RBS Bank Statement Con

rabkerr

Watch out for this banking trick.
I was convinced to go green and to stop receiving printed bank statements.
Very handy at the time as I can view everything on the Internet.
However...I am now unemployed and applying for Council Tax Benefit.
The council require 2 bank statements and will not accept mini-statements
or printouts.RBS now want £5 for each printed statement.

There are many circumstances where you will require a bank statement
so if you have stopped receiving them by post check with your bank
to see if there is a charge should you need one in a hurry.

I've now switched back to printed statements.

nzseries1

It's not a con - ultimately it was your choice to go green.

Although admittedly, they don't make clear the sheer number of services that still require printed statements. I do agree that they should make clearer the potential consequences of "going green".

My bank often try and convince me to go green, and my reply is always the same "The Home Office require my bank statements each year as stated in the terms and conditions of my visa". My bank seem shocked by this; perhaps they forget that the UK still lives in the stone age and still require paper proofs of address/income.

pogofish

Yup, watch this one carefully.

I had hell & then some in the past for not being able to produce a complete period of statements - Ended-up in years of legal hassle, despite my paying £30 for replacements.

JamieD_2

Mmmm. The whole "paperless statements save the world" idea does present a few problems. When people access all their utility bills, bank & credit card info solely online, they then

- Have almost no acceptable forms of proof of address (making it tough to switch banks, apply for other financial products)

- Being completely at the mercy of technical failure when hard copies of bills are needed, usually while embroiled in an argument over disputed payments.

There's more effective ways to save the planet

chambta

Although I'm not sure what the 'official line' is from the bank is on this but I certainly would not make the charge.

What I would say from experience is that we have stamped and signed certain print outs that give the information required in a hurry and the local council have accepted them without a problem.

rb10

JamieD wrote: »

Mmmm. The whole "paperless statements save the world" idea does present a few problems. When people access all their utility bills, bank & credit card info solely online, they then

- Have almost no acceptable forms of proof of address (making it tough to switch banks, apply for other financial products)

1) Most people have a driving licence.
2) If you've lived at the same address for about one year or more, then most people can now have their identity verified electronically with a credit reference agency, which means a paper statement is not needed.

Nigella_2

My council accepted my printed online bank-statements. They were in colour, perhaps they thought that they were the originals!

Maybe ask your branch for a print out and get it officially stamped with the branch details etc.

nzseries1

rb10 wrote: »

1) Most people have a driving licence.
2) If you've lived at the same address for about one year or more, then most people can now have their identity verified electronically with a credit reference agency, which means a paper statement is not needed.

1) Debatable! Do you have a reliable source for this? I've got about 10 good friends in London. 1 of them has a driving licence. That's not "most" in my opinion.
2) I've been at my address for a year, but because it's in a housing estate, and it's often written 100 different ways, I'm never able to be verified electronically.

chambta wrote: »

What I would say from experience is that we have stamped and signed certain print outs that give the information required in a hurry and the local council have accepted them without a problem.

Councils perhaps.
Banks, the Home Office, Utility companies, Passport Office... NO.

Extant

Yes, I am sure this is exactly the case. Fred was sitting around thinking that he should get people to stop having paper statements on the off chance that they would eventually need one, and he could charge £5 a go.

Damn those evil bankers!

oldandgrumpy

Yeah, Barclays Manager...damn them. Oh, they have got their come-uppancce, I hear. No more bonuses.
But I wonder if the statements required are truly for identification purposes or, more sinisterly, a form of credit worthiness check?
And do the councils etc who require them photo copy them, as they do passports and driving licences?

brightonman123

which council was this? my one had no probs with own printed statements.. they woukd only be taking a copy anyway, so what difference woukld it make?

i am sure they could gert one direct from the bank, if you allow it?

failing that, turn on normal statements, abnd to hell with the trees!:beer: