Which UK bank accounts are the easiest to get ?

vetus · #1 08-02-2009

Which UK bank accounts do you think are the easiest to get ?

Has anyone with very poor credit ratings been able to obtain any easily ?

GreenBean · #2 08-02-2009

Smile are good as are others even if you are credit-challenged.

http://www.aspkin.com/forums/subscri...-end-list.html

vetus · #3 08-02-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenBean

Smile are good as are others even if you are credit-challenged.

http://www.aspkin.com/forums/subscri...-end-list.html

I have been declined by smile twice so i would disagree there, also i disagree with that list as i have set up ebay and PP accounts with barclays and hsbc recently and its been fine, i want to know other peoples views on this matter.

GreenBean · #4 08-02-2009

Oompappa recommended smile. Yours is the first decline I have heard. At least 4 other users have had problems with barclays. Had you mentioned these bank problems B4? I'll make a note now & date it. My fav is still RBS

Ebayorbust · #5 08-02-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by trotter

Which UK bank accounts do you think are the easiest to get ?

Has anyone with very poor credit ratings been able to obtain any easily ?

Don't apply for full current accounts. They involve detailed credit checks. Once declined by one bank, the rejection stays on your credit report for other banks to see.

Apply for basic accounts. They are just like current accounts but don't involve overdrafts, cheque books and debit cards. You only get a cash card but these accounts allow the all important direct debit.

As Greenbean has already said go for the RBS Key Account.

Ebayorbust · #6 08-02-2009

Also - open the account in a branch if you can. Take two forms of ID. It is much faster than opening online (as I found out).

idiotbay · #7 08-03-2009

Natwest, Abbey and RBS have always worked for me

vetus · #8 08-05-2009

Cheers guys, i have asked in the banks you said and they want to see a utility bill but i dont have any utility bills as i dont live in the UK permanently, i have friends addresses to use though, im just back for 1 month, i need to photochop one or something ive heard about it before, anyone know, please PM me

captainjack1980 · #9 08-05-2009

Hi, I have also failed to get a current account with smile.

I have opened current accounts with Natwest, Barclays, Abbey x 2 & Lloyds TSB. I was rejected by Smile (co-op), A&L, Nationwide, Halifax and HSBC for full current accounts. This was no doubt due to the damage caused to my credit rating by having to many credit checks being done on me.

I then switched to basic account opening. I have successfully opened basic accounts with Halifax, Abbey, Barclays, Nationwide and HSBC.

Beware that some of these still do full credit checks and others just make unrecorded enquiries to check your identity. As long as you are not an undischarged bankrupt you should be fine getting any of these basic accounts.

You should also note that most Basic accounts can only be opened via post - but in some instances your local branch will take the completed application form and copies of your ID to send off.

CaptainJack

cortex · #10 03-17-2010

has anyone tried First Direct ?
or Think Banking?

oompaloompa · #11 03-18-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by trotter

Cheers guys, i have asked in the banks you said and they want to see a utility bill but i dont have any utility bills as i dont live in the UK permanently, i have friends addresses to use though, im just back for 1 month, i need to photochop one or something ive heard about it before, anyone know, please PM me

mmm, I wouldnt PS anything for a bank, that could lead to trouble.....use a real ID/utility

giving friends details to a bank along with their utility, is not a good idea, affects their status right?

you got an aged parent or something?! that might be better.....

cant you get a UK bank account, with your foreign address?? I know people that do, my relatives live abroad and have their pensions paid in to a Uk account...and Im sure they set it all up using their real foreign contact details

cortex · #12 03-18-2010

I have about 5 bank accounts open.
I always get rejected by smile :(...not smiling now.

And i went to Santander/LLoyds yesterday who have now stopped giving me current accounts. theyre asking me to see a business manager and both have asked me to open business accounts...should i be concerned???

With or Without Ebay · #13 04-01-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by cortex

I have about 5 bank accounts open.
I always get rejected by smile :(...not smiling now.

And i went to Santander/LLoyds yesterday who have now stopped giving me current accounts. theyre asking me to see a business manager and both have asked me to open business accounts...should i be concerned???

Yes you should; cos they probably trying to stop you using their bank for free and get some money out of you with business banking... dont think itsanything else....

dburnside · #14 04-01-2010

alliance and leicester / abbey are good for me, also hsbc and bank of scotland lol

any bank with a basic account, just go in and show id. You're sorted

splatman · #15 04-02-2010

alliance and leicester business account easy to get but have to pay £5 a month admin fee

eternity4u · #16 04-25-2010

Abbey basic bank account do a credit check. I never have liked going into the branches to open an account but with Abbey i did. The women who there was conviced that i would get a current account. I told her i just a basic account due to some basic direct debit. Then she told me they do a credit check for a basic account. I went for a current account and was rejected and now thats a bad thing on my credit file.
When you go into a bank, make sure you are clear that you want a basic bank account and current accounts.
I want to know has anyone experience with Abbey basic accounts
I did not fill in the application form, wonder if the women was talking nonense. (that's why i don't like going in banks).
Is it easy to get Abbey basic bank account?

vetus · #17 04-25-2010

All Abbey (Santander) bank accounts are processed using the same system which includes a credit check. The difference with the Basic account is that it has no credit facilities so is considered a less risky product.
I have a really crap credit rating and i got one easy enough with them, just send the forms and try anyway, i tried with around 10 banks last year and only got 4 in the end.
Also of course the woman was talking nonsense, they promise you the world and in the end you usually get nothing.

Fizzy_Vimto · #18 04-29-2010

Im confused here... Im reading all this about people getting credit checks and stuff. Does paypal bans and limitations have any effect on your credit or trustworthiness to banks as im quite sure ive used real account details on 2 previously limited paypals.

Anyway. Im a student with a 6 hour a week part-time job (Im at university, 20 years old) But i was making upwards of 500-1000 a week if a tried hard on eBay. But before i had any money going into my account i managed to open two overdraft accounts with different banks which had an allowance of £2000 on each.

Surely i should be declined for every bank account seeing as i pretty much have no credit, or is it more of an issue having a BAD one than having NONE. If you understand where im coming from.

arshavin · #19 04-29-2010

I imagine some of the ebayers on the forum who need lots of new accounts are selling hot items on ebay so are banned often. Can these guys keep creating lots of new bank accounts or is there a point where they will run out of lives and have to give it up?

stickmade · #20 04-29-2010

People will then turn to friends & family for accounts! Its the only way. I have a question, when you have opened a basic account, when your adding that to paypal for the account verification (2deposits), do you put it down as, savings, or current. Because i just added a bank to my paypal and it was refused, BANK PROCESSING ERROR. I'm set it up as current, but thinking maybe it should have been savings, i'm confused!

vetus · #21 04-29-2010

In the UK savings accounts do not work with paypal, only current accounts will work.
In other countries its different and savings accounts work very well with paypal.

GreenBean · #22 04-29-2010

Things just get too far out of hand. Terms get used that convey a really really incorrect meaning, seriously. No real need for this.
The majority of UK banks do not do a full credit check that makes a mark on an individual's credit file saying anything negative. Banks list an unrecorded enquiry if a customer applies for an account.

An unrecorded enquiry is a search that was not made for lending purposes. It is not seen by lenders but is included on your credit report so you are aware the search was made. This is directly from experian's site.

Bottom line, the account should be a current account: it must allow the direct debit mandate. Having that allows paypal to give you your money