They trust my husband (no job) but not me (f/t job)?

jfh7gwa

Hi all,

OK, thread title is slightly tongue in cheek, but thought I'd get opinions on the following:

Husband and I both apply for the same Halifax current account online (2 distinct accounts, not joint). Both get letters through the post several days later. But:

• His is set up, new card sent, online access already done, sorted.
• Mine is partially set up, I need to set back a signature mandate form, proof of address taken to branch, and register for online banking myself only once these 2 criteria are met.

Have I been flagged as less trustworthy than my husband in some way? We're both on the electoral roll, both no skeletons in our credit history.. etc.

Why would I have to proove all my details, whilst he does not? Neither of us have been Halifax customers before now.

Or do they just do this with a random selection of accounts?

... to be honest, I thought what they want from ME would apply to both of us.. but nah. Ironically my husband has just been laid off (redundancy in everything but name) so he's between jobs just now, and is looking around for another one. He has been teasing that I'm obviously less trustworthy than him even if I do have a job

Odd, eh? (Or is this something I should have been aware might happen?)

Mikeyorks

You obviously do not fully meet their electronic ID checks. They use a variety of databases - not just the electoral roll.

But as it's clearly not a credit issue I wouldn't worry. Just use his account in the interim - best form of saving, my OH has deduced!

jfh7gwa

Mikeyorks wrote: »

You obviously do not fully meet their electronic ID checks. They use a variety of databases - not just the electoral roll.

But... but.. Pft.

I do wonder what it was that flagged me regarding the electronic ID checks then. Any more details on that..? (I know, for example, that there's been an issue with the address in the past, as we have an A in the number.. (think like 12A Grange Road, that sort of thing)... but if that bit had them stumped, they would have been stumped with my husband's application too.)

zzzLazyDaisy

Does your OH have any savings or other accounts with Lloyds TSB, or Bank of Scotland? Because they are part of the same group, Halifax will already have his details (this happened when my ex-OH opened a Halifax ISA and was already a Bank of Scotland customer)

jfh7gwa

No, not a customer of any of the Halifax related brands (BoS, Lloyds TSB). Me neither.

Unless there's one he's forgotten about, of course (husband's finances were in a massive disarray > 8 or 9 years ago, never any credit problems, but just very badly organised... example: apparently he is a NationWide account holder from his childhood, as I found a booklet saying he has a fiver or so in an account with them... it's dormant now).

Anyway I'm guessing dormant / very very old accounts WOULD count...? so perhaps you're onto something there!

izools

Well HSBC didn't ask me for any ID when I opened my current account with them last year because they managed to find the ID they had on file from an account I'd closed nearly five years prior - at a previous address and all!

But as they already had my drivers license and other gubbins on file they just posted me out the bumpf a week or two after I applied on line. Guess a similiar thing may have occurred with your hubby?

zzzLazyDaisy

If his finances have been in disarray, and you are not sure of his banking history, then that could be the answer. Financial institutions in the same 'stable' include Saga, Birmingham Midshires, AA savings... any of these ring a bell?

jfh7gwa

Would forgotten accounts from 8 + years ago count? I say this because since then I'd have known about any accounts opened (I deal with everything financial these days, mostly due to being most interested in it, but sort of prompted by a health scare a few years ago when he was out for the count and literally wasn't home to deal with a lot of the paperwork of running the household).

Saga, Birmingham Mishires, AA Savings don't ring a bell when I've asked him just now though.

I'm not complaining of course - it means I don't have to get him to sign paperwork and stuff. At least I know the problem isn't me, possibly

chattychappy

It should have been OK if your husband has given permission for you to open a bank account.

(dives for cover........:D)

Mikeyorks

jfh7gwa wrote: »

I do wonder what it was that flagged me regarding the electronic ID checks then. Any more details on that

Sorry - not sure exactly where they look. But it's clearly not a credit check aspect. Just accept the fact you've obviously got a bit shadier past than your husband. Makes you more interesting, to the degree Halifax need to give you the once over!

More seriously - it simply sounds to be your address that's causing the question. Wouldn't give it a second thought. Electronic IDs do throw up some anomalies.

ChiefGrasscutter

I wouldn't worry about it.
As I've documentated many times on this site,
I fail the electronic checks every time I open a savings account despite having lived here for many decades, having umpteen bank & credit card accounts. I've no strange entries on my credit record, a perfect match on the house name, address layout format, been on the electoral roll for decades likewise......etc etc ad infinitum.

So every time the savings group asks for paper ID and I send them the very same credit card statements which they can get from the credit record plus very deliberately a letter from the Inland Revenue as name ID and which has a significant typographical error on the address - and they accept it every time.