A & L premier account silly requirement

dalore

Hi All,

I just tried applying for the A&L premier account. To get the free cash and have a good current account of course. Only to have my application rejected.

The reason given for the rejection was that I haven't been on the electoral roll at my current address for 5 years.

Now when I signed up they where going to give me a credit card and a debit card, but cause I got no credit history (not bad, just none), so knowing that the credit card application will probably fail I asked them to just apply me for the current account.

I think its a bit much asking for someone to be on the electoral roll at their current address for 5 years just for a current account? I am on the electoral roll. I have over 8k saved in isa's and an internet account with Nationwide. I have a current account with Nationwide (no debit card, just cash card) with more then 4k entering the account after tax a month. Yet A&L won't consider me for a current account.

Me having a whinge cause I can't get the free cash
dalore

dunstonh

I use the electronic money laundering verification method and it wouldnt just be electoral roll.

The system scores you based on risk analysis. You can be on the electoral roll for 10 years and still fail to hit an adequate score because there is a lack of other information available or a conflict of information.

For example, I was given the wrong telephone number and that failed the check. When the correct number was put in, it passed.

The reason you have been given in itself doesnt sound right in itself. Its the sort of response you get from someone that knows that electoral roll checks are done as part of the money laundering checks but doesnt know the other things it checks. So, they are using that as an excuse. Probably as electoral roll time is one of the few things that does appear as a specific item on the printout. Most of the others are summarised as a total found to verify address and verify ID. (electoral roll info appears in case the overall check fails and you have to revert to the old way of money laundering checks. Electoral roll check is classed as one check and that just leaves you needing to ask for one form of ID, such as passport or driving licence).

For reference, I have had people who have only been on the electoral roll for 1 year pass the check with no problem.

dalore

Hi dunstonh,

any tips on how to improve my check/score?

I've only been in the UK for 14 months, previously Australia. I've had a BT bill in my name for that long. I've also had a current account (no debit card, just cash card) at Nationwide for just as long. I'm on the electoral roll and I've got a UK driving license.

Anything else I can do to prove I'm in here for the long haul and not a criminal?

dunstonh

The electronic system is great as it requires no manual information to be obtained. It just requires what you would ask as part of an application. However, that is also its negative side. When that information isnt there, its useless.

In cases, like this I would revert to the old way and ask for your passport or driving licence. That would be sufficient (as electoral roll check has been done and confirms you are on it).

Is the account you are applying for a postal account? if so, they may only rely on the electronic method and there may not be much you can do. If its a branch based account, then they are being silly and I would suggest you take it further up the line than the accounts clerk or take your business elsewhere.

benjus

I suspect it's just one of their standard replies. I applied for the same account 4 years ago (or whatever A&L's equivalent was back then) and was rejected. They gave exactly the same reason - they needed 5 years history on the electoral roll (I had recently returned to the UK). I told them that if they have such a specific requirement they should make it known before the application, but they obviously took no notice! (anyone surprised?) I made the application in a branch. The person in the branch didn't know why it had been rejected, but called the credit checking department and got someone to explain directly to me.

SammyD_2

Think it must be their assessment of your overall risk rather than the electoral roll issue and it is just one of their standard responses ...I got an A & L Premier two months ago...I have not even lived in the UK 5 years, let alone been on the electoral roll at my present address that long!