Banking hell

If this isn't the right area, feel free to move it, but I couldn't find banking advice on the current forum.  I thought I remembered reading bank advise somewhere, but I can't find it now.

I've heard people talk about it being hard to get bank accounts set up, so I anticipated it being a bit tricky, but I'm extra frustrated today.  I've gone into the bank at least six times trying to get my British husband's account changed into a joint account.  Each time they came back with something new that we would need in order to get the account changed over, but we finally brought in everything they said we required and told me that I would have no problem being put onto a joint account with my husband--everything I needed was in order and satisfactory.  They just said they had to pass the formality of sending the information to their headquarters for approval and watch the mail for my debit card to arrive within a couple weeks.

I waited for the debit card and today received instead a letter from Nationwide headquarters saying that because I was not registered on the voters roll when my credit rating was checked, I was being rejected.  The letter stated that the decision was final and basically wished me luck getting an account somewhere else.   

Voters roll?  Nobody has ever mentioned this to me before (certainly not any of the tellers who told me that I would have no problem whatsoever being approved and had done all that was required).  I would have assumed a voters roll didn't apply to me as I'm unable to vote as a non-citizen.  I called the woman who sent the letter for clarification and she told me that the policy of Nationwide is that I need to be registered on the voters roll, that they believed I couldn't do that as a non-citizen, and that therefore, I am completely ineligible for a checking account-per company policy.  There is nothing I can do about it, and if I want a minimal account that does not allow me to make debits, they might be able to help me--some help!

I don't remember hearing any discussion of needing to be registered for an electoral roll, but apparently this is what this particular credit check bureau uses to validate my existence (despite the multiple pieces of evidence of my legal residence at this and my former address that the bank itself had already asked me to provide in order to prove my existence at this address).  Has anyone else had this experience.  I have utility bills at this address, my former address, my former bank statements, my identification, my visa, my marriage certificate--all the things I was told were required.  Why can't I get an account?  I know plenty of expats reside legally in this country and are able to get debit cards that are connected to legitimate bank accounts.  I need to work and would like to deposit checks from that work and draw on that money as needed.

This experience was with Nationwide Building Society, and was with a flex-account that my husband has held for approximately 22 years.  His account has worked just like a bank account for him. 

Have others come up against this problem? Is this a common one?  Do I need to try to register on some voters roll--despite my inability to vote yet?  I get the feeling it was the credit check that did it since the credit bureau couldn't confirm I live here, which I imagine I will confront with other banks or building societies.  Any thoughts, experiences?

argh- how frustrating!  I'm sorry that happened to you.

You're right- as a US citizen you can't be on the electoral roll, although that usually doesn't preclude people from getting bank accounts so I don't know what's up with Nationwide.

I'm in a different circumstance to you (I have a student visa) but I had only a minimal amount of hassle getting my bank account with Natwest when I moved over.  The biggest thing was proof of address- once I had that, it was fine.  Now mind you, the bank account I got was the most basic one they have, but it allows direct debit/standing orders and comes with a debit card so it works for my purposes.

I know other UK-Yers have done joint accounts with their British partners successfully- perhaps the solution really is as simple as just finding another bank. 

I suspect that the issue is particular to Nationwide or may be due to the fact that it is a building society (which I assume is similar to a US credit union) and not a Bank. You may just need to open an account at a bank instead. Good luck. Shortly after arrival here, most of us have experienced the joy that is UK banking!   

Cadenza-

I truly understand your frustrations. I also echo what Andrea said...try another bank. When I first got here (in Oct.) we tried to open up a joint account at Alliance & Leicester since they have very good interest rates. My husband had started the paperwork before I got here and had thoroughly explained the whole situation (me being American and all) and they assured us it was no problem. We get close to the finish line, and then get told it can't be done because I'm American. Same thing happened with another bank (can't even remember which one at this point)...had numerous bank employees tell us it would be fine, only to be told down the line it wasn't.

We finally ended up with RBS, and they have worked it all out for us. They set me up with my own account (which even comes with a credit card---not sure how that happened, but I'm not questioning it!), and then set us up with a joint account with Maestro cards.

You should defintiely be able to get a joint account with debit cards...if Nationwide won't do it for you, look elsewhere. When I opened my account with RBS, they did want me to show proof of my income (for the credit card, I assume) but I don't yet have a job here. They were willing to consider my old payslips from the US.

It's very frustrating because there doesn't seem to be a set of hard and fast rules, and can often be down to who you talk to on a certain day.

I think Victoria posted in the Money Matters board about LLoyd's starting a new account specifically for foreigners. You might want to look for that thread.

Found the link for you:

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=30981.0

I've never heard of having to be on the electoral roll to get a bank account. I needed a utility bill/bank statement and proof of who I am. I didn't have a job so I didn't have a payslip, and we lived with Jamie's parents so I didn't have any bills in my name.  I was lucky actually.. I went to HSBC to open an account because I heard it was easiest to get one with them. They gave me the most basic account they have, but they did sent me statements in the mail. So what I did was used their statement and my passport/marriage certificate to open a proper bank Abbey account. HSBC closed my account because I never bothered to give them anything else about who I am and I didn't care.

It's weird a few people have reported being refused credit for not being on the electoral roll and now you've been refused a bank account. I was reading an article recently about how credit agencies like Experian work and it said being on the electorall roll is ONE thing they look at but not the sole deciding factor so there must be other reasons, or they have made a mistake. I wish I could remember where I read that.

Lloyds bank has operated a Worldwide Branch for many years, I know people who have come from overseas and opened accounts with them no problem. You could try them, otherwise I would ask Nationwide for a more detailed explanation.

I have to say that a lot of people I know who are foreigners actually use HSBC as it was the one most helpful.  When DH and I got married, he was with Halifax and they wouldn't budge at all for us.  So DH said he was no longer banking with them and wanted to close that account. We went into Barclay's and they refused to even look at me. The woman spoke directly to my husband and referred to me the whole time as "the madame".  So we went into HSBC who promptly sat down with us and opened up a joint account!  We had all the documents with us at the time anyway. That was 3 years ago I am still not on the electoral roll.

I went to HSBC when I was trying to open a bank account, but all foreigners are now forced into the Passport Account that costs £50!  Just on principle I refuse to pay a bank that kind of money just to open a bank account. And they know foreigners are desperate, so they probably get good business.

I was only able to get a basic account with Abbey (no cheques, debit card or such), but they said I'd be eligible for an upgrade in a couple of months. We'll see.

Cadenza, I would agree with others.  Go elsewhere, although it sounds like a pain as your husband has banked there for a long time.  And given the headaches you've gone through once, you hardly want to do it again (and again).

The "electoral roll" wasn't given to me as a reason, but otherwise, I had your exact experience getting added to my husband's Natwest account.  After jumping through 1000 hoops and being assured all was in order, my husband was mailed a handwritten note from someone named D. Smith at Natwest.  The note simply said, "Please contact me regarding adding <myname> to your account."  No phone number provided.  No reason given.

I've had a Nationwide current account for about 5 years, and they were able to change it to a joint account with my American wife last year. Needed the usual anti money laundering checks, but once we had a utility bill and a council tax bill with her name on it and produced a marriage license there weren't any problems.

Nationwide has gotten a bit, well, weird lately in their internal policies - more strict for reasons unknown.  They used to be a bank that a lot of folks would recommend.

Electoral roll info is just part of the info captured on an individual's credit report here in the UK.  I'm wondering if they pulled a credit report on you, you didn't have one (not any credit to report on in the UK) nor was any electoral roll data recorded about you (for obvious reasons) -- and so they're just kind of making it up as they go along.  Like you don't have bad credit or a credit history -- so they decided to throw that sorry excuse at you instead.

I'd go to another bank as others have mentioned.  I like Barclays.

A link on basic bank accounts:

http://www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk/pdfs/bank_accounts.pdf

I've appreciated all your advice.  I am going to try some other banks.  I would have done it earlier, but I've been ill all week after travelling to the US for a funeral.  You gotta love it when you pick up a nasty bug on an airplane.

How funny especially that someone else had no problem adding their spouse to a Nationwide account.  Their policies have either changed, or I got a finicky reviewer that didn't like the fact that I have no credit because I've never lived here.  I find it hard to believe this decision was solely based on me not being on the electoral roll, even though that was a part of the credit report check they ran.  Hopefully I can find an account that is more than just a cashpoint only account.

Cadenza, are you working? 

We needed a letter from our employer saying that we were indeed under their employ and that they required we have a bank account to direct deposit our paychecks. 

We had no problems getting a bank account whatsoever and we weren't on the electoral roll at that point. 

It was Lloyds BTW and they treated us the nicest of all the banks we went to so we went with them. 

We still don't have a credit card though but we do have a Visa debit card. 

That is one thing that may become difficult for me.  I work as a psychotherapist, but I just haven't found openings in my field in Cardiff.  I am working a little bit as a self-employed therapist, but I only have a couple clients so far.  I've tried to apply for lesser jobs to just make ends meet until I can find a better job, but the lesser jobs won't look at me at all since I'm overqualified.

So, it's a bit of a quandary: I am struggling to help people see that my US qualifications do transfer here, but nobody will touch me for other jobs because they take one look at my CV and assume (fairly so) that as soon as a better job comes along, I'd be out of there. 

The employment thing didn't even come up at the bank that refused me.  They asked how much money I'd make.  I said I was a therapist and anticipated making X amount.  I wasn't asked for proof or payslips.  I'm glad to see some counsel in this forum though.  I think I will take a couple of invoices for my client I just started working with (blacking out identifying information) but take copies of payslips from my last job to show them I can make money.  Maybe that will be enough to help them like me more with no credit history.  I would love it if I can somehow begin to establish credit history and not just have a basic account.