UK bank says the holder has to have a permanent address

[mikeymike100]

21 minutes ago, yeahbutif said:

What is classed as UK address? Does your name have to be on a UK council tax registration? Or just a UK postal address reg with bank ? Or a house hold bill?

Good question?

You could be living with a relative, partner, wife etc and they have the utility bills and council tax bills in their name?

Question is do you need to be a 'resident' of the UK? Why would the bank care providing you have a UK address?

[Kwasaki]

6 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Of course, but that's not the OP's situation.

If you need a UK residential address and you are UK passport holder and you live abroad.

 

residential addresses, the best option is probably to ask a friend or family member and even offer to pay them what you would pay a virtual mailbox company (typically £10-20 a month). What is this? Of course, it's not an option for everyone.

 

[Red Phoenix]

I opened an N26 Internet-Bank account from Thailand, and as Internet-Banks do not have branche-offices, you just need your passport to make an account.  N26 is EU-based so it will thus not be possible to do this as Uk citizen, but REVOLUT has largely the same benefits as N26 and an account can be opened by a UK citizen irrespective of where you are living.

 

[Kwasaki]

12 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

Good question?

You could be living with a relative, partner, wife etc and they have the utility bills and council tax bills in their name?

Question is do you need to be a 'resident' of the UK? Why would the bank care providing you have a UK address?

If it affects me the 2 private pensions I get will only pay into a UK bank I will get them to pay them pp into my sons UK bank account, don't see why they can't do that. 

[NanLaew]

34 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I got Revolut in Thailand

I'm not the one saying you can't.

[YorkshireTyke]

Same for me, Barclays will close my account in a few months, I think they said end of June. I do have offshore accounts with Lloyds and Santander but I will lose the debit card I held with Barclays. Not used the card a lot but it's useful to have just in case.

[NanLaew]

27 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

Good question?

You could be living with a relative, partner, wife etc and they have the utility bills and council tax bills in their name?

Question is do you need to be a 'resident' of the UK? Why would the bank care providing you have a UK address?

Intrinsically the UK bank probably doesn't care. However, the UK banks need to stay onside with the US banking's AMLO and FATCA rules and laws. Not doing so risks them being barred from a whole lot of international banking procedures similar to what they've collectively done to Vlad and his gang.

[Expat68]

Change to HSBC Bank. I opened an account when I moved to Thailand, never had any issues 

[DPKANKAN]

Happened to a friend of mine here. Took a month for the letter to arrive, leaving a month to sort it out. He's in his 80's and ill so could not fly home.

Fortunately, I managed to help set him up with a TWise Bank Account in London which we then arranged for his pensions to be paid into!!

I took the case up with the Banking Ombudsman but his Bank lied about 2 certain letters which were not sent and the Ombudsmans's 'investigator' believed them. No surprise there!!!????????????????????????????????

[Thomas KH]

37 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

i closed mine, far from flawless 

Mine works flawlessly. I transfer funds from my DKB account in Berlin to Revolut and never had issues from day 1 of having the account. I also top it up with my Miles & More card, earning me miles for such transactions.

 

If it doesn't work flawlessly for others, there must be a reason. Money launderers come to my mind. Fraudsters hiding here in Thailand. Dodgy/fishy source of funds. 

 

 

[alanrchase]

A bank is threatening to close an account and people advise them to commit fraud to fix the issue. Unbelievable.

I would contact the bank and ask if it is ok to use a family members address as a correspondence address in the UK. If the issue is purely that they are not a permanent resident in the UK look into offshore banks.

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by alanrchase
Spelling

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Until the bank queries it!  Funny how she's suddenly got a new UK address that she's not registered at while living, with the banks knowledge, in Thailand for years!  Not so simple.

The bank doesn't care, they're just ticking government regulation boxes.

[sammieuk1]

Golden rule for expats never tell the bank or government where you are maintain a Doctors UK phone number a trust worthy address and never use your UK bank cards here (top tip) from Metro bank manager use a wise or pre paid card and your life will be near to normal ????

[Kwasaki]

Globalbanks.com is a useful read I think. ????

[scubascuba3]

17 minutes ago, Thomas KH said:

Mine works flawlessly. I transfer funds from my DKB account in Berlin to Revolut and never had issues from day 1 of having the account. I also top it up with my Miles & More card, earning me miles for such transactions.

 

If it doesn't work flawlessly for others, there must be a reason. Money launderers come to my mind. Fraudsters hiding here in Thailand. Dodgy/fishy source of funds. 

 

 

The exchange rate used wasn't flawless, basically hidden charges in the spread at the weekend as Thai baht was deemed to be a volatile currency like ruble. It's hidden in the small print if you look hard enough. Maybe they've removed it but unlikely

[phetphet]

59 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

Good question?

You could be living with a relative, partner, wife etc and they have the utility bills and council tax bills in their name?

Question is do you need to be a 'resident' of the UK? Why would the bank care providing you have a UK address?

Would the local authorities ask for the names of all adults living at any one address? Or just the number of adults in order to assess the Council Tax Bill?

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Not available in Thailand, so it doesn't work that flawlessly!.

It's true. You have to use a UK or some address from the list of countries they have. Thailand is not in it. Why isn't Thailand listed? Dunno. But can't see them checking you actually live there.

Edited March 22, 2023 by bradiston

[soalbundy]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

She has no choice, the bank is closing the account, not her.

 

After she tells the bank that she, magically, has suddenly become UK resident again (immediately after the bank's advice) with the bank knowing that she hasn't, don't you think think that they will check?  They will.

When you say 'bank' you mean a bored employee who wants the correct boxes ticked, it isn't Scotland Yard. I've had enough dealings with my German bank to realize that the employee wants a clean sheet and the least bother with no trouble to themselves. An address with a relative will do fine.

[jesimps]

Nothing to do with Brexit unless you"re a rabid Remainer. Happened to me ages ago, so I gave them my son in law's address. He forwards any important stuff, cards etc.

[chickenslegs]

36 minutes ago, Expat68 said:

Change to HSBC Bank. I opened an account when I moved to Thailand, never had any issues 

I never had any issues with Barclay's in the 18 years I've lived in Thailand without a UK address - until now.

[Upnotover]

12 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Would the local authorities ask for the names of all adults living at any one address? Or just the number of adults in order to assess the Council Tax Bill?

They (local district council) ask annually who (name) is living at each address and then if that person is not on the electoral register will write to them directly on that issue.

[Kwasaki]

16 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Would the local authorities ask for the names of all adults living at any one address? Or just the number of adults in order to assess the Council Tax Bill?

If your expat and using say a families address they will put you on the vote register list. 

As for council tax more than 2 adult no more council tax has to be paid.

 

[Kwasaki]

15 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

I never had any issues with Barclay's in the 18 years I've lived in Thailand without a UK address - until now.

Nasty lot. ????

[Red Forever]

2 hours ago, brianthainess said:

If she has friends or family in the UK she can change her address to theirs. simple.

Not simple. To change address the bank now asks for proof of residence eg name on electoral roll, utility bill in bank customer's name etc.

I've just been through this worrying procedure.

[foreverlomsak]

2 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

If not, she could set up a Wise multi currency account which gives a UK sort cde and account number and can be used to receive her UK income.

Tried that and failed 2, private pension companies refused to deposit my pensions into Wise, one gave the excuse that Wise was not a bank, only a finance house and as such not covered by banking deposit protection(s).

[ian carman]

Don’t Barclays offer offshore accounts?Im pretty sure that Lloyds do ,as I will be in this position soon and I’m sure that this was an option for me with Lloyds 

[foreverlomsak]

3 minutes ago, ian carman said:

Don’t Barclays offer offshore accounts?Im pretty sure that Lloyds do ,as I will be in this position soon and I’m sure that this was an option for me with Lloyds 

Lloyds do, I've got one. No problems for years but are asking for a Tax ID and Tax Residency Certificate on my last few paper monthly statements, in saying that haven't received one since November last.

[Red Forever]

45 minutes ago, jesimps said:

Nothing to do with Brexit unless you"re a rabid Remainer. Happened to me ages ago, so I gave them my son in law's address. He forwards any important stuff, cards etc.

"Happened to me ages ago". Try doing it now. Money laundering laws have really tightened since 2020.

It definitely is to do with Brexit. That's why the entitled, monied elite lied through their teeth to get Brexit over the line before EU passed laws to reign in off shore tax avoidance.

[Crazy Noobie]

I ran into the same issue with my American bank. As they found out I lived in Thailand, so my account was closed. To solve my problem, I went back to the US and went to my sister's house. She added my name to her Utility bill and I registered with the local voting office and with the VA. All with my sister's address. After a week everyone updated their systems, so I was then able to print up proof of my new USA address. Went to a new bank, showed proof of address and I was able to open an account. then had my social security and pension money sent directly to my new bank account. I returned to Thailand. Now every month I just transfer my money to my Thai bank. Been doing it for over 8 years with no issues at all. As everyone thinks I live in the USA. I went one more step and purchase a "Magic Jack" unit which gave me a phone number for the city that my sister lives in. So through the internet, if anyone in the USA calls me on that phone number it rings here in Thailand. Either on my lap top or on my Thai cell phone.

Caller id shows that I am in the USA. So I can talk to any bank rep and they think I am local.  Of course this is the route I took to solve my problem. But as stated by other people, there are different ways to fix your problem too.

Edited March 22, 2023 by Crazy Noobie
spelling

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, Expat68 said:

Change to HSBC Bank. I opened an account when I moved to Thailand, never had any issues 

I assume this wasn't last week. Have you looked at HSBC's new account signup rules lately? The only fast-track option is if you already have an account with them. Otherwise, you need to be a walk-in, prove-where-you-live sort of applicant. In a similar vein, those who think they can simply open an account at the Isle of Man or Channel Island branch of their existing mainland UK bank are in for a surprise. Their rules have changed too and you need to be resident in those domiciles to qualify. Luckily, the accounts of those who opened UK offshore accounts before the rule changes are grandfathered (for now) but they won't allow these existing customers to open a new account there.