Uk Bank But No Uk Address

[fanciman]

After selling ones property in the UK one is left with no address in the UK for banks to send monthly statements. The bank will probably freeze your account. How can you continue UK banking if you live in Thailand? Will the bank in the UK accept a Thai address?

[wordchild]

talk to your bank and tell them what you are doing, UK banks that i have had dealings with seem to have no issue with an overseas address or with useing a mailbox address in the UK or a combination of the two. With more and more people leaving the UK this is not a new issue for them.

[totonjoy]

In my experience, most UK banks, including some offshore offices, will not post anything to the Far East. I maintain a UK address, but it is that of a friend who sends things on. The banks say they are only protecting their customers interests. They lie of course and are actually protecting their own interests. They couldn't care less about their customers.

Roll on the revolution!

[wjhall]

I have had an account with Nat West under my Thai address without any problems with statements etc UNTIL my ATM expired. No new card was forthcoming nor any letter explaining that I would not get a new card. When I telephoned I was told of course we won't post you a card to Thailand!!! I got round it by changing my address to that of a friend and getting her to post me the card. Once the card arrived I then had to get it validated by writing to Nat West confirming it's safe arrival. All this took 8 weeks!!! So if you have a Nat West card get prepared in plenty of time before your current card expires.

[bangkockney]

You could always open a First Direct account, which is Internet only, no paper statements.

Edited October 16, 2010 by bangkockney

[Jingthing]

Similar problems in the US, likely worse, because we don't have a strong tradition of mass expatriation.

Some common things, yes, using a friend or relative's address can work but choose carefully.

One thing I did with one account, call them before you move and ask them if you did move overseas, what are their policies? Doing that, you can identify any places that will be more open to a foreign address.

Also of course, reduce paperwork even if using a friend's address. Make all statements be online, not paper.

[Tropicalevo]

I have lived outside of the UK for 18 years. My statements always arrive OK.

Forget credit cards/atm cards etc though. (Unless you get a friend to forward them for you.)

[Dellboy218]

Same position I have been in for years. All my bank statements are sent here to CNX. The only problem I have is that due to UK anti money laundering laws they will not invest your money for you without a UK address or a face to face meeeting. My UK credit card billing address is also here which does lead to the odd problem but there is always another vendor that wants the business. The banks are charging an extorionate amount for a standard monthly money transfer although this can be done very easily with internet banking at any time (presuming you have internet available of course). The worlds local bank will also allow free international money transfers between branches of their bank. With this in mind I opened an account in their branch in Bangkok, their only branch in Thailand. What I did not know at the time was that for internet banking they required your ATM card No. AND the PIN number not only that but on the same form/email. Therefore my Bangkok branch account has remained empty. Other than that I have had few problems with this bank, their website is certainly easy to use.

[Dellboy218]

I should perhaps have said that my previous bank Mr. Barc, refused in the end to send me credit cards here as mentioned by others, supposedly on security grounds. More than likely because I got irate with them as my card never worked and I had to keep phoning them. One of their bimbos asked when I left the country to go on holiday, I think she thought I was taking the perverbial when I answered 22 years ago! Because of my job I have been travelling the world for 40 years and their card was a waste of time. The worlds local bank does not have any such qualms about sending cards overseas. They send it their own interbank secure route to Bangkok and from there it is a local mailing. I have never had to phone the UK to use my card. If there is going to be an unusually large purchase I contact them via my account page on their website and drop them a line.

[technologybytes]

HSBC is the answer.

I moved to Thailand 10 years ago, before I left I went into each bank and explained the situation. The only bank that was helpful was HSBC, so I opened a HSBC account and was duly issued a debit card, a credit card, internet banking etc. I was absolutely clear about the fact that I was moving to Thailand, they were clear that was no problem.

For a number of years I used a UK mailbox company who would forward my mail, HSBC had no problem with this. Then I simply logged into internet banking and changed my address, there is a drop down selection from which you can choose international and enter a Thailand address.

For over 5 years now my HSBC address has been in Thailand, they send my credit and debit cards and they arrive without any problems, they even upped my credit card limit twice since I changed my address to Thailand.

The only hicup was the "verified by visa" thing where you enter a postcode to set it up, I had to call then and they did it on the phone instead. Also, I cannot use the HSBC share trading service because I don't have a UK address, but that's OK because there are other (cheaper) options anyway.

When I transfer money to Thailand from HSBC, (which for the last 2 years I can do online) It always arrives the same day in Bangkok Bank, costs £15 but is limited to UK 10,000 per day, which means that the bank cannot issue a Tor Tor Sam as it under the threshold.. not a big issue as I have always found ways around that, even when buying a condo a letter from the bank was sufficient.

I had a Sharkleys (Barc) account for many years, when I told them I was moving to Thailand they canceled my credit card and demanded immediate repayment!! Every other financial institution has been a headache but HSBC has been super.

Also, when my address was in the UK I would have my ATM/debit card "blocked" every month or two because they saw it as suspicious being used in Thailand, I could sort it with a phone call but it was a pain, since I moved my address to Thailand it only ever happened once, about 4 years ago, and I use by card often.

One last word, don't think that HSBC having a branch in Bangkok is any help, they are virtually a different bank, they can do nothing to help people who bank with UK HSBC unless you also open an account with them.

[kevc]

I've an account with LloydsTSB which I've had nearly fifty years when we sold up and moved out hear six years ago I changed my address before we left and get everything sent to us in Thailand mind we don't get monthly statements but I check that on line but they do send our our new cashpoint cards when their due.

[nong38]

It is good to have friend who can kep an eye on your affairs in the UK and keep contact by email, always try and plan ahead, leave letters that need to be posted at a certain time with your friend and as far as the atm cards are concerned, I "lost " both mine on my last visit back so now have a futher 5 years which will need to renewed or "lost" when I return in the future. You could consider forgetting a UK card and take out a local one, I think they work out about 100bts a year. Plenty of options just need to have a think and see what pops up here always something you have not thought about, excellent site this.

[stuandchris]

Nationwide send me a monthly statement, new cards, a card reader to my Thai address no problem at all.

[Kwasaki]

Faciman here's my two bahts worth :-

Before l moved to Thailand l arranged with one of my sibblings in the UK for a UK address.

Or l could of used a friend if this was not possible.

Both banks are notified that me and my Thai wife have my two addresses.

Basically l want my pension paid into my English Nationwide a/c and keep my First Direct online a/c as well.

All my banking with both is done on line so no paperwork.

Aeon cash dispenser machine in Thailand give cash free as do nationwide, it's 150 bht charge otherwise for international cards.

l like to keep my credit card for some puchases and the odd petrol station fill up.

l have found no problem with new cards being sent either.

Edited October 17, 2010 by Kwasaki

[phutoie2]

We must have different NW flex accounts!

The fee is currently 1 % for any non-sterling transactions made outside of the Visa Europe region, plus 150 Baht Thailand ATM fee. I have not come across many of those AEON machines up here!.

From 1 November this changes to 2% charge plus £1 withdrawal fee (again mainly outside Europe)

NW Swift fee goes up to £25 from November too.

A sound idea to keep a UK address but these days they can monitor your movements in & out of UK.

Last week I noticed at Heathrow Terminal 4 they were trialling the new micro passport immigration lanes, ie no officers manning. Placing your passport in the reader and then having piccy taken, they still required a couple of bods to help out a lot of confused Brits!

[BWPattaya]

Nationwide send me a monthly statement, new cards, a card reader to my Thai address no problem at all.

The Cooperative Bank are the same. When I want some cash sent over I call the overseas department at 8pm (Thai time) and it is in my Kasikorn Bank at 9am next morning. Excellent service.

[personchester]

Nationwide send me a monthly statement, new cards, a card reader to my Thai address no problem at all.

Nat West .. Ditto.

[teddy_bare]

Bank with Barclays. No problems in 7 years of having a Thai address. Cards arrive, statements arrive. The only issue which was solved with one phone call, was they once stopped my card as they saw it used in Thailand! Once I called the Fraud center and had them check my address they reinstated the card and i used it within 10 minutes of the call. I was infact still stood next to the ATM.

Some people seem to have the worst of luck with everything.

[technologybytes]

There seems to be some confusion here between using a Thailand correspondence address and actually quitting the UK and telling your bank that you are now living permanently in Thailand.

For correspondence address I had no problem with Barclays, the moment I told them I had moved permanently they closed my Barclaycard and demanded immediate repayment.

When I told HSBC that I had moved permanently it was no problem.

It may depend a great deal on the individual staff member who deals with the address change etc, perhaps policy is one thing but the way that policy is implemented may vary.

[CharlieH]

You could always open a First Direct account, which is Internet only, no paper statements.

Not strictly true, the intial opening has to have the forms/application papers signed which have to be sent to a UK address.

as per their terms & cons.