Basic Bank Account Thread

Jay_dee7705

Hello there,

I'm about to start working for myself and as I'll be a sole trader I've been advised that I don't need a business account. However, I want to keep my work money separate so I'm looking to open another current account. Can anyone advise on a bank to go with? My other account is with lloyds but I'm not sure if they'll let me open up another current account.

I was looking at a Natwest account? Are they any good?

Any info appreciated

Thanks!

JD

book12

Dottydoodah wrote: »

Hi
I am in a bit of a pickle.
I am a New Zealander now permanently resident in UK. I have now been here 1yr exactly. I am a registered nurse in full time employment, but i have been refused a Santander bank account. They only asked for my passport as ID in the branch. I got no explanation as to why i was refused.
As i have no credit history in UK i have had to stay at my daughters house and have no utility bills in my name. Stupidly, i have just realised that my NZ drivers licence has recently expired and renewing that is going to take a while!!
Is there ANY bank account that is open to me which only requires my passport that WILL accept me?
All i want it for is to pay in my salary and service direct debits as and when i get some!

Thanks in advance

Try Barclays. They seem to be foreigner friendly. Alternatively, try the Halifax Easycash Account (no need proof of address).

Do you have a HMRC tax notification letter? That could count as proof of address.

Dottydoodah_2

Thanks to all who replied

I tried Barclays today who told me i didnt have enough ID, but i shall try again tomorrow as i have received the end of year tax letter from inland revenue and that has my daughters address on. I shall also give Halifax a go.

Re my driving licence. Yes, i am aware I need to change my licennce and thats how i discovered my NZ one had expired! I am now in a catch 22 with that issue also. To renew my NZ licence from UK just so i can swap it for a UK one, i have to provide evidence of my address in uk for the NZ licencing authority!! :mad::o
So yet another pain in the backside!
If i cant get the NZ licence i will have to go through the whole UK sytem and sit a driving test after 30yrs of driving LOL. Never mind. Not relevant to this website really, but thanks for the advice

cifpower

Got a reply this morning to my complaint from NatWest. They say ALL their account will be credit checked at Equifax but they will remove my credit searches this time.

lolagirl

My experiences with trying to open a Yorkshire Bank account have been awful. I called to ask to open the account and was told by the customer services person that I'd have to wait for my local branch to call me back. About 4 days later someone at the local branch called me back and interrogated me as if I was a criminal. About 3 days after that some other woman at the branch called and again interrogated me. She kept saying "why are you asking for the basic account." She then said she could make me an account opening appointment two weeks from now. Not very encouraging so far.

crispycornflake

lolagirl wrote: »

My experiences with trying to open a Yorkshire Bank account have been awful. I called to ask to open the account and was told by the customer services person that I'd have to wait for my local branch to call me back. About 4 days later someone at the local branch called me back and interrogated me as if I was a criminal. About 3 days after that some other woman at the branch called and again interrogated me. She kept saying "why are you asking for the basic account." She then said she could make me an account opening appointment two weeks from now. Not very encouraging so far.

yes, i totally agree, had the same issues with them so I made a complaint via their callcentre, within about an hour local branch manager rang back grovelling and offering me an appointment to open an account. Basically I told them to stick it and opened an account with barclays instead. I have had no issues with barclays, they have been fine so far.

Brian_The_Lion

lolagirl wrote: »

My experiences with trying to open a Yorkshire Bank account have been awful. I called to ask to open the account and was told by the customer services person that I'd have to wait for my local branch to call me back. About 4 days later someone at the local branch called me back and interrogated me as if I was a criminal. About 3 days after that some other woman at the branch called and again interrogated me. She kept saying "why are you asking for the basic account." She then said she could make me an account opening appointment two weeks from now. Not very encouraging so far.

I had the same with Clydesdale, must be a groupwide attitude problem!!

I think if you specify wanting a basic account it puts their backs up because they lose the opportunity to sell you all the addons and thus adding another "sale"...

lolagirl

Brian_The_Lion wrote: »

I had the same with Clydesdale, must be a groupwide attitude problem!!

I think if you specify wanting a basic account it puts their backs up because they lose the opportunity to sell you all the addons and thus adding another "sale"...

Did you open an account with them in the end? The woman told me that I HAVE to apply for a full current account and that I HAVE to be credit scored whether I like it or not. She said I can only have the basic account if I fail the credit score for the full current account. I actually really do just want the basic account and that is all. Is it true that you're not allowed to just apply for the basic account directly?

pmduk

It isn't true at all. If you're told that again, by any bank, take their name and make a formal complaint. If you read the full post you'll find many banks try all sorts of ruses and lies to try and upsell you.

benoit

I think perhaps the official Yorkshire Bank company representative might want to have a read of some of this feedback.

They really do need to brush up on their account opening technique.