Leeds BS ISA - warning over ID verification

UncleJoes

I tried to open one of these today but got an e-mail to say they had not been able to do ID verification and I needed to send certified copies of ID documents in the post to continue! My current account is with Chase, and I am finding that a lot of UK banks don't seem able to cope with it, so I don't know if this was part of the issue. I find it astonishing in 2023 that you can have an online application process but no online alternative for ID checks! I had them cancel the application and I'll invest elesewhere.

eskbanker

UncleJoes said:

I tried to open one of these today but got an e-mail to say they had not been able to do ID verification and I needed to send certified copies of ID documents in the post to continue! My current account is with Chase, and I am finding that a lot of UK banks don't seem able to cope with it, so I don't know if this was part of the issue.

Surely the issue was with verifying your ID rather than anything to do with where your current account is?

UncleJoes

Given how many accounts I have managed to open in the last few years with no issue, and that I have a credit file, I am struggling to see how the ID check failed when they had my name, address, date of birth and NI number. The only other info they asked for was my bank account details. Chase does not seem to be part of the checking system that banks do when you make a payment to someone and they check the name and account details, so all I can think of is that they tried to do this check as well and it failed. But my main point for the post was to warn others that if the check fails, Leeds BS are firmly in the last century with what they require so you may be better opening an ISA elsewhere!

eskbanker

No idea why the electronic ID check failed, but if they told you it did, then that's why they're asking for paper ID - the fact that they also asked for your bank account details is a red herring in that it doesn't form any part of ID checking, so the answer to "I don't know if this was part of the issue" is "no".

dunstonh

I tried to open one of these today but got an e-mail to say they had not been able to do ID verification and I needed to send certified copies of ID documents in the post to continue!

If the electronic method fails, then some providers will refuse to even go to manual verification.  However, manual is the more typical next step.  So, it doesn't warrant your exclamation mark.

 My current account is with Chase, and I am finding that a lot of UK banks don't seem able to cope with it, so I don't know if this was part of the issue.

Electronic ID systems use data created on credit checks and several other things.   So, as long as there is enough data and none of it conflicts, then there shouldn't be a problem.  

 I find it astonishing in 2023 that you can have an online application process but no online alternative for ID checks!

So, if the electronic ID check fails, what do you propose as an alternative?

 I am struggling to see how the ID check failed when they had my name, address, date of birth and NI number. . The only other info they asked for was my bank account details. 

Failures tend to be:
1 - insufficient data on your file
2 - conflicting data on your file
3 - multiple files  (often happens with house names or letter suffix e.g. 2a)
4 - Using credit sources that do not report to the main credit agencies (so record it not built up)

In respect of the current account, if they are using electronic validation for that, then it may fail if your credit record shows a different bank account (e.g. if you have only recently changed in the last year or two) or your bank doesn't support the usual reporting methods.

But my main point for the post was to warn others that if the check fails, Leeds BS are firmly in the last century with what they require so you may be better opening an ISA elsewhere!

That is the default position of most others (excluding the ones that only do electronic and reject people that fail)