Bad Credit Bank Accounts

geoffwebb

Having been Bankrupt 3 years ago I can't get anything apart from a basic bank account with cashpoint card. I have an account with Nationwide that gives me a cash card and Internet banking.
I am disabled and find it difficult to have to go to a cash machine before I go to any shop so I would like to get a debit card. I used Everything-financial.co.uk whose website "Offers guaranteed UK banking accounts, basic business account, personal account, adverse credit bank accounts, bad credit bank account. All the facilities offered are first rate, including Internet & telephone banking." They also say that debit cards may require a probationary period.
Several months after I gave them £179 to obtain an account better than the one I have, they have failed to get me one in spite of many attempts and refuse to refund the fee. I now face taking them to the small claims court. Does anyone have any suggestions? Do you know how I could get an account with a debit card?

IamWHOiSayIam

Did you try the Yorkshire Bank? I'm pretty sure they offer a debit card with basic accounts.

gerturdeanna

The Co-op Cashminder card is a debit card (Visa Electron) and can be used in most places. and its easy to get.

Glad

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

skintscotsman

geoffwebb wrote: »

Having been Bankrupt 3 years ago I can't get anything apart from a basic bank account with cashpoint card. I have an account with Nationwide that gives me a cash card and Internet banking.
I am disabled and find it difficult to have to go to a cash machine before I go to any shop so I would like to get a debit card. I used Everything-financial.co.uk whose website "Offers guaranteed UK banking accounts, basic business account, personal account, adverse credit bank accounts, bad credit bank account. All the facilities offered are first rate, including Internet & telephone banking." They also say that debit cards may require a probationary period.
Several months after I gave them £179 to obtain an account better than the one I have, they have failed to get me one in spite of many attempts and refuse to refund the fee. I now face taking them to the small claims court. Does anyone have any suggestions? Do you know how I could get an account with a debit card?

i am in a Trust Deed (Scottish equivalent of IVA) and Clydesdale bank gave me a debit card. Don't know where you live hough,

geoffwebb

IamWHOiSayIam wrote: »

Did you try the Yorkshire Bank? I'm pretty sure they offer a debit card with basic accounts.

Thanks, I'll try them.

geoffwebb

Thanks for all your suggestions. Co-op are still considering it but Yorkshire Bank (associate company of Clydesdale Bank) have opened an account for me with a Visa Electron card, telephone and internet banking. It was all done during a visit to my nearest branch and I'm soooooo relieved to have found a bank that listens and discusses rather than reading a script and completing a tick list. Thanks again.

DebtBurdenedMan

Hi,

As someone who has just come out of a period of hellish debt following the failure of my company (why did i give those personal guarantees!!!) i am looking for a new current account. I did have 5 CCJ's and three defaults with a debt totally in excess of £120k.

I know that i need to get a hideously high APR credit card to start to repair my credit, but does anyone know how long it will be before i could get a half decent bank account. - Well actually one with a debit card and online access to be honest.

Homework

I have a Clydesdale Bank Account - Yorkshire Bank in England - with a Maestro card and great online banking. They said that when the time comes when we want to upgrade our account that conduct at running the account would be used towards making the decision.

The debit card and internet access were important so we are happy to continue with this account and build up a record of good conduct over time before we move on to a 'better' account.

geoffwebb

DebtBurdenedMan wrote: »

Hi,

As someone who has just come out of a period of hellish debt following the failure of my company (why did i give those personal guarantees!!!) i am looking for a new current account. I did have 5 CCJ's and three defaults with a debt totally in excess of £120k.

I know that i need to get a hideously high APR credit card to start to repair my credit, but does anyone know how long it will be before i could get a half decent bank account. - Well actually one with a debit card and online access to be honest.

I've just opened a Yorkshire Bank account. You need to make an appointment and go talk to a human. Forget the online applications they switch off as soon as they get a whiff of CCJ. You need to be brutally honest with them and your reward for that (as they said to me) was the benefit of the doubt. I've been discharged from bankruptcy for 2 years and all other banks I've been to have told me I'd have to wait another 4 or 5 years with a basic cashpoint card account in good order (no automatic payments failing due to insufficient funds) and then just maybe they'd give me a debit card. With Yorkshire I went on Monday and already I've got internet banking and a Visa Electron card for cash withdrawals and a debit card which isn't accepted 100% of places but OK in most. They will upgrade it in 6 months to a full current account with cheque book, debit card etc., as long as I run the account well. When they asked if I'd like to move my insurance policies to Yorkshire I said I'd review my account situation in 6 months ...

Whatever you do don't pay someone like "Everything Financial" nearly 200 quid to get you an account, you'll get less from them than I've just told you and they will suggest going to Woolwich or Barclays (one and the same today) and Barclays don't do internet banking with a basic account.

If you need a credit card but can manage without needing credit, I'd recommend a Cash Plus prepayment card. You load it with funds online (takes 4 days to get there) or with cash at a Post Office (if you're quick before they're all closed down) which makes it available the next day, and then you spend it. No credit limit, no credit, no debt. I've only found one place it doesn't work - ASDA petrol pumps. It costs 4.95 per month and you pay extra for cash witrhdrawals and overseas transactions. Contact me if you want an introduction where they give us both £5!

Like you I had over £100,000 of debts from 2 failed companies but now, with no credit facilities I have no debt. It can be frustrating at times but I sleep well these days. Good Luck

spinningsheep

The Yorkshire Bank Readycash account gives you a dual function Maestro card with no credit facilities or cheque book, I opened mine last week, and as someone said on here, as long as you are 100% HONEST with them, they help all they can.