trying to open an account!

mariel_3

Hi,
can anyone advise me, I'm trying to help my 18 y.o. son to open a bank account, he has twice filled in applications but then been unable to provide the evidence required of his identity and address. He lives at home with me and his stepfather hence no utility bills, he has no credit or debit cards, no passport or driving licence either.
He's severely dyslexic and finds dealing with forms and paperwork stressful and difficult. He just started his first job at TESCO (on the checkout) b4 christmas, they cashed his first month's salary cheque for him but I'm trying to encourage him to budget and that's hard when he keeps losing banknotes under the assorted detrius in his bedroom!
We phoned the bank on Monday and they said he'll just have to apply for a provisional driving licence (to prove his identity) and get one of our household bills transferred into his name (to prove his address), so we're trying to do that but it is more paperwork and hassle (and expense?) for him and I'm not sure that BT or Powergen will agree to change the bills to his name while being paid via a direct debit from my account? - it seems to circumvent the whole 'proving your address thing'.
sorry to babble, any suggestions?
-M

Jay-Jay_4

It's pretty easy to change your utility bills to someone else's name, you just need to phone them up, change the name and ask them to send you a new bill. (I did this with my water bill, only took a week)

Have you got a child benefit book or advice with your sons name and address on? Does his wage slip have his address on or a NHS medical card? Actually these probably won't count towards ID needed for an account application but I'm wracking my brains for things that will.

mariel_3

Thanks Jay-Jay ( i love your fighting baby). Called BT, went through 4 separate "for balh blah press 7" stages then held on the line for 16 minutes. They couldn't help as they'd have to speak to my hubby in whose name the account is ( although the bills are paid froma joint account) - I guess I should've expected that. called Powergen and it was scarily easy ( I'm never happy am I !) the next bill will have his name on it!
Now we just have to find some identity information; the list from the bank is;
full or provisional driving licence
passport
state benefit book
letter confriming benefit paid into a bank with a bank statement confirming reciept withing the last 3 months ( his child ben stopped when he finished college int he summer)
tax exception certificate for construction workers
printed inland revenue doscumentation showing NI no under 12 months old ( he has one from 2 years ago when he left school
UK firearms cert with photo
credit card or debit card under 6 weeks old.
- and they have to be recieved within 10 days! so the driving licence is looking unlikely.
-M

moggins

I had this problem last year, in the end I rang my local tax office in desparation and the lady on the phone arranged for a new tax document to be issued to me, it arrived within the week.

lipidicman

Yeah, go with the TAX NOTIFICATION and thank you for reminding me to phone for mine.

The bit about the bills is ridiculous - I have a just-out-of-date passport (which is not acceptable) but if I asked powergen to send me a bill to 'Mickey Mouse' that would be OK? Passing the Buck it seems. These rules turn the bank staff into such jobsworths. I took in my NIcard, my old passport, my statements, my P45, my rental agreement, my University Staff Card......and they wouldnt accept me!

Now you average money-launderer with a fake passport - that will do nicely sir, thank you!

ukric

I work in customer services for a bank and whenever anyone asks for proof I always suggest they try the inland rev, u pay taxes may aswell get some use out of em hehe

mariel_3

thanks for the suggestions!
I noticed that the letter said the info had to be supplied within 9 days so called the bank to sday that both th bill and the passport were going to take longer than that.
The woman I spoke to said it didn't matter how long it took ( so why put 9 days in the letter?) and that it was ridiculous that we'd been told to change the utilities bills! she didn't make any other suggestions though!

Talon_Karrde

I can't BELIEVE it's that difficult!?
Surely you should also be writing to your MP about this? How can it be so hard for someone who doesn't own a house to get a bank account? I mean, s'cuse my french but it's !!!!!! ridiculous. I suppose one solution, but one that will be more use longer term is to apply for a passport.?
!!!!!! red tape

Fatboy_NSS

I agree the situation is ridiculous. The sooner we have ID cards the better, then everyone will always have sufficient ID in their pocket and we won't have to worry about which documents can and can't be accepted in combination with which others.

If you need ID urgently, the quickest things to obtain are Inland Revenue Notice of Coding and NHS card.

Curry_Queen

I had a similar problem when I was applying for a new account, I think with the Co-op, a year or so ago and because on the documents I supplied one addressed me as Mrs and the other as Ms (I've been separated a few years now so use either!) they wouldn't accept them despite my full name and address being exactly the same :rolleyes:

lipidicman

Fatboy_NSS wrote:

If you need ID urgently, the quickest things to obtain are Inland Revenue Notice of Coding and NHS card.

I have had nothing but an engaged tone from the Inland revenue, and I have tried every day for a whole week. I got through on Saturday, two weeks running and both times their system was down for upgrade. I asked them to note my details and enter it on Monday, but no, you must phone back on a weekday......to receive another engaged tone.......Arghhhhhhh!