Problems getting UK bank account.

I posted this over in Inconvenient Annoyances:

I have been declined for being added to my husband's bank account.    It's been nearly 2 years and I still don't have an account! It is so frustrating! And I wasted 2 days of my week off in the bank doing all of that crap. I don't even know why I've been declined, but I think it's because they made me set it up in my maiden name (because that is what my passport is in, even though I brought my marriage license), and all bills and everything are in my married name over here. DH is making me meet him to set up my OWN account somewhere else, but I don't have high hopes for that either. I don't understand what the problem is!

That was at Santander. So I decided to try Barclays today to open their most basic account, just to have access to cash if I'm desperate, and they told me my most recent utility bill was too old (it was a week older than 3 months). Oh well, fair enough. I offered to go home and try to find something more recent and come back, and the woman told me that they couldn't open an account for me anyway. The reason being that my passport is in my maiden name, and my utility bills are in my married name. Is this completely wrong? I was sitting there showing my marriage license and she didn't care! She told me I had to either go to the embassy and get my passport changed over to my married name, or change a utility bill to my maiden name! Absurd!

Thoughts??

My passport is in my maiden name, and I have bank accounts in my married name with Lloyds and HSBC.

Santander are atrocious for customer service. (I am an ex customer.) Be grateful that they didn't want you.

I had a lot of difficulty with Barclay's when I was opening an account as well, so I would try someone else.  The person there admitted to me that they don't make it easy to get an account.

I had no trouble with RBS, and I hear Lloyds is pretty good too.

Good luck! 

I must have lucked out with Barclays--they opened my account without seeing any utility bills and only asking for my passport and US driver's license!

Maybe try HSBC next?

We use the Co-operative Bank.  They added me onto my hubby's account using my married name, even though my passport is in my maiden name.

Thanks everyone.

I'm mulling over the idea of just getting a US passport in my married name - I know I should be able to get an account in my married name with my current passport, but just for the ease of it. It's only $110 at the embassy, and then my ILR would go into a passport with my married name... I'm pondering.

Do you have a provisional licence in your married name?  That's the I'd that I used to get my account at Lloyds.

Do you have a provisional licence in your married name?  That's the I'd that I used to get my account at Lloyds.

No, I don't. I was thinking about that though. How do you get one?

Just apply through DVLA.  It's relatively easy and a provisional ID can prove to be very useful.

You have to send in your passport as ID, and pay £50, but it's pretty straightforward. I got mine in about 2 weeks (got my passport back in 1 week).

I must have lucked out with Barclays--they opened my account without seeing any utility bills and only asking for my passport and US driver's license!

I am always amazed at how different people's experiences are with banks. I opened a Barclays account with no bills either and was upgraded to a "Premier" account after being here for a year.  I think sometimes it can depend on your spouse's relationship with the bank?

I also have a different name on my passport than my husband's name. I went to Abbey-which is now Santander.

At first some kid told me it was not possible-and when I asked him for the reason-he couldn't give one.

So-I went home and called a different branch. Guess what? No problem.

I would say to push a bit further when they say "declined" or "not possible" oftentimes you are working with a rep who can't be bothered to look into something they are not familiar with. Just sayin'. 

So-I went home and called a different branch. Guess what? No problem.

I would say to push a bit further when they say "declined" or "not possible" oftentimes you are working with a rep who can't be bothered to look into something they are not familiar with. Just sayin'.

This.  The knowledge & training of staff from one branch to the next can vary greatly, just as your mileage can.  Keep going up the food chain if you need to.

I think it's pretty funny when people recommend X bank or over Y bank - really they're all about the same.  

FWIW, the most recently published FSA data (for the period of January-June 2010) showed that Lloyds had the highest number of customer complaints, followed by Barclays in second place, and then Santander in third.  Bearing in mind, these figures may have some relationship to the various banks' market shares - more overall customers could result in a higher number of overall complaints.

Out of those complaints, Lloyds did best at resolving issues within 8 weeks (97% of cases), followed by Barclays (91% of cases), with Santander last (only 46% of cases).

Cooperative is one group that has received higher customer satisfaction ratings.

Another thing to consider, apart from the main commercial high street banks, is going to a building society group (not all offer current accounts though), or a credit union if one is available in your area for which you are eligible.

I am always amazed at how different people's experiences are with banks. I opened a Barclays account with no bills either and was upgraded to a "Premier" account after being here for a year.  I think sometimes it can depend on your spouse's relationship with the bank?

Well then I shouldn't have been turned away. DH has been banking there for years... I've decided to forget about it and enjoy my last day of half-term. I haven't gone out to do anything FUN all week, and it has been a rough 2 weeks anyway. I'm going to put this on hold and try Lloyds on Easter break.

I'm a bit (well, very) irritated that it's been so difficult for me, when clearly other people have done it no problem! I even looked at the Barclays website, and my bill was not too old - council tax bills just have to be within the financial year - so that irks me further.

This.  The knowledge & training of staff from one branch to the next can vary greatly, just as your mileage can.  Keep going up the food chain if you need to.

I think it's pretty funny when people recommend X bank or over Y bank - really they're all about the same. 

FWIW, the most recently published FSA data (for the period of January-June 2010) showed that Lloyds had the highest number of customer complaints, followed by Barclays in second place, and then Santander in third.  Bearing in mind, these figures may have some relationship to the various banks' market shares - more overall customers could result in a higher number of overall complaints.

Out of those complaints, Lloyds did best at resolving issues within 8 weeks (97% of cases), followed by Barclays (91% of cases), with Santander last (only 46% of cases).

Cooperative is one group that has received higher customer satisfaction ratings.

Another thing to consider, apart from the main commercial high street banks, is going to a building society group (not all offer current accounts though), or a credit union if one is available in your area for which you are eligible.

Thanks for the tips, Mrs. R! I will talk to hubby about it.

I think it's pretty funny when people recommend X bank or over Y bank - really they're all about the same.  

Since we're drifting off of the original topic a bit, I'm wondering if anyone can explain why UK banks are such pains in the a$$ about signing up new customers.  I've never heard of a US bank turning anyone away from basic banking services like checking accounts; more like they're desperate for you to give them your money.  In the UK it seems to be the exact opposite; they don't particularly care to have you as a customer unless you can meet some threshold of worthiness.  Anyone know why there's such a difference?