barclays not letting me open a bank with them

kfcking1991

hi, i went into barclays and they said to open a bank with them id have to close my santander account and switch to them. they also asked the reason i wanted the account, the guy was literally acting as if he was going to pay for the account himself

Reply 1

StriderHort

21

You're generally only allowed 1 current account, most banks will ask why you want the account, it's pretty easy to answer right?

Reply 2

kfcking1991

OP

3

Original post by StriderHort

You're generally only allowed 1 current account, most banks will ask why you want the account, it's pretty easy to answer right?

wdym?

Reply 3

kfcking1991

OP

3

Original post by kfcking1991

wdym?

i know people with 4 bank accounts

Reply 4

Neilos

18

Employees usually only get that interested if they're getting something out of it themselves, so maybe he gets a bonus for every 'account switch' he can do...

Have you tried signing up online?

Reply 5

kfcking1991

OP

3

Original post by Neilos

Employees usually only get that interested if they're getting something out of it themselves, so maybe he gets a bonus for every 'account switch' he can do...

Have you tried signing up online?

i think you have to fill in your detail online and then come in with your passport and proof of address anyways((

Reply 6

StriderHort

21

Original post by kfcking1991

i know people with 4 bank accounts

There's different sorts of accounts, I think i technically have about 7, but most of them are savings or credit cards with the same bank and linked to the same 'main' current account, that's like your main day to day account that your income goes into, you take cash from and you pay your bills with. When you try and open one a bank will generally expect/demand your income be paid into it and ask quite a lot of questions. So you can see why it's v hard to have more than one of these...there are still some exceptions, i have both a current and a student account, with my wages paid into one, and my student loans paid into the other, the bank don;t like it much but i pestered them to allow me to have both.

Most banks used to offer a 'basic' bank account, with no overdraft or special features and pretty much anyone could open one with minimum ID or waiting, but they've tightened up the process a lot over the last decade so I dunno if you still really get them.

If you want to open more than one account, they'll always ask why, both to cover themselves and to see if they can offer a more appropriate solution (or upsell something else) generally the answer is simple, you want to get wages paid into it, you want a debit card to withdraw cash/shop online, yopu want to start saving, you want a credit card to meet short term lending needs ect ect./

Reply 7

Reue

20

Original post by StriderHort

You're generally only allowed 1 current account

Now that's just not true at all.

You're only allowed 1 student account.

Reply 8

londonmyst

19

Original post by Reue

Now that's just not true at all.

You're only allowed 1 student account.

I've had 6 student accounts over the years, 4 with overdrafts.
It seems now most banks providing undergrad student accounts with interest free overdrafts want their account to be the main one receiving the student finance payments.

Reply 9

StriderHort

21

Original post by Reue

Now that's just not true at all.

You're only allowed 1 student account.

I didn't say it was impossible, but it's not generally the norm to have more than one current account right? You're expected to pay an income into it and you can't pay the same income into two accounts? People do have a variety of incomes I suppose, as said, not impossible, but I wouldn't be surprised by a bank expecting me to close or transfer my other current account before they would give me one of theirs.

Reply 10

londonmyst

19

Just go to another bank, check the conditions for opening a student account and don't mention that you already have a santander current account.
Some banks make it a condition of undergrad student account opening that their account is the main account used and student finance is paid into it.

Reply 11

username4929556

12

Original post by kfcking1991

i know people with 4 bank accounts

Not student accounts.

Reply 12

username4929556

12

Original post by londonmyst

I've had 6 student accounts over the years, 4 with overdrafts.

That is why banks now are more vigilant. How many years ago was this?

Reply 13

username4929556

12

Original post by kfcking1991

hi, i went into barclays and they said to open a bank with them id have to close my santander account and switch to them. they also asked the reason i wanted the account, the guy was literally acting as if he was going to pay for the account himself

The problem is students have over the years tried it on with multiple overdrafts.....as referred to in this thread. Why would Barclays give you an account with another overdraft facility if you already are racking up debt with student, possibly maintenance loans and other overdraft facilities???? You would be an unnecessary risk.

Reply 14

Reue

20

Original post by StriderHort

I didn't say it was impossible, but it's not generally the norm to have more than one current account right? You're expected to pay an income into it and you can't pay the same income into two accounts? People do have a variety of incomes I suppose, as said, not impossible, but I wouldn't be surprised by a bank expecting me to close or transfer my other current account before they would give me one of theirs.

I have never heard of a bank requiring someone to close a current account with another bank.

I think you're getting confused with some special offer accounts which require a salary to be paid into them to forego an account fee. That is not the norm.

Reply 15

Reue

20

Original post by londonmyst

It seems now most banks providing undergrad student accounts with interest free overdrafts want their account to be the main one receiving the student finance payments.

Yes; thats how they've always tried to police the "1 student account per person" rule.

Reply 16

londonmyst

19

Original post by Dexter321

That is why banks now are more vigilant. How many years ago was this?

3 years ago.

Reply 17

Etomidate

15

Original post by StriderHort

I didn't say it was impossible, but it's not generally the norm to have more than one current account right? You're expected to pay an income into it and you can't pay the same income into two accounts? People do have a variety of incomes I suppose, as said, not impossible, but I wouldn't be surprised by a bank expecting me to close or transfer my other current account before they would give me one of theirs.

Rubbish. I have five current accounts active at the moment (along with a LISA, a HTB ISA and a S&S ISA) as they're instant access and have a higher interest rate than most "savings" accounts and ISAs. I've had zero issues with this and there are no T&Cs against it.

Original post by StriderHort

You're generally only allowed 1 current account, most banks will ask why you want the account, it's pretty easy to answer right?

that sir is incorrect (I work for a bank)

Reply 19

TheMcSame

19

Original post by kfcking1991

i think you have to fill in your detail online and then come in with your passport and proof of address anyways((

Not necessarily. I set up a Barclays account a while back and to this day, I have still not been in a Barclays bank. I think they only ask you to visit your local if they have issues verifying your information.

barclays not letting me open a bank with them

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