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My name is Nicolas, I am a French engineer. I have been working in the UK for 2 years and a half; I have a permanent UK contract.
I have signed up to this forum because I have a question relative to banking in the UK. Maybe you can point me to where I should post my question.
It's about access to banking products, such as credit card, loans etc... My credit history is spotless but I lived in several countries (France, Sweden, Germany), and banks cannot be bothered to verify information abroad. And although I have a permanent contract in this country, a good salary, and even several credit cards from foreign banks (all VISA's), most banks will simply deny any application, based on the fact that I have not been living in this country for at least xx years.
I am wondering if this can be considered as an unfair treatment, since the denial is based on the fact that the bank does not want to check a credit history beyond the border of the UK (but still within the EU).
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I understood that it is because I have no credit history in the country.
I have my foot in the door (trap?) since I managed to get a credit card (with a very low credit limit).
What surprises me is that banks will not do the effort of checking credit records in the EU... Or even with credit card companies.
I realised that there was no clear question in my previous post, so: I was wondering if refusing a product to a potential customer for no obvious reason isn't "illegal". What if a grocer would refuse to sell veggies to you because you have not been living in England for at least 5 years?
Can banks be forced to sell their products or present a "valid" reason for refusing to sell? Is there a regulation?
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I have placed here for you.
Maybe a BW can answer this better than most and advise you.
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I'm not a bankworker!
A while ago I was in a Nat West branch and the staff there were discussing this with each other and they said that if a contract of employment was verified by employer, and ID was verified and the employer banked with bank - not neccasarily branch - then they would likely open an account. the refusal was more to do with money laundering and ID verification than nationality, and obviously a salary payment could be verified.
This may not be the complete story, but hope it helps in some way.
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Some banks do offer facilities for people just arrived in the UK, which often include credit cards and overdrafts. However, you have to be earning a good salary (these accounts are aimed at doctors, university lecturers etc). You may also have to maintain a minimum balance and/or pay a fee. I know Barclays offer such an account, and think HSBC do too. Be aware that these accounts are quite uncommon to branch staff, so I'd suggest doing some research on the banks websites first so at least you know what to ask for.
The banks in the UK really talk a load of old rubbish. The money laundering regulations and anti-terror stuff requires you to provide one piece of photo id and proof that you live at the address you say you live at.
Anything more than that is imposed by the banks who pretend that it's part of the money laundering and anti-terror requirements but it is not. Proof, if proof is needed, is the fact that each bank requires different additional information.
In Europe (mainland) they abide by this requirement but the banks in the UK do not.
As you have said each bank has slightly different rules with regard to ID. Those rules are set by HO & the bank staf are warned not to deviate from them. This nonsense leads to situations such as the elderly being denied access to a bank account because they have never held a passport or driving licence or the BS Manager who had to refuse her own father an account because he didn't have the required proof.
The only requirement is that the bank should know who you are & how it chooses to fullfill that obligation is upto them.
Turning to the original question many British Banks are not interested in doing business with consumers who are not British & they perceive as having another country to run to
Turning to the original question many British Banks are not interested in doing business with consumers who are not British & they perceive as having another country to run to
Sadly, this does happen. I used to be involved with bank accounts for international students, and the amount of fraud was significantly higher than on uk student accounts. That is somthing that the banks have to consider too.
To answer elnico, I would suggest that if you have been in this country for 2 and a half years I cannot see any reason to prevent you from getting a credit card in this country. If you have been refused or declined you can appeal within a 6 week period from the date of refusal. Providing your wages are being paid into a UK bank account then they may ask for the previous 3 months bank statements. That should sort the problem out.
I have a double barrel name and for conveniance I only sign with the last part of my surname.
I originally registered at my bank with my full double barrel name, since there is not much room to sign the forms with a long name I sign with the last half of the name, slowly the bank has taken this to mean my double barrel name is a middle name and when I corrected them they said I need a name change form and depoll, I said but I haven't ever changed my name and on my visa card it say's the initiall of my first half of the double barrel surname, they have slowly lost the proof and when I told them that isn't my name, there is an error they said that is how I sign, well of course I sign that way, there isn''t enough room for a double barrel signature, the bank lady tore up the name change form in front of me and threw it on the ground.
You see I wasn't changing my name I was correcting their error.
I considered myself lucky to get my visa card back from the cashier that day.I was also told to [get out of the shop wer'e about to call the police.]
That was my town head branch who deal with me on a weekly-fortnightly basis.
You think that's bad? I've let my old bank know my new address several times now, but they're still sending letters to my old address. At least the debt collectors won't be harassing me when the time comes ...
No, not pedantic. I just want to know who this "we" is that has "often" seen that mail going to old addresses leads directly to ID fraud. Because here, we have seen no such thing. It's usually the other way around (if businesses say the address you give them is wrong, then you might already be a victim).
Bonjour.
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Grrr!!... 
Originally Posted by bottomburp
