U.K. Bank account - advice needed

[D ap D]

When my daughter was born, a lot of relatives sent money to buy a present. I thought it would be better not to waste this by buying something we didn't need just yet, but to put it into an account, where grandparents etc can put money in.

No such luck. I can't open an account for her as we are not resident in the UK.
My parents cannot open an account for her without her birth cert (not a problem); her passport (she doesn't have a british one, as the costs are ridiculously high, so she has a German one, which they won't accept); and a letter of Custody or Guardianship. So needless to say, she doen't have a UK account.

I only managed to keep an account at the Bank I have used for over 30 years, simply because I have had it that long. I have to use my parents address for correspondence purposes. However I could still be liable for criminal charges for money laundering - apparently according to international law. Funny that my bank (one of the larger internationals) in Germany knows nothing about this.

I think its the UK trying to keep up its isolationist position again. Sorry I can't help at all Debbie. Good luck.

[Debbie in B.C.]

I think its the UK trying to keep up its isolationist position again

LOL!!  I hear you!!

I never did have any luck getting an account.  HSBC looked promising, but it didn't pan out, I wrote to Nat West, and they sent me all the banking rules for Australia - goodness knows why, I did tell them I lived in Canada.   
And Barclays said they would be happy to open an account, "could I just pop in to my local branch to fill in the forms".....  seeing that my closest branch is about 5000 miles away, I think I will give that a miss.  tee hee!!

[Elizabeth Revel]

Hi Debbie,

Do the British have Credit Unions? There used to be Friendly Societies but I am not sure what role they played in the financial world.

My husband went on a teaching exchange many years ago and it was a problem then to establish an account in order for his salary to be transferred from Canada to Britain. One needed letters of recommendation and referral. ( Rather as though one were joining a gentleman's club. )
Beth 

[samesizedfeet]

The fees for opening  and stringent requirements to apply (passport, birth certficate etc) are all part of the UK laws to prevent money laundering.

About six months ago myself and my mum decided we'd open a joint savings account to save up for having some house improvements done. We both have current accounts with the same small branch of a major bank just down teh road from us. Mum has had her for 30 years I have had mine for 16.

We decided the simplest thing would be to open joint account with them but they STILL required us to take in passports, proof of address, two recent bills, before letting us set account up.

All the other banks we tried (we had shopped around for higher interest accounts) had said we'd have trouble as I'd recently moved back home and there were currently no bills in my name.

It's ridiculous but it's to stop people opening up bank account to commit fraud.

We even went through a similar rigmarole trying to open accounts for brothers children so they could get their allowance from his pension after his death - the bank wanted to be told approximately how much money would be paid into it before they were 18!! Well they were 1, 3 and 5 so we made a stupid guess.

My suggestion would be to contact the company that will paying your pension and see if they can't recommend a bank they use - I'm sure you can't be the first occurrence they've had. Or see about having them pay you in your own currency - then you won't have to pay exchange on it.

Zoe

[Tephra]

Whatever you do Debbie, don't go to Lesannes bank or you'll lose all your money        LoL


Barbara         

[Lesanne]

     Just reading this and came to your post Barbara. 
                              Exactly what was going through my mind. 

[Jean McGurn]

Might be harder now since the bank job in Tunbridge when £25-40 million pounds in used notes was stolen.

Jean

[Tephra]

Might be harder now since the bank job in Tunbridge when £25-40 million pounds in used notes was stolen.

Jean

Wasn't me M'lud


Barbara             

[Lesanne]

      Oh, what a shame... Now they know how it feels......