Bank closing my account as I have no UK address, where to send my savings?

[NoshowJones]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

If you buy a street address in Poole they won't know it's a mailing address.

Good for HMRC, DWP and banks, costs around 120GBP/year.

Pity there isn't something like that in the Philipines, though 120GBP/year seems a bit much.

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, NoshowJones said:

Pity there isn't something like that in the Philipines, though 120GBP/year seems a bit much.

The 120GBP UK street address + $90 London landline + 10GBP GiffGaff SIM add up to less than my winter fuel payment.

So IMHO it's worthwhile.

[NoshowJones]

11 minutes ago, Eff1n2ret said:

Probably is, but they admit themselves that they're not a bank, and do not participate in the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (deposits up to 85k) which is a requirement for UK banks.

Is it safe to keep money in my Wise account? | Wise Help Centre

Thanks, that was a great help.

[sammieuk1]

A few golden rules for an expat is never tell a bank the government your whereabouts maintain a Doctor, address and UK phone number at all costs and never use your bank cards here transfer to wise and use that and this problem wont arise ????

[IvorBiggun2]

2 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

A few golden rules for an expat is never tell a bank the government your whereabouts maintain a Doctor, address and UK phone number at all costs and never use your bank cards here

I have to disagree with the above. Being an honest kinda guy I didn't do any of the things you recommend and I never had any problems. I even left the sale of my house through my solicitor giving him power of attorney.   

[sammieuk1]

3 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

I have to disagree with the above. Being an honest kinda guy I didn't do any of the things you recommend and I never had any problems. I even left the sale of my house through my solicitor giving him power of attorney.   

Its not dishonest not to want to divulge your information to institutions that want to use it against you but each to their own it works for me ???? 

[IvorBiggun2]

20 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

Its not dishonest not to want to divulge your information to institutions that want to use it against you but each to their own it works for me ???? 

This is nit picking but if you deliberately mislead some institution into believing you live somewhere where you do not is dishonest.

Edited January 12, 2023 by IvorBiggun2

[Mickeymaus]

40 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

A few golden rules for an expat is never tell a bank the government your whereabouts maintain a Doctor, address and UK phone number at all costs and never use your bank cards here transfer to wise and use that and this problem wont arise ????

Just be careful regarding taxation of interest income. In some European countries you don't have to pay taxes if you don't live there. 

[Madgee]

52 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

The 120GBP UK street address + $90 London landline + 10GBP GiffGaff SIM add up to less than my winter fuel payment.

So IMHO it's worthwhile.

I agree it's worthwhile if needed.

Add the cost of £1.20 for every letter received
+  £1.20 per page if scanned across to you.

 

[indyo]

2 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

Where?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HSBC expat

[Doctor Tom]

3 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Officially, it is a requirement.  Long-established accounts may get away with it but that can change at any time at the bank's whim.  Try to open a new UK bank account without a UK address and see how far you get.

There is a difference between being 'normally resident' in the UK and having a usable UK address. I am not resident there,  but I do have a UK address. 

Edited January 12, 2023 by Doctor Tom

[Liverpool Lou]

1 minute ago, Doctor Tom said:

There is a difference between being 'normally resident' in the UK and having a usable UK address. I am not resident there,  but I do have a UK address. 

I know that there is a difference!   

 

"Having a usable UK address" on it's own, if you are not UK resident does not make you UK resident for the purpose of opening a UK banks' account opening regulations and all UK banks require current applicants for accounts to be UK resident.   You're getting away with it and good luck to you, I hope it continues. 

[Doctor Tom]

1 minute ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I know that there is a difference!   

 

"Having a usable UK address" on it's own, if you are not UK resident does not make you UK resident for the purpose of opening a UK banks' account opening regulations and all UK banks require current applicants for accounts to be UK resident.   You're getting away with it and good luck to you, I hope it continues. 

well I have 'got away with it' for 30 odd years? 

[kimamey]

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

Barclays pulled my on-shore account about 10 years ago, despite having a UK address, as I "appeared to be non-resident".

 

Nationwide know I live in Thailand but don't seem to mind (they have a UK address for me).

 

I have Lloyds offshore accounts in IoM, they also have my UK address.

 

  

I have a Lloyds account and a Santander one which I don't use much plus a Sainsburys credit card. They are all at my daughter's address. I think the rules are down to each bank and I haven't checked lately. Until recently  I was resident for tax purposes but that changed this year so that may make a difference but I'm planning to be tax resident next year if possible.

[Moonlover]

@Liverpool Lou & @howerde listen up. I'm right up there with @Doctor Tom. I've held a Flexaccount and a credit card account with Nationwide for well over 30 years. During that time I've lived in Saudi Arabia, China, Egypt and now Thailand. They have always been aware of my where abouts and for most of that time I have not had a UK address.

 

It is now difficult (but apparently not impossible) to open an account in the UK unless one is resident there, but established customers, providing they are honest about their current status, should have no need to worry. 

 

And just to emphasis the point I have just now received my new credit card in the post.

[BritManToo]

45 minutes ago, Madgee said:

I agree it's worthwhile if needed.

Add the cost of £1.20 for every letter received
+  £1.20 per page if scanned across to you.

 

first 25 scans/month included in the 120gbp year fee.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

It is now difficult (but apparently not impossible) to open an account in the UK unless one is resident there, but established customers, providing they are honest about their current status, should have no need to worry. 

Basically, that's what I said, except that now it is impossible to open a new account for a new customer unless they are UK resident.   If anyone knows of any UK bank that will open an account for non-UK residents, remotely, I'd be delighted to know which because I need one again!

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

3 hours ago, NoshowJones said:

If my UK bank suddenly told be I would need to get a UK address, would they accept a UK mailing address? I have my doubts about that.

If you buy a street address in Poole they won't know it's a mailing address.

Until and unless they ask for verification with utility bills!

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Until and unless they ask for verification with utility bills!

Not required when changing address. 

[NoshowJones]

10 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Until and unless they ask for verification with utility bills!

and what is the chances of that? Are you not paying £120 a year to prevent that.

[IvorBiggun2]

18 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

If anyone knows of any UK bank that will open an account for non-UK residents, remotely, I'd be delighted to know which because I need one again!

 

Quote

 

Which UK banks allow non-resident accounts?

 

 

If you are a non-resident, you can open a business bank account in the UK with any central bank like Barclays International, Llyods Bank, HDFC Bank, NatWest Groups, HSBC, etc. The process is simple; you need to fill up a form and provide your passport or driving licence, proof of address, and a photograph

 

https://chacc.co.uk/general-blog/can-a-foreigner-open-a-bank-account/#:~:text=If you are a non-resident%2C you can open a,of address%2C and a photograph.

[hotandsticky]

42 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I know that there is a difference!   

 

"Having a usable UK address" on it's own, if you are not UK resident does not make you UK resident for the purpose of opening a UK banks' account opening regulations and all UK banks require current applicants for accounts to be UK resident.   You're getting away with it and good luck to you, I hope it continues. 

Exactly, the account is already open and the UK 'correspondence address' will likely keep him under the radar  

[ukrules]

5 hours ago, mancub said:

Offshore banking is the option then, as UK banks appear to require residency to open a Fixed Term Savings Account. LLoyds International and others offer rates around 4% currently. 

Opening an account is a pain, however, as need to show proof of address in Thailand and probably certify your passport. Also requires a linked account for fund transfers.

I had to do this recently, not for a bank but for much more paranoid Bitcoin exchanges around the world, I completed full 'KYC verification' at about 4 of the largest exchanges in the world and one US based custodian over the course of a couple of days.

 

How? They ask for a proof of address, so I was thinking of certificate of residence and then get it translated followed by potentially notarised for some of them - that's a whole different can of worms here in Thailand, then I thought of something.

 

I went to Kasikorn and updated my address, I moved about 4 or 5 years ago and didn't get around to changing it lol, I asked them to use my new address in English and then print out an English language statement - they did it and that's enough to prove your address, a bank statement from a big Thai bank with an address in English.

 

Also if you already bank with Lloyds I believe you can simply transfer your account to one of the offshore locations, the same type of option may be available with other banks.

 

[Liverpool Lou]

50 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

 

https://chacc.co.uk/general-blog/can-a-foreigner-open-a-bank-account/#:~:text=If you are a non-resident%2C you can open a,of address%2C and a photograph.

Did you read that link?  That is information for foreign non-UK residents opening accounts while they are temporarily in the UK, not for British citizens who are non-resident in the UK but living overseas. 

Just in case I misread it, an indication of which UK banks will  currently permit new accounts opened remotely, i.e. online, for Britons, non-resident in the UK and living overseas.

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, NoshowJones said:

6 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Open an internet bank account such as 'Smile Bank '  https://www.smile.co.uk/

I haven't had a UK address since 2005.

But any money you have coming in like a UK state pension or private pensions won't be any use to you with Smile Bank

"Smile" is of no use anyway unless the applicant is a UK resident.

[IvorBiggun2]

17 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"Smile" is of no use anyway unless the applicant is a UK resident.

Looks like they changed the rules.

[scubascuba3]

7 hours ago, neveragain said:

It appears that now without a UK address I can not have a UK bank account any more

which bank? another warning to people not to change their address to a thai one

[phetphet]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

The 120GBP UK street address + $90 London landline + 10GBP GiffGaff SIM add up to less than my winter fuel payment.

So IMHO it's worthwhile.

@BritManToo

Where do you get the London Landline?

[Dah fahrang]

4 hours ago, Eff1n2ret said:

I have savings accounts with Skipton International in Guernsey BUT I think it was a requirement to have them linked to my UK First Direct account, i.e. withdrawals could only be made into my FD account. I dealt with FD for many years before I moved to Thailand and informed them when I left. I have maintained my account with them and they never raised a problem until about 5 years ago when they declined to roll over an annual savings scheme which I had used for several years - reason, I'm not a UK resident. I've never tried to withdraw money from Skipton but I doubt whether I could, for example, send funds direct from there to Thailand.

My wife and I opened savings accounts with Skipton International, Guernsey, too. Can't praise them highly enough. They were very helpful and even "made an exception" and set up two accounts using "Zoom". Very simple.  We verified our identities and Thai address via a Zoom meeting. Subsequent to opening, must say their internet banking and phone banking facilities are great. 

 

Eff1n2ret, you are slightly mistaken about their requirement for setting up linked accounts for withdrawals. Their requirement is that ANY linked payee account can ONLY be in the same name(s) as those of the account holders with Skipton. We have set up a link to our joint account here with Kasikorn with no problem, and have just recently set up another payee account with Lloyds International in the Isle of Man - our thinking being we can withdraw interest (or capital) to Thailand should we choose, or keep it rolled over with Skipton, or move it to Lloyds Premier International Current Account for spending!

[Madgee]

20 minutes ago, Dah fahrang said:

My wife and I opened savings accounts with Skipton International, Guernsey, too. Can't praise them highly enough. They were very helpful and even "made an exception" and set up two accounts using "Zoom". Very simple.  We verified our identities and Thai address via a Zoom meeting. Subsequent to opening, must say their internet banking and phone banking facilities are great. 

Please correct me if I'm wrong about this:
You must have a UK bank account to open a Skipton International a/c. They will only deal with U.K. banks ...payments in/out if you are in Thailand.