Bank Account for au pair with limited ID

noncom_2

Hi all

My family has just taken on an au pair for the first time. She's 19, from Austria, and has not lived in this country before. She obviously needs a bank account, and as my wife and I have been satisfied Smile customers for years, we recommended that.

Smile rejected the application on the grounds that her ID was insufficient. Obviously she has an EU passport, but they wouldn't accept her EU driving license (I think because it doesn't have her address on).

As she's living with us, she is not responsible for any utility bills, insurance etc etc, so there was nothing else on their list which she could supply. After speaking to them, someone suggested that we send in a copy of her au pair employment contract (which states on it where she will be living and working). We did so, and a week later they decided that was unacceptable.

Then they suggested that she could get their Basic Bank account with the ID she has already submitted. Today they have rejected that application on grounds of insufficient ID. We're now totally fed up with this (it has taken 3 weeks to get nowhere).

So the question is: who can she open a Bank Account with (basic would do, as she doesn't really need an overdraft), with an EU passport and Driving License, but no utility bills, council tax bill, insurance (apart from a Car Breakdown policy we bought for her), phone contract etc????

Please help.

Thanks
Andy

charlotte289

noncom wrote: »

Hi all

My family has just taken on an au pair for the first time. She's 19, from Austria, and has not lived in this country before. She obviously needs a bank account, and as my wife and I have been satisfied Smile customers for years, we recommended that.

Smile rejected the application on the grounds that her ID was insufficient. Obviously she has an EU passport, but they wouldn't accept her EU driving license (I think because it doesn't have her address on).

As she's living with us, she is not responsible for any utility bills, insurance etc etc, so there was nothing else on their list which she could supply. After speaking to them, someone suggested that we send in a copy of her au pair employment contract (which states on it where she will be living and working). We did so, and a week later they decided that was unacceptable.

Then they suggested that she could get their Basic Bank account with the ID she has already submitted. Today they have rejected that application on grounds of insufficient ID. We're now totally fed up with this (it has taken 3 weeks to get nowhere).

So the question is: who can she open a Bank Account with (basic would do, as she doesn't really need an overdraft), with an EU passport and Driving License, but no utility bills, council tax bill, insurance (apart from a Car Breakdown policy we bought for her), phone contract etc????

Please help.

Thanks
Andy

Hi,
I had a similar experience with Smile when trying to open an account with them... they're hellishly picky when it comes to ID! After three attempts of sending properly certified documents in, and having them all rejected for some reason or another (including slight variations in my address on different documents which I couldn't help!), I just gave up and wrote them a lengthy letter of complaint and cancellation. Perhaps their banking methods are ethical but their application methods are certainly not. :mad: Maybe it's better in-branch (at the Co-operative bank), but seeing as I live nowhere near one, I wouldn't know.

I'd personally recommend Clydesdale / Yorkshire Bank, seeing as they give you a debit card with a basic bank account (a "Readycash" account). Failing that, Halifax (or Bank of Scotland) and Lloyds TSB are also decent. Hope she gets on OK in the future as far as banks are concerned!

edit: And crucially, they're not as picky where ID is concerned.

book12

Try the following banks (they are foreigner friendly):

• LTSB (only one piece of EU ID will be enough, no need seperate proof of address)
• Barclays (only one piece of EU ID will be enough, no need seperate proof of address)
• Halifax
• Natwest

I would recommend the first two.

Tell us how you get on.

finder

noncom wrote: »

Hi all

My family has just taken on an au pair for the first time. She's 19, from Austria, and has not lived in this country before. She obviously needs a bank account, and as my wife and I have been satisfied Smile customers for years, we recommended that.

Smile rejected the application on the grounds that her ID was insufficient. Obviously she has an EU passport, but they wouldn't accept her EU driving license (I think because it doesn't have her address on).

As she's living with us, she is not responsible for any utility bills, insurance etc etc, so there was nothing else on their list which she could supply. After speaking to them, someone suggested that we send in a copy of her au pair employment contract (which states on it where she will be living and working). We did so, and a week later they decided that was unacceptable.

Then they suggested that she could get their Basic Bank account with the ID she has already submitted. Today they have rejected that application on grounds of insufficient ID. We're now totally fed up with this (it has taken 3 weeks to get nowhere).

So the question is: who can she open a Bank Account with (basic would do, as she doesn't really need an overdraft), with an EU passport and Driving License, but no utility bills, council tax bill, insurance (apart from a Car Breakdown policy we bought for her), phone contract etc????

Please help.

Thanks
Andy

Hi

I don't know about the other banks which offer basic bank accounts but I do not quite see what the problem is as they don't give you any credit. The accounts don't have any overdrafts so they are not risking any money. I can talk for the Halifax easycash account. All you need is the passport and a UK address (i.e. your address) to open the account. Apply online in the link provided; then they will send you a letter asking for a copy of your passport and your signature and then you will up and running. I am from continental Europe and have done this a couple of times with friends coming to stay for a few months and never had any problems.

chexum

noncom wrote: »

After speaking to them, someone suggested that we send in a copy of her au pair employment contract (which states on it where she will be living and working).

That's the last resort - I'm afraid if that doesn't work, they really won't be able to help, time to go somewhere else. The problem with people new to the country, that there's no proof of their residency, and without addresses, noone can be sure if they have been in the country before and could have already racked up a nice debt to escape from.

It's better to open an account in branch, you have more chances to explain the circumstances, and you'll have a response much more quickly - at least if negative If you go to a high street with several banks to spend the morning there, one of them will likely be more understanding.

HSBC has a special type of account, though costing £8 monthly for a year, called the Passport, that is specifically for people new to the country, and they accept foreign ID cards, but best to bring foreign bank statements as well, they may want to check it.

It's either them, or I've heard Lloyds can be happy to see more customers with EU ID as well, but they will try to sell the monthly fee accounts as well, just tell that you (she) can't afford those fees, as you need to save as much as you can first because of the low income.

noncom_2

Hi all, and thanks for the replies.

It seems all banks have tightened up their procedures a lot, as we trawled around the local town for hours the other day without much success. Everywhere seemed to give us the Catch22 answer that without proof of address you can't get an account, but without an account then you can't sign up for the things that they would accept as proof of residence.

Eventually Nationwide said they would accept a letter from a Doctor, Lawyer etc stating that they knew the au pair in question and vouching for the fact that she lived with us. We nearly fainted when the GP where we are all registered refused to give us such a letter, saying that even though we'd all registered at the practice at the same address, they couldn't prove that we lived there so they wouldn't vouch for it..... !!!

Anyway, as it happens, my wife is a Doctor and Nationwide said that a letter from her practice would do, so it's sorted now. But honestly, how to make young people feel welcome in this country.... treat them like criminals just because they want a bank account!!!