Online current account without mobile phone.

skattrd

Hi,
I'm looking for a bank account for a relative who is on a low income, under £1k a month.
They have access to a computer and internet but no mobile phone.
At present their current account is with Santander who require a mobile phone to use online banking, which makes Santander's online banking unusable.

I'm trying to find them a new account that they can use online without the SMS/mobile verification, any other security is fine, just not SMS/mobile phone. Are there any other banks that use this system that I should avoid, or would I be all right looking at any other bank?

Feel free to make suggestions of accounts to switch to as well as banks to avoid.

Thx.

Gromitt

Nationwide will give you full service if your income is >= £750. Security is by card reader. If you put in less than £750 you'll lose some benefits like Flexclusives and free travel insurance.

Halifax / TSB / LLoyds (and I'm assuming BoS) will work by calling a land line. For interest or rewards they require 1K.

For all of them, the income can be over several transactions, so you could deposit £500, withdraw it and deposit it again to meet the 1K requirement.

noh

Gromitt wrote: »

Nationwide will give you full service if your income is >= £750. Security is by card reader. If you put in less than £750 you'll lose some benefits like Flexclusives and free travel insurance.

Halifax / TSB / LLoyds (and I'm assuming BoS) will work by calling a land line. For interest or rewards they require 1K.

For all of them, the income can be over several transactions, so you could deposit £500, withdraw it and deposit it again to meet the 1K requirement.

£750 in plus 2 DDs required for Halifax rewards.
Currently £100 incentive if you switch to Halifax.
http://www.halifax.co.uk/bankaccounts/current-accounts/reward-current-account/

Poppy9

noh wrote: »

£750 in plus 2 DDs required for Halifax rewards.
Currently £100 incentive if you switch to Halifax.
http://www.halifax.co.uk/bankaccounts/current-accounts/reward-current-account/

but as a previous poster said you can move money out to savings account and back in online, same day and qualify for paying in £750 as it doesn't specify it has to be in one deposit.

Just pay in your salary or other credits (minimum £750) each calendar month, pay out two different direct debits each calendar month and remain in credit throughout the previous month.

I used to do this years ago with Halifax when I had an account you had to pay in £1000 per month minimum and as I only worked part time my salary and child benefit came in just under £1000!!

typistretired

BOS does not need direct debits it is not a reward account it is the BOS classic vantage paying interest. Requires £1000 transfer in (can go straight out).

typistretired

Poppy9 wrote: »

but as a previous poster said you can move money out to savings account and back in online, same day and qualify for paying in £750 as it doesn't specify it has to be in one deposit.

I used to do this years ago with Halifax when I had an account you had to pay in £1000 per month minimum and as I only worked part time my salary and child benefit came in just under £1000!!

You could transfer £100 in and out 10 times (the same £100 if you like) or any amount that you want. You do not need to actually have £1000. This is only useful if you want to get the higher interest rates as you leave in the account after you have done your in and out transfer.

skattrd

Thanks for the replies.
The account is for an elderly relative who will not be transferring money backwards and forwards to meet £1k minimum deposits, so that's a no go. That said, The Nationwide sounds like a good bet to start with.

Gromitt

If they are not interested in the 'extras' like interest or rewards, then TSB, LLoyds or Halifax would be fine. You don't need the minimums just to operate the account. I don't know about your relative, but my elderly relative prefer to do everything by visiting a branch in person. Heck, they won't even use an ATM! Or as they call it, a "New fangled money thingie that sticks out of the wall"

skattrd

Cheers Gromitt.
They're quite happy doing online banking with the computer I gave them as it saves having cash lying around. The computer is also used for freecell and solitaire. They don't like mobile phones though and see one as an extra unnecessary bill.

Is it just Santander that do the mobile phone/SMS verification then?

Gromitt

I believe so, others typically support land lines as well.

Saying that, my mother has a mobile phone. She tops it up with £10 every year or so

Archi_Bald

You don't have to have a mobile phone for Santander because you can use telephone banking to set up a new account or to change your account details.
http://www.santander.co.uk/csgs/Satellite?c=Page&canal=CABBEYCOM&cid=1237911848189&empr=Abbeycom&leng=en_GB&pagename=Abbeycom%2FPage%2FWC_ACOM_TemplateA1#

Also, at least some landlines accept text messages, I seem to remember?