Basic bank account feedback thread

gilligansyle

I have a Natwest STEP account, opened online, very easy. Really good online facilities, everything from a normal account except for overdraft. Made sure that I selected the options for no credit card, no overdraft etc. Checked credit report and only the most basic address check was done.

garybarbes76

:(Hi All,

Ive just been declared bankrupt and now I cant get a bank account. I have tried both the coop and Barclays but both turned me down. I have no record of fruad on my file Does anyone know of any other banks ive tried Bank of Ireland, Alliance & Leicester, Nationwide, First Trust ??????????????

Bloomberg

brat673 wrote: »

These should be outlawed or restricted to £1.What is the cost to banks? When a dd happens it should be printed on the a/c dated as it has occured. This would make the a/c holder aware.

Bank charges are fair, the fact that it costs the bank £1 when a DD fails does not mean that they should not charge you £35. There is total transparency, you know beforehand what the charges are. If your argument is to have any consistency then McDonald's for instance should not for example be allowed to charge £1 for a burger which costs 5p to make. We live in a world of disproportionate costs and charges.

Furthermore if you go overdrawn without permission you are basically borrowing money without asking. How would you feel if someone borrowed your money without your consent? Moreover with the advent of internet and telephone banking it has never been easier to keep track of your money and be aware when your account is nearly empty.

shirleymarye

garybarbes76 wrote: »

:(Hi All,

Ive just been declared bankrupt and now I cant get a bank account. I have tried both the coop and Barclays but both turned me down. I have no record of fruad on my file Does anyone know of any other banks ive tried Bank of Ireland, Alliance & Leicester, Nationwide, First Trust ??????????????

I bank with the Co-op and didn't have any problem opening my account with them,I told them right away I had debt problems and was going bankrupt. You only get a basic account with a debit card and no overdraft. Try again and be persistent.

shirleymarye

Bloomberg wrote: »

Bank charges are fair, the fact that it costs the bank £1 when a DD fails does not mean that they should not charge you £35. There is total transparency, you know beforehand what the charges are. If your argument is to have any consistency then McDonald's for instance should not for example be allowed to charge £1 for a burger which costs 5p to make. We live in a world of disproportionate costs and charges.

Furthermore if you go overdrawn without permission you are basically borrowing money without asking. How would you feel if someone borrowed your money without your consent? Moreover with the advent of internet and telephone banking it has never been easier to keep track of your money and be aware when your account is nearly empty.

I don't think £35 is fair,everyone makes mistakes at times and to charge someone £35 who is already in trouble money wise doesn't help matters. £5 maybe but £35 is extortion.

COIAHLGW

Do people get many calls asking for an "account review" for the basic bank accounts? I'm looking at opening up a basic bank account with my UK credentials/passport (not sure if I'm still on the electoral roll) on my next UK visit but I am an expat in America. Obviously if they call me for an account review I'm not going to be there . My preference I think would be Barclays because of the BofA connection.

Bloomberg

shirleymarye wrote: »

I don't think £35 is fair,everyone makes mistakes at times and to charge someone £35 who is already in trouble money wise doesn't help matters. £5 maybe but £35 is extortion.

You are totally correct when you say that everyone does on occasions make mistakes. Almost invariably the bank will refund a penalty charge if it happens once in a blue moon. Where did your figure of £5 come from?:mad:

shirleymarye

Bloomberg wrote: »

You are totally correct when you say that everyone does on occasions make mistakes. Almost invariably the bank will refund a penalty charge if it happens once in a blue moon. Where did your figure of £5 come from?:mad:

I just think £5 is a reasonable charge. I once went to court over bank charges years ago and I didn't use a solicitor,I just stood up for myself and explained how the amount of £3000 came to be owed to the bank,practically all charges. The judge went through everything and agreed with me and told the bank's solicitors in not so many words to shove off!

Bloomberg

shirleymarye wrote: »

I just think £5 is a reasonable charge. I once went to court over bank charges years ago and I didn't use a solicitor,I just stood up for myself and explained how the amount of £3000 came to be owed to the bank,practically all charges. The judge went through everything and agreed with me and told the bank's solicitors in not so many words to shove off!

I just think £35 is a reasonable charge. What is legal and what is moral are two different things. Do not take any comfort from the court ruling. Bearing in mind that bank charges are normally in £30 - £35 increments you must have been persistently incurring penalty charges. I do not know your story and do not want to judge you but the bottom line is that you were borrowing/trying to borrow money without asking which is fundamentally wrong. Like I said before how would you like it if somebody borrowed money from you without asking?

shirleymarye

Bloomberg wrote: »

I just think £35 is a reasonable charge. What is legal and what is moral are two different things. Do not take any comfort from the court ruling. Bearing in mind that bank charges are normally in £30 - £35 increments you must have been persistently incurring penalty charges. I do not know your story and do not want to judge you but the bottom line is that you were borrowing/trying to borrow money without asking which is fundamentally wrong. Like I said before how would you like it if somebody borrowed money from you without asking?

I wasn't borrowing anything,these charges were incurred by the bank because they moved the goal posts without telling me. The court agreed with me. These were all charges on top of charges by the bank,new bank manager who changed the rules without telling me. I still say that to charge £35 is disgusting when you think of how much they pay out in the form of bonus to people.