Nearly Retired (I am now) Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Now that Nationwide have abandoned us, we have opened an account at Metro Bank. They try to be different and we actually opened our account in a branch on a Bank Holiday and walked out with a fully functioning debit card about half an hour after we first sat down.Unfortunately the few branches are currently located within the M25 area but the bank is expanding.http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cardsloans/article-2021126/Metro-Bank-credit-card-free-use-abroad.htmlWe have used the debit card in France and I confirm it works as described on the tin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dart16 Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 For those of us that are French resident..From their T&C's..You can apply to open a Current Account if you are 18 or over and a UK resident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Thanks for that, I will give them a try when I return.Are there other restrictions like minimum annual income, salary (what salary?) having to be paid into account etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearly Retired (I am now) Posted November 11, 2011 Author Share Posted November 11, 2011 "Are there other restrictions like minimum annual income, salary (what salary?) having to be paid into account etc?"I didn't ask - we just ambled in and asked to open an account. The usual request for all sorts of ID was made and after a bit of tapping on the clerk's keboard we got clearance immediately. We weren't asked for details of income etc.Having opened a nil balance current account we then went across to their change sorting machine and dumped in about £50 worth of 5p coins. The machine printed a ticket with the correct amount (Yes, we'd counted it all out before !) with no deductions and this was immediately credited to our account.Over 50s get a free safety deposit box for 12 months too, but we didn't take them up on that offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert the InfoGipsy Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 So are you UK resident? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearly Retired (I am now) Posted November 11, 2011 Author Share Posted November 11, 2011 Yes, UK resident with a maison 2 in 17. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmite Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Can confirm all details correct, we use Metro Bank to withdraw cash and Nationwide credit card for purchases. In the summer when we were there we made purchases/ withdrawal on both cards, they were debited from our accounts within a day or so of each other. The exchange rate applied was within a cent or so of each other.Yes you have to be resident in UK. Not sure if that can be bypassed if you still have accounts in the UK and some kind of UK address and can get to a Metro bank with something with a UK address on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Hopefully they will accept my perpetual tourist visa [;-)]It will be great to avoid the fees that I am currently paying now that the 6 months has passed on the NW credit card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 [quote user="Chancer"]Hopefully they will accept my perpetual tourist visa [;-)]It will be great to avoid the fees that I am currently paying now that the 6 months has passed on the NW credit card.[/quote]Do us a favour Chancer ask about my PT visa while your there? [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardener Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Out of interest, once you leave the UK are you stuck with the bank you have or are there banks that do allow ex UK residenst to open an account? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 If the bank has an arm in, say, Channel Islands or IOM, they'd "strongly encourage" you to open an account there.I think HSBC might be an exception as they seem to have branches in France but I'm not sure whether you can open a UK account with them if you live in France.Perhaps someone on the Forum who has done this can tell us?As for opening a brand new bank account with another bank, other than your own, I think you'd find that they'll refuse you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardener Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Best not upset my bank then:) When there are still a lot of expats immigrants whatever that have income originating in the UK, I am surprised that it is so tricky to move from one bank to another, especially when it was so simple to open a French account before I lived here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Gardener, could that be in the good (bad) old days before there was all this concern about money-laundering?Wish I had enough money to worth trying to launder it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmite Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 [quote user="marmite"]Can confirm all details correct, we use Metro Bank to withdraw cash and Nationwide credit card for purchases. In the summer when we were there we made purchases/ withdrawal on both cards, they were debited from our accounts within a day or so of each other. The exchange rate applied was within a cent or so of each other.[/quote]Update on my comment. Back in the UK and have my bank statements to hand. Take 31 October as an example, I have two debits on that day, one Nationwide credit card and one Metro Bank cash withdrawal.Nationwide 10.18 Euro @ 1.136161 to the poundMetro 300 Euro @ 1.135976 " "May help other people decide about Metro Bank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 [quote user="marmite"]Update on my comment. Back in the UK and have my bank statements to hand. Take 31 October as an example, I have two debits on that day, one Nationwide credit card and one Metro Bank cash withdrawal.Nationwide 10.18 Euro @ 1.136161 to the poundMetro 300 Euro @ 1.135976 " "[/quote]For comparison, the "bulk" rates on that day that I can find were 1 GBP = 1.14132205534 € (exchangerates24) or 1.14038 € (oanda.com) or 1.1453 (ECB) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert the InfoGipsy Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 [quote user="marmite"]Update on my comment. Back in the UK and have my bank statements to hand. Take 31 October as an example, I have two debits on that day, one Nationwide credit card and one Metro Bank cash withdrawal.Nationwide 10.18 Euro @ 1.136161 to the poundMetro 300 Euro @ 1.135976 " "[/quote]Certainly that 0.02 - ish of a cent is neither here nor there. By the way, you didn't choose your day very well to do that withdrawal, did you? A day or two earlier or later and you'd have got about 1.15€. I hate it when that happens[:(]I'm going to be working in London for the next few months so went into a Metro 'store' to ask about starting an account. No earnings or minimum monthly amounts, according to the nice man. The main thing is that they need to tie you to an address, using 2 official documents. The list he gave me included:Statement from another bank, driving licence, NHS cardUtility billsBeing on the electoral register Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmite Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 Yes Albert it is swings and roundabouts about when is the best time, never really !!More to the point it just confirms that Metro Banks cash withdrawals are competitive with Nationwide's promise not to load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert the InfoGipsy Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 Agreed. All I need to do now is get some official recognition of my being here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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