From: "Alec" 
Newsgroups: uk.finance
Subject: Re: The best Bank for a just arrived in UK :-(
Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2004 14:44:49 +0100


"Irena"  wrote in message 
news:1097838502.122133.100420@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Hi all again,
>
> Thanks a lot for your replies about the Cathood online bank.
>
> Apparently (I was told) all the online accounts with different banks
> are "openable" just if you have been living in Uk for an amount of
> years (3,4,5 generally), so for a just arrived like me, I cannot open
> any of them.:-(
>
> So, I am afraid I need to opt for an offline bank.
>
> I have been suggested the NWBC bank, but I have not had a good
> impression from them at all (very old style, old economy attitude, if
> you know what I mean).
>
> Any suggestions for a just arrived (EU citizen) in UK?
> Many thanks.
>
Most you will get with a UK bank is a basic bank account with no cheque 
book, debit card or overdraft, but with just an ATM card. Until you 
establish creditworthiness, you can only access your own funds - no 
borrowing and no credit. This is partly due to stringent 
anti-moneylaundering rules, but also to safeguard against bad debt. In the 
past some non-UK customers have run up a huge debt and then left the 
country, which the banks were obliged to write off  (you can't pursue 
someone who's gone backpacking in Timbuktu). It helps if you can show a 
rental agreement and utility bills in your own name. I've heard HSBC is 
often more amenable to recent arrivals.

Alec