Bank Accounts closed...

jscouser2002

Hi All

I have got 3 bank accounts one with lloyds, one with barclays and one with halifax. I have never used the Halfiax account and the barclays one is limited doesnt have internet banking etc.

At the moment I have a UK address but live in Gibraltar, I have checked my mail today and both my Lloyds and Halifax accounts have been closed with no reason stated, both letters look almost identical and are dated exactly the same, but are legitamate.

Is there any advise can be given? I use my Lloyds one for my wages and other transactions, so not having it is a big loss for me. Plus I live in Gibraltar so it isnt easy to just go into branch.

Any advise hugely appreciated.

Thanks

MrSilk

Aren't you supposed to be a full time UK resident to operate a UK bank account? Why don't you have a bank account open where you are and have your wages paid into that bank?

bryanb

I have an old Ulster bank account, I no longer use it and the balance has been zero for years. Ulster bank refuse to close it without me writing a letter which I am too stubborn to do. They keep wasting their resources sending me statements etc despite me asking them to stop.

Perhaps they would be a better bet for you.

jscouser2002

MrSilk wrote: »

Aren't you supposed to be a full time UK resident to operate a UK bank account? Why don't you have a bank account open where you are and have your wages paid into that bank?

I have lived in Gibraltar for a few years. Still hold a british passport.

NotRichAtAll

jscouser2002 wrote: »

I have lived in Gibraltar for a few years. Still hold a british passport.

i think the key word is "LIVED"

grumbler

MrSilk wrote: »

Aren't you supposed to be a full time UK resident to operate a UK bank account? Why don't you have a bank account open where you are and have your wages paid into that bank?

Many expats keep having UK accounts, and banks know that they live abroad.

@OP: if you have a UK address, can prove it and have someone trustworthy to deal with the correspondence you receive, nothing stops you from applying online for a new account or trying to upgrade your Barclays one. However, when you apply online, banks like seeing your registered on the Electoral Roll.
However, if this is the case, it was unwise to change your address registered with the banks to Gibraltar in the first place.

scoly

jscouser2002 wrote: »

Hi All

I have got 3 bank accounts one with lloyds, one with barclays and one with halifax. I have never used the Halfiax account and the barclays one is limited doesnt have internet banking etc.

At the moment I have a UK address but live in Gibraltar, I have checked my mail today and both my Lloyds and Halifax accounts have been closed with no reason stated, both letters look almost identical and are dated exactly the same, but are legitamate.

Is there any advise can be given? I use my Lloyds one for my wages and other transactions, so not having it is a big loss for me. Plus I live in Gibraltar so it isnt easy to just go into branch.

Any advise hugely appreciated.

Thanks

There's a Lloyds branch in Ocean Village. I was only there a few days during the summer and managed to find it.

I'm surprised someone who's allegedly lived there for years doesn't know about it. Gib's not exactly big.

jscouser2002

scoly wrote: »

There's a Lloyds branch in Ocean Village. I was only there a few days during the summer and managed to find it.

I'm surprised someone who's allegedly lived there for years doesn't know about it. Gib's not exactly big.

Hi, its Lloyds International and it isnt a typical branch like UK. For example you cant withdraw money their or deposit money over the counter etc. Its more for investments than general banking

joncombe

bryanb wrote: »

I have an old Ulster bank account, I no longer use it and the balance has been zero for years. Ulster bank refuse to close it without me writing a letter which I am too stubborn to do. They keep wasting their resources sending me statements etc despite me asking them to stop.

Me too! The last time I phoned them they wanted me to send a fax to close the account or visit a branch. The problem is, it was an internet savings account and I live in England, so there aren't any Ulster bank branches nearby and I don't have a fax machine. So like you I just let them keep sending me statements.

badger09

grumbler wrote: »

@OP: if you have a UK address, can prove it and have someone trustworthy to deal with the correspondence you receive, nothing stops you from applying online for a new account or trying to upgrade your Barclays one.

I have just checked a random sample of my many current accounts. BoS, Co-operative, Halifax, Lloyds and Santander all quite clearly state that to open an account you need to be a UK resident (or Crown employee).

Are you advocating that OP lies about his residence status on his application?:(

colsten

badger09 wrote: »

Are you advocating that OP lies about his residence status on his application?:(

Brilliant suggestion to make, particularly in a thread entitled "Bank account closed" :rotfl: