Setting up telephone banking if you don't speak English!

studentsaver166

Afternoon all,

So I have a non-English-speaking friend with a bit of a predicament. He came to live and work here in London for 6 months and has now moved to France. Whilst here, he set up a bank account with HSBC, but never set up internet or telephone banking. Now that he has moved (but may return next year) he wants to be able to monitor his account online. Theoretically, one can set up internet banking with HSBC online, but you must already have a telephone banking security code. He has not set this up and doesn't speak enough English to manage the process of doing it over the phone. He tried to do it earlier and says that he failed the security questions because he doesn't understand what they're asking him. He's now not sure if they've blocked access to his account or not, and obviously can't go to a branch to sort it out in person.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm totally stumped as to how to help!

innovate

take an english class?

studentsaver166

I guess I should be expecting those sorts of responses. Any actual, practical advice from anyone would be hugely appreciated.

innovate

It is very practical advice that someone who wants to work and live here should be able to speak enough english to manage basics such as a bank account.

It's not exactly hard to learn english - hundreds of thousands of people whose mother tongue isn't english are living proof that it can be done.

If he cba, he has to take the consequences and cannot have services that are carried out in english. Heck, if he can't even sort out a telephone security code, how would he understand the T&Cs of his account?

Anthorn

He writes a letter to the bank in English nominating you or another responsible person as his authorised agent and then you can do it for him. You can type it for him to sign.

You telephone the bank first and explain the situation and ask for someone who speaks his language.

studentsaver166

Thanks for the suggestion Anthorn. I did call them to just ask about the process and whether he could authorise his wife or myself over the phone to speak on his behalf, but they said that he himself had to be the one to provide the security details to speak to them. Do you think a formal letter will be accepted?

@innovate - he is perfectly capable of communicating in English, in person and in writing. If you have ever tried to learn and live in another language (as I have) then you will perhaps understand that the telephone is an altogether different matter. Especially when you have to deal with automated services and specialist vocabulary that is not necessary in day-to-day dealings. Please, if you don't have anything constructive to add to the conversation then just don't participate.

freezspirit

sorry but if he is in France now would not popping into a branch in France for help. Or does he not speak French either.

studentsaver166

He does speak French, and his wife is French so that would be ok, but (naive question) do they have HSBC branches in France? Apologies if I'm being spectacularly stupid by asking that...

innovate

studentsaver166 wrote: »

@innovate - he is perfectly capable of communicating in English, in person and in writing. If you have ever tried to learn and live in another language (as I have) then you will perhaps understand that the telephone is an altogether different matter.

You shouldn't assume that english is my first language because it is not. So I know first hand that it is possible to learn enough english to manage a bank account or two.

innovate

Anthorn wrote: »

He writes a letter to the bank in English nominating you or another responsible person as his authorised agent and then you can do it for him. You can type it for him to sign.

You need Power Of Attorney to do anything with a bank account that doesn't have you as an account holder.

dalesrider

studentsaver166 wrote: »

, but (naive question) do they have HSBC branches in France? Apologies if I'm being spectacularly stupid by asking that...

voici HSBC France
But that will not help as although they are part of the same group. I doubt that they will be able to assist. If his card was lost, it can not be sent to a french HSBC branch.

I think his best option is to take a trip to the UK and call into a branch with plenty of ID. And see if they can assist. Most banks will have someone that can speak french to assist him to set up security.
We have a list of staff that can take calls from non english speakers. But fact is they need to be able to speak enough english to set security up.