diving licence or a utility bill in her name.

We are having a nightmare at the moment with HSBC over my daughters Livecash account. She has just turned 13 and they want to give her a solo card, which I thought would be a good idea as it will get her used to using plastic in a responsible way. Anyway for some strange reason HSBC said she had to collect the card from their branch and that she needed to bring 2 forms of ID with her, one had to be photo id (passport or driving licence) and the other bill with her name and address on! I phoned the helpline and spoke to a Indian lady who was pretty insistent that my daughter needed a driving licence and that was the only form of photo id they would accept as a licence has your address on it. After 40 mins on the phone she finally agreed to phone the local branch and ask them what to do, and eventually she came back to me and said that if my daughter authorised me to act on her behalf over the phone there and then, I would be able to go with my proof of ID and collect the card on her behalf.

The next day I call in at the branch, tell the customer services person what I was there for and was told point blank that I couldn't collect the card. I demanded to talk to someone about it and was fobbed off and pretty much accused of lying about my daughter giving me authorisation over the phone as they had no record of it! Then after all that they said that they would just send the card out to my daughter. Why the heck they couldn't do that in the first place anyway I don't know!

So to cut it short I still don't have any idea how the heck my 13 yr old daughter is going to prove her id if she needs to deal with the HSBC again, they are still insistent that the only form of ID they will accept is a full UK driving licence or passport AND a recent utilities bill with her name and address on :mad:

BTW we are going to open a Halifax (my bank) account for her next week, and it seems that for once they actually have taken these kind of problems into consideration and are happy for her to prove her id with a passport and a utilities bill in MY name along with my passport.

Fedz · 3 April 2006 at 8:55PM

Agreed. Not a the best start!

The best way to open bank account(s) is in person at a branch.

Take ID: a few utility bills, bank statements and either a passport and or P60.

The above IDs will be copied and certified by staff and they use the computer to do the application (no form).

I've noticed banks (in general) won't actually allow you to apply for such and such account.

They apply for a full current account and also credit check so they can see which is the highest account and or services they can offer you and depending on the outcome of any searches done (if not good) they'll then offer the basic bank account.

Right or wrong it's the way they all seem to be going.

Filling in forms and posting to head office is far too risky and or time consuming.

Sometimes ID isn't required depending on the results of searches done when applying (in person in branch) but, best to take the IDs in case

Kind regards

kappler · 9 December 2006 at 3:05AM

Well yes it is.
Regretably, when dealing with banks over the telephone you are up against staff (mainly women and girls) who are pretty thick (and I really mean thick) and there is absoloutly nothing you can do about it. Even their supervisors are just as thick. I am of the opinion that the banks put these people there on purpose. When you are up against ignorance on this scale you are forced to give up in the end since there is nobody there with whom you can reason or discuss the matter.

Good luck

Annabee · 9 December 2006 at 3:44AM

Bit of sexism there kapler. I'm sure the men are just as thick.

Debt_Free_Chick · 9 December 2006 at 3:59AM

kappler wrote:

Well yes it is.
Regretably, when dealing with banks over the telephone you are up against staff (mainly women and girls) who are pretty thick (and I really mean thick) and there is absoloutly nothing you can do about it. Even their supervisors are just as thick. I am of the opinion that the banks put these people there on purpose. When you are up against ignorance on this scale you are forced to give up in the end since there is nobody there with whom you can reason or discuss the matter.

Good luck

ooohhhh.... that's pretty harsh.

The problem is not that they're thick - but they are trained ONLY to read from a script. If your question isn't on the script or if the answer is one that you can't meet, you're lost as far as the script is concerned.

If anyone is thick (and it's a term that I'm not at all comfortable using) it's the person who decided that call-centre staff should not be allowed to use their initiative, or think for themselves, but only to read "from the script"! :mad:

kappler · 11 December 2006 at 4:14PM

Stand by what I said.
Some of these people are really thick. No I mean genuinely thick.
You can even ask them the question and, thick as they are, they will even confirm it. The males appear to be less so. Thats not to say they are less
so. They just appear to be less thick. But the females !!!
Of course its not their fault and mainly for the reasons you state.
When these girls are interviewed for the job they are asked questions
such as "Have you used the telephone before ?" or Is Africa a continent or a country ? . If they say they don't know or are unsure they get the job. The banks have specific criteria and reasons for accepting people like this. If you've got one or two GCSEs chances are you'll be turned down for the job.
Just pop into any branch of any bank on any high street in England and observe them for a few minutes then you'll understand what I mean.

Rafter · 12 December 2006 at 2:24PM

The money laundering and identity checks on banks are very strict.

Bank clerk jobs are also some of the lowest paid - for example check out assistants at Tesco with bonuses etc earn more.

Sure you feel inconvenienced and the rules seem stupid but don't just blame the poor banks. The compliance teams and the civil servants who drafted the legislation have a right to share the blame too!

R.

pamperpot · 18 July 2009 at 7:10AM

You frustration re opening an account is understandable. but as said please spare a thought for the poor 'girls' who really arent trained in the the complexitys of different accounts...whilst saying this i must point out that the 'men' i have encountered, especially Branch Managers, are even less informed, and will usualy pass you on to 'someone else'.
personaly i had not a lot of option as to bank accounts, as i was declared Bankrupt on the 8th July and only the Co-Op or Barclays will allow undischarged Bankrupts to open an account. so having done my homework on the net i went into the branch to apply. it took 15 minutes!! yes she said they would do a credit check...no problem there, i had nothing to hide and they were aware of my Bankruptcy so.... took a copy of my Passport (I would not like to send it through the post for any reason!!) and i had a Bank account in 7 days.
Obviously the only way to get what you want is to research your options prior to application. as soon as you know what you want go into a Branch, taking the relevant paperwork with you, and open it!! there should be no problem, but if there is, forget call centres, yes they are full of people reading from cards (computor screens actualy)...i worked in one once...for 2 days...I am a 'blonde women', but unsure if that classes me as thick :rolleyes: but i do know that no training is given for whatever product you are selling, so you will almost NEVER get an answer to a query unless you go into a Branch.

Good luck all

scott_lithgows · 18 July 2009 at 12:52PM

He,s not posted in 2 1/2 years,wonder if the girls got him !

Bosie · 18 July 2009 at 7:44PM

I think the incentive is to open full bank accounts, I opened a cashminder account in 2005, I went into a branch, the ''man'' I got said it would be best to try for a full account, and if declined it goes to be referred for a Cashminder.

This is what exactly happened! I was given a number for the application opening team, rang them a few days later and they said it was approved (cashminder account)

Last year I thought I really need a bank not too far away, so went into The Abbey Bank, oh dear was that a mistake or what
Got a complete eejit and a male one at that, have explained about this on another thread! I agree it can be very hair pulling experience to open a basic account.

Good luck x

Co-Op cashminder - forget it!

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