You may think that Britain's banks are thieves!

AussieLass

No I mean for other people other than UK citizens. Like we hope to come to Scotland sometime during 2006 and spend a couple of years. I've heard that it's hard to open an account as we don't have all the stuff you have to produce & it takes a while to get. Although on this site I did read I could open a citibank account and they don't expect all that stuff. I would then change once I've got all the necessary paperwork. I havne't really looked into it properly yet as I've had so much other stuff to do. What was in your present? :snow_grin

SammyD_2

Same in New Zealand - and every transaction costs. You get paid - the bank charges you for receiving the money. You pay your power bill - the bank charges you for the debit. You look at your balance on line - your bank charges you. There are some exceptions (like if you have a really big mortgage with them) but these are few and far between. It is not all bad - the banking system is a bit quicker than it is here, but I was astonished to sit down with the woman at HSBC and be told there were NO charges for usual transactions - she seemed baffled by my asking how much it cost to deposit money.

NB - Aussielass - I opened my HSBC account (London branch) through Thomas Cook from NZ - you had to have about £1500 to open it, and pick up the cards when you got here, but it was all really easy. Web sites like https://www.1stcontact.co.uk have lots of info, but I am sure you are onto it already.

General point for anyone complaining about the cost of living in the UK - I am utterly convinced that I am much better off here than in New Zealand - it is all the little extras - eg here I get tax deductions on my pension contributions, free health care (compared to $50 a go at the doctors), child benefit, free banking, a personal allowance before I get taxed, tax free savings (ISA's), etc. There are many good things about living in NZ, but they are not necessarily financial.

gizmoleeds

SammyD wrote:

General point for anyone complaining about the cost of living in the UK - I am utterly convinced that I am much better off here than in New Zealand - it is all the little extras - eg here I get tax deductions on my pension contributions, free health care (compared to $50 a go at the doctors), child benefit, free banking, a personal allowance before I get taxed, tax free savings (ISA's), etc. There are many good things about living in NZ, but they are not necessarily financial.

I bet you have trouble telling people that!

As far as most Britons are concerned, we have:
- high tax (not true)
- high cost of living (partly true)
- rubbish public services (not true when compared to our taxes)
- bad weather (okay, that one's true)

and just about everything is "going to the dogs" (as it has been since the time of the plague). :rolleyes:

SammyD_2

gizmoleeds wrote:

I bet you have trouble telling people that!

As far as most Britons are concerned, we have:
- high tax (not true)
- high cost of living (partly true)
- rubbish public services (not true when compared to our taxes)
- bad weather (okay, that one's true)

and just about everything is "going to the dogs" (as it has been since the time of the plague). :rolleyes:

Certainly do have trouble convincing people. Then I point out that they have just come back from a week in Spain, and are about to book their next European holiday. OK, not everyone can afford this by any stretch of the imagination, but people on even modest incomes seem to be able to afford some kind of holiday here. At home in NZ an overseas trip was a rareity (like in my family's case - never) and holidays often consist of going to stay with relatives. But here holidays seem so cheap. And in terms of quality of life, there are a huge variety of cheap holidays and all without the need for a long-haul flight.

A further factor is the "Tesco syndrome". OK, we all hate them, but to get a pair of denim jeans for £4??? And my contact lenses are 20% of the cost here compared to home (again, Tesco!). That is the thing about being able to order items from manufacturers in huge quantities. Similarly, computer stuff, tv's etc etc are all cheap. And University fees are MUCH cheaper here.

Yes, London is expensive for houses...I own a house in a very nice but "unfashionable" 1930's area of outer London. I would probably be able to sell up and get something a bit bigger in Auckland, but not by much. Anyone living in Auckland/Sydney and trying to buy a house without the benefit of having a huge sum from the UK property boom will be struggling. And if I lived in Auckland I would not have access to three swimming pools in walking distance of my house, bus train and tube close by, the best theatres in the world half an hour by train/tube...and I would struggle with congested motorways that rival the M25 in the rush-hour.

I kind of like it here!

AussieLass

SammyD wrote:

NB - Aussielass - I opened my HSBC account (London branch) through Thomas Cook from NZ - you had to have about £1500 to open it, and pick up the cards when you got here, but it was all really easy. Web sites like www.1stcontact.co.uk have lots of info, but I am sure you are onto it already.

Would you be able to answer a few questions that I've been wanting to know for ages about 1st contact? I've known for a while about their package to help open up a bank account. But, it looks like we have to attend a seminar in London to be able to take up this offer. Can't think of anything worse after arriving to have to do this. Also we will be based in Scotland. Would the HSBC account work out ok for me? I found everything you've said about the UK to be true as well. I suppose the only thing I found daunting was the crime. But I live in a rural town so that's probably why. I found Rome frightening. Ha Ha. Couldn't wait to get back to Uk. So there is always somewhere worse off.

gizmoleeds

AussieLass wrote:

I suppose the only thing I found daunting was the crime.

I've only once been a victim of crime and that was in Spain...