Britannia Building Society & ID

innovate

Perhaps the time has come for us to realise that the cost of easy banking in the UK includes getting at least a passport or a picture driving license. Banks/BSs won't be able to make exceptions for people, and the fact that you have been a customer with any of them for umpteen years accounts for nothing.

Going back to the case in hand and looking at the ID requirements Britannia have. It's all well documented: http://www.britannia.co.uk/_site/pdfs/identification-requirements.pdf

I do actually find it really difficult to believe that anybody will be unable to provide one of the required documents. For example, the OP is in employment, thus either has, or can very easily get, a tax code notification. Proof of address looks even easier to get hold of. So why not just get on with it?

jonesMUFCforever

If you decide to take your business elsewhere how would you produce ID documents to open an account - then how would you withdraw funds if they told you the same as Britannia?
I also think you are not being totally truthful with us when you say the FO is willing to take up your case - this before you have elapsed the Britannia's complaints procedure?
If you are not careful I think you might find your account will be closed - why are you so special that their rules should not apply to you?

Alison69

I do not consider myself special, however having worked in the financial industry for over 20 years, including dealing with ID issues daily, I know there is some flexibility in the system for those who do not have the 'standard' forms of ID and to apply common sense.

To address your comments, I am being truthful and resent being called otherwise. The FO have said that they will take up the case as Britannia have given a reply saying they consider it resolved. They are also happy for me to try to continue to resolve this myself at the same time. I have tried to keep open communication as I would rather resolve this sensibly than resort to a long winded process.

I have an old style paper driving licence which is a perfectly legitimate form of ID. Britannia head office have said to me that they will not accept it. I have checked with other banks and all have said it is absolutely fine and I have had no problems elsewhere. Proof of address is not in question here. They don't want to see that.

Britannia head office have also said to me that even if ID is on the list the branches set their own rules and can decide to refuse any ID if they want to. What one branch will accept from the list another won't. There is no consistency.

Although Britannia issue their list of ID if you suggest anything other than passport or photocard driving licence they blank you. They are not sticking to their own rules which is what is frustrating and stupid.

A tax notification is fine, but they want one that is less than 3 months old, that means I would have to approach HMRC several times in a year for it to remain valid.

Regarding closing the account actually head office said that if I wrote to them they would do it without ID. Clearly another flaw in their system.

There is complete inconsistency with each person you speak to and it is this which is leading to the main problem, that any not being able to speak to the same person twice. I am going to try to make an appointment to see the local branch manager as I feel perhaps speaking face to face may be better.

agrinnall

This is a problem of your own making, by your refusal to use ATMs and insisting on withdrawing cash over the counter. I wouldn't be surprised to find Britannia closing your account if you keep on making trouble for them, and then when you try to open an account elsewhere you'll find other banks have similarly strict ID requirements at some points in their procedures.

JuicyJesus

In fairness to the OP, paper licenses are a form of ID which Britannia's head office say they should accept. Individual branches setting their own ID policies in opposition to their head office is idiotic.

I would expect in that circumstance an FOS complaint may get somewhere. It's unfair to expect someone to not be able to use valid identification depending on which branch they go to. Indeed, not just unfair - positively insane, really. Given that the FOS has upheld a very similar complaint from someone whose ID documents weren't even consistent with each other, let alone with the bank's requirements, your complaint seems like it could be a cakewalk.

Although I'd still say using ATMs in future may be beneficial in the long run. Security concerns with them are massively overblown. Ironically you're more likely to get defrauded, and to a potentially far greater, more damaging and harder to sort out degree, with a paper driver's license and a passbook.

ComeTheRevolution

Get your money out. Britannia were taken over by The Cooperative Bank. My experience with them since that has been very strange as mentioned on another thread.

pqrdef

Alison69 wrote: »

I am going to try to make an appointment to see the local branch manager as I feel perhaps speaking face to face may be better.

But he can't discuss your account with you if he doesn't know who you are:mad:

pqrdef

agrinnall wrote: »

Get a photocard driving licence?

I've looked at swapping my paper licence for a photocard, but I haven't got the necessary ID.

ComeTheRevolution

pqrdef wrote: »

But he can't discuss your account with you if he doesn't know who you are:mad:

Been there with them, they play to their own rules. I have the paperwork to prove this, in case this website or the coop are concerned about libel.

yangptangkipperbang

ComeTheRevolution wrote: »

Get your money out. Britannia were taken over by The Cooperative Bank. My experience with them since that has been very strange as mentioned on another thread.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/10048410/Co-op-Bank-chief-steps-down-after-Moodys-downgrades-debt-to-junk.html