The Co-op Bank Advisor Says No...

downhillfast

alastairq wrote: »

Apart from a cheque book [soon to be outmoded] and the possibility of an overdraft facility, there are few if any advantages of having a full account over a basic account.

Am not sure I comprehend any longer as to why everyone is so keen for a 'proper' account?

Is it like, having a 'proper car'?

I want a 'proper' account for the cheque book and so they finally stop announcing to what seems like the whole bank that I only have a basic bank account!

john1002 wrote: »

Could your computer say No be due to other reasons, length of time on ER, income, time at address etc. It is annoying I know, loyalty counts for nothing in this day and age. number of searches?

Best idea is as you said to apply for a new account when the searches allow.

john

John

Well it's definitely not my income that's a problem but we have only been at our current property for 8 months so it could be that. But considering I have been banking with them for over six years you'd think I'd be allowed to move house without that affecting my credit-worthiness in their eyes - I could understand if I was trying to open a new account!

The account manager even appealed it when I showed him a copy of my Experian report but it fell on deaf ears.

lindsaygalaxy

I applied to halifax for a basic account. They said no. I went br in 2008 and discharged 9 months later. They were not one of my creditors. Nawest will give me an account if I send off the certificate - which I have never got (letter not good enough apprently).

mysterio_2

one thing to bear in mind now though with the crapwest basic account....they stopped you from using other cashpoints a few months ago meaning you can only draw from natwest or RBS cashpoints nothing more

kind of a pita now seeing as they closed the bank & 2 cashpoints at the end of the road where we live..oh well off to barclays I go

tattycath

dr_adidas01 wrote: »

So really it wasn't an Upgrade it was a new application? Since you say you have kept your basic account.

If it was an upgrade you would have kept the same sortcode and account number?

Sorry, I meant an upgaded account-yes, I had to apply for it, but the point was that they let me open an upgraded account. When I went BR I could only open the basic account, and I waited the 6 years until my BR had dropped off my credit file.

Stepup

This is why I binned the co-op. I was jan '08 br. I had accounts with big credit limits, phone contracts all sorts. They would not offer me anything more than a basic bank account.

I wanted a card which I know would work, without being seen as electron, even when they changed it. It was still dud in some situations, oh and chance to prove myself so I left and haven't looked back.

I've got a normal bank account with cheques, and o/d. I've been pre approved, not selected, but approved for a loan of 25k :eek: fear not, I'm not going down that road.

That's ontop of around 10k credit available to me via credit cards and catalogue/store cards. Which I used to start out the re build and the limits have gone up and up and up.

2x savings and 1 ISA.

Rylynn

tigerfeet2006 wrote: »

If you do go SE then try Nat West, they have one called the Freedom Account, I think. Will need to go check on that. But I know lots have managed to get it.

Thanks again Tiger, I was with Nat West did not owe them a cent opened the account when I entered the IVA and then had to close it as they did not accept BR people, I was sad as I had been happy with NW.

Lots of very useful information so again thanks you're a star but you already know that!:T

fiveyearplan

I agree with Alistair and don't really see any difference between my cashminder account with the coop and a 'proper' account. In my 5 years + post BR I have never needed anything more. I do also have a Halifax basic account (feel like a leper with that one as I cannot use counter service, only the machine) and I was able to keep a business account open.

tigerfeet2006

Sorry it's the Foundation Account

http://www.natwest.com/business/products/business-current-accounts/foundation-current-account.ashx

Rylynn

I guess things have changed, I was lucky in 2008 when I opened my basic account with the Co Op. My card has never been refused anywhere and I am totally happy with the service I get from the Co Op. I could not go to Barclays they were one of my largest creditors.

In 2009 my sons dad decided as a treat for his passing 8 GCSEs to send us on a holiday abroad, I rang and let the bank know I would be abroad and the dates (another new thing for me, lucky a leaflet in a statement mentioned it). She told me I would be able to use my card abroad, I did not really believe her. Possibly due to having an electron card years before that even my local petrol station would not take. So I put some cash on a Post office card (another new thing for me too) and carried the rest in Euros! not to be advised really.

I was shocked to find my card was accepted all over the place, shops, restaurants cash machines.

So I have no reason to upgrade to anything, all I want is a business account if I decide to go self employed (which I am still deciding about).

I know other people need to get their credit rating back, I cannot think of one reason why I would want to or need to, I never want credit again in my life.