Opening Bank Account pre-BR

Praxis99

If it will be a while I would suggest opening a current account with the Coop and then after you go BR inform them as such and ask to open a CashMinder account with them.

I did this a few months prior to my own BR in Sept this yr and this made for a seamless and hassle free transition from my Coop Current account to a Cashminder and it was all set up within days (including them sending me an Electron card). Transferring Direct Debits was then a question a short call to their Tele Banking service and it was done.

Post BR the Coop did not actually freeze my current account but gave me six weeks to make alternate arrangements, which by setting up the Cashminder I'd already done. Interestingly I can still access my current account details on line (statements and transfers etc.) but clearly have little reason to do so.

Scarlett.1974

fermi wrote: »

I'm afraid that Nastywest will normally (99%) close the 'Step' when/if you go BR.

Occasional the branch staff promise that this won't happen, but they are later overruled by the head office and the account is closed anyway.

Even though I've been pretty much a model customer in the couple of months I've had my account with Natwest I'm totally resigned to the fact that they will close/freeze my accounts. Shame, but there you go. I don't owe them a penny, they've never been a creditor of mine/ours, but that's the way it goes. It'll be off to the Co-op for us on BR day

fermi

Scarlett.1974 wrote: »

Even though I've been pretty much a model customer in the couple of months I've had my account with Natwest I'm totally resigned to the fact that they will close/freeze my accounts. Shame, but there you go. I don't owe them a penny, they've never been a creditor of mine/ours, but that's the way it goes. It'll be off to the Co-op for us on BR day

I'm sure I remember you saying that now.

After the trouble that disco's friend above (and others) have had with Nastywest it makes me go :eek::eek::eek: when I even get the hint that someone is thinking of trying to keep one of their accounts.

Glad you are on top of it and organised (like most of the BR stuff it seems;)).

Scarlett.1974

Aw shucks, thanks Fermi You wait until I start filling in those forms :eek: and am on here 10 times a day with "please help me" type posts :rotfl: bet I won't seem so organised then!

Richard_S

MammaCas,

Apologies for getting slightly off topic here, but Nat West do seem to be featuring a lot in this thread.

We have a very dear friend who works for Nat West and she does find the official line quite embarrassing and unjust at times.

But, the facts are that Nat West will not entertain bankrupts in any shape or form. If you have a bankruptcy judgement against you, then forget Nat West; there are other banks with more flexible approaches, and it's a waste of effort to even mention NW.

Richard

Richard_S

Something else that causes unnecesary consternation is Direct Debits.

We've changed banks four times in the last 18months, and all I do when another change is afoot, is to cancel all existing DD's. Without fail new DD Mandates are dropping on the doorstep within a week. Any important ones, I may take the time to contact them and advise them of the change, otherwise the whole thing just takes care of itself.

Income, from whatever source, is of course far more important, and the best approach there is to have that paid into a trusted friend or relative's account well before you think the account may be compromised, or you're unsure of which bank you'll ultimately end up using.

Some things are difficult to resolve, but the ones that are not, we should treat accordingly; changing banks is a doddle.

Richard

Broken_hearted

In defence of Natwest, they have stood by us through all our money troubles and never charged us on the very few occasions we went over. It is very sad if they are now opting out of helping people.

Scarlett.1974

Richard_S wrote: »

Something else that causes unnecesary consternation is Direct Debits.

We've changed banks four times in the last 18months, and all I do when another change is afoot, is to cancel all existing DD's. Without fail new DD Mandates are dropping on the doorstep within a week. Any important ones, I may take the time to contact them and advise them of the change, otherwise the whole thing just takes care of itself.

Income, from whatever source, is of course far more important, and the best approach there is to have that paid into a trusted friend or relative's account well before you think the account may be compromised, or you're unsure of which bank you'll ultimately end up using.

Some things are difficult to resolve, but the ones that are not, we should treat accordingly; changing banks is a doddle.

Richard

Hi Richard,

Hope you don't mind me asking (and MC, sorry AGAIN for hijacking a thread of yours ), but you do seem quite well experienced with changing bank accounts - I totally agree with you that the money coming in is more important than the money going out I have SO many different incomings into my account - wages (weekly), DLA, tax credits, child benefit all 4 weekly and at different times of the month. Now, my wages won't be a huge problem, I can ask them to pay me by cheque, but all my different benefits could cause some headaches so I have a couple of questions if you don't mind 1. IF any of them slip through the net and go into the natwest account after BR will netwest let me have this money back? and 2. do you know if it's possible to have these payments made in giro form for a payment or 2?

Many thanks

MammaCas

Thanks to all for replies.

I think I do need to change pre-BR as we have a c/card and loan with Nationwide (current account providers) and when we stop paying the min payments they may, apparently, help themselves to the account :eek:

So, does this sound feasible?:

Transfer all i/cs to an old basic abbey account that I already have plus all essential d/ds (I don't owe Abbey any money but OH does - if account is in my name only, they can't help themselves can they?)

Day before BR withdraw all surplus cash for living expenses
(or will this upset OR?)
Day after BR open cashminder??

Thanks so much for everyones help.

Scarlett.1974

MammaCas wrote: »

Day before BR withdraw all surplus cash for living expenses
(or will this upset OR?)

I hope not because it's what I intend to do too, clear every penny out of all of our accounts