Why Must I have a mobile to Open a Savings Account?

JuicyJesus

molerat wrote: »

Any desk phone will receive text messages in exactly the same way as my car hands free will read a text to me. no special equipment is needed.

Not everyone has a BT landline though, and the entire point of it going to a mobile is so that you can see it wherever you are.

molerat

JuicyJesus wrote: »

It's worth pointing out that despite discussion of people living in the !!!! end of nowhere where their principal neighbours are sheep and the only radio signal available is Radio 4 on long wave, and discussion of FCA rules around people who can't use mobiles for some reason, OP said nothing about not being able to have a mobile phone (or living somewhere where one won't work) and instead just not wanting to have a mobile phone.

So all discussion of WiFi devices and signal ranges and FCA rules is a tad irrelevant, because the issue isn't one of impossibility, it's one of OP being stubborn.

The guidelines place no caveat on the reason for the person not having a mobile phone, it purely states that measures MUST be taken to cover that
eventuality.


Are we now saying the banks can pick and choose the rules they adhere to ?

JuicyJesus

molerat wrote: »

The guidelines place no caveat on the reason for the person not having a mobile phone, it purely states that measures MUST be taken to cover that
eventuality.

And has OP actually looked into or asked about those eventualities?

Of course, practically speaking, the easiest thing for them to do if they want to open a savings account and they're being asked to have a mobile phone is to buy a cheap pay as you go mobile phone, as has now been suggested to them repeatedly. Because while they go apopleptic and contact the FCA and FOS and whoever else, they still won't have a savings account.

Davy_Jones_II

molerat wrote: »

What about the banks following the guidelines set down by the regulator ?

What about it? If you think that they are legally required to do so then raise a legal complaint. If you can’t be bothered then you still have the same two choices, comply, or not.

This is not hyperbole, I cannot understand how anyone can make it to adulthood and find this difficult or complex.

It’s on the same level as someone asking about stepping in a dog turd outside their door, as they should not be required to step over it and it shouldn’t be there anyway.

The response is the same, step over it, or step in it, whichever you feel works best for you.

keef-WhatStandards

Why does everyone get nasty. The OP makes some perfectly reasonable points.

One answer is to get an online number: that doesn't need a phone.

The broad point is that banks seem to be turning online banking into phone banking, which is wrong. There are other methods of authentication, which have been mentioned. No one should be forced into getting a mobile phone just so they can open a bank account.

colsten

keef-WhatStandards wrote: »

One answer is to get an online number: that doesn't need a phone.

That might be an option for some (have you tried it?) but would definitely not work with Santander who will only accept mobile numbers.

Even if your suggestion was technically viable, I can already hear the "why do I need internet access to have a savings account", and "banks seems to be turning banking into internet banking" etc etc

keef-WhatStandards

I have a Santander account and no mobile phone, so I beg to differ.

Why do you bother posting on here, when you see nothing but negative in people's posts?

colsten

keef-WhatStandards wrote: »

I have a Santander account and no mobile phone, so I beg to differ.

Why do you bother posting on here, when you see nothing but negative in people's posts?

Not sure what Santander account you have but if you have a current account with them, it will require OTPs, or their app, and those can only be sent to mobile numbers. Shortly, you will also need OTPs, or their app, for logging into online banking, and therefore you require a mobile for online banking with Santander.

I'm not sure what is negative about correcting false information. This forum has a reputation for reliable information, and I reckon you yourself would like to be able to trust the information you find on here.

NB. You haven't said whether you tried online numbers for receiving text messages from banks. When you do, could you please post which service you use for the online number, and with which banks / building societies you have got it to work.

keef-WhatStandards

You may require a mobile number, but not a mobile phone.

You may not intend to be, but you certainly come across as negative.

Perhaps I wasn't clear in my previous message? I have a Santander account, but no mobile phone, therefore if your statement about needing a phone is true, the service I use must work? I also use it for other accounts e.g. Barclays. The app is called TextMe, but there are others I have used in the past.

colsten

keef-WhatStandards wrote: »

Perhaps I wasn't clear in my previous message? I have a Santander account, but no mobile phone, therefore if your statement about needing a phone is true, the service I use must work? I also use it for other accounts e.g. Barclays. The app is called TextMe, but there are others I have used in the past.

Whilst this might be a hip app for you, you haven't thought this through, have you. People who have an issue with getting a £5- or £10- mobile phone which can receive texts should use an app which requires an iOS or Android device, and/or costs £5.49 a week if you want a browser version of it (which you can only get if you have the iOS/Android version to start with), or full functionality?

Which bank(s) / savings accounts are you using TextMe with? How would you get access to your number (and therefore to your accounts) if TextMe stopped working?