Banks, Credit Cards and Addresses

[rory]

Just recently moved to France, and I've been in the process of changing addresses with all list of my UK banks, cards, and the rest. For things like my UK buy-to-let mortgage and cards I've used my parent's address in the UK, simply as this seemed the most convenient without embarking on a longer painful process of them accepting me living abroad. I'm also opening a current account with Nationwide for the use of their free card use abroad. Seeing as I do everything online aanyway, I'm less concerned about getting the post. Throw into all of that, I still work in the UK 4-5 days a week and am therefore paid in sterling into my current account.

I'm interested to see what other people have done regarding UK banks and other financial institutions and your experiences. Has it caused problems or difficulties providing a French address or have you used a convenient family member/friend's address in the UK?

Thanks in advance.

[woolybananasbrother]

My banks have been in the Channel Islands since I began working abroad in the 1970s and they are quite used to dealing with customers based anywhere in the world. Just need to tell them of address changes and it is done. No problem with credit card either.

[AnOther]

The majority of UK banks seem happy enough to accept a French address for existing accounts but there are one or two little catches to watch out for.

Lloyds for instance won't send new debit or credit cards to addresses outside the UK but in truth I don't really need that account anymore so I'll consider what to do about that when the time comes, maybe they'll give in to a threat to close my account.

Changing address with them was a farce. We wrote separate letters to them as it's a joint account and we got back a letter saying that one of our signatures didn't match their records so would we kindly pop into our local branch with passports for proof of ID! I wrote back politely telling them to read the friggin letters we'd sent, even enclosing edited copies of printed statements from my online banking as further proof that we were who we said we were, and said if that was the best they could do then I'd have no option but to close the account forthwith. I pointed out that even if they were prepared to compromise security by sending mail to an address at which they were now fully aware I no longer lived, I was not. Unsurprisingly not a word of it cut any ice so as a final attempt before closing the account I phoned my actual branch and spoke to a real person who managed to sort it out over the phone and we got another letter confirming it had been done. It transpired at that time that the reason my signature didn't match was because they'd lost the specimens I'd given when opening the account years ago. Frankly I don't think I have the strength of will to go through all that pularva again and would definately close the account.

Another point, if using a card registered to a French address for online or telephone purchases to be delivered to UK the mismatch of addresses can cause problems.

Again I had a problem using a debit card to pay off a 0% credit agreement we'd taken out. It was not a problem telling them that my address had changed since we took it out but their system would simply not accept an address in a non UK format, particularly the postcode, so therefore they couldn't accept the payment. I had to set it up as a bank transfer so thank God I'm not one to leave paying these things off until the last days because with this unforseen delay I could have gone over the 12 months and the 29.5% deferred interest would have kicked in [:-))]

We had initially changed our address with Nationwide to France but once I came up against this sort of thing I changed it again to my son's in UK.

 

 

 

[powerdesal]

Lloyds - again.

They were asked to send a renewed card to a BFPO address in Germany. No problem, except it was to be addressed to my wife c/o Cpl xxxxx at regiment etc . They wanted Cpl xxx's service number, no problem, its 1234567. Oh no, Cpl xxx must ring us and tell us his number himself, but Cpl xxx is in Afghanistan, you know, a WAR ZONE, doesn't matter he must ring us - DUH.

Never mind Lloyds, my wife will fly back to UK and pick up the card from the branch.

She did, walked into branch and said ' I'm Mrs XXXXXX, you have a new card for me. Card handed over without ANY identity check.

Lloyds do not understand security.

[rory]

Thanks all. Sounds like for the moment, keeping a UK address is probably the easiest, especially as I can get the post easily if needs be.

[Gardian]

[quote user="ErnieY"]Lloyds for instance won't send new debit or credit cards to addresses outside the UK [/quote]

News to me - have had recent re-issues of both to our address in France. No problems whatsoever with a non-UK address. 

However, they (LloydsTSB) seem to be trying to market themselves for savings at the non-UK based community. Received a 'glossy' in the post the other day.  "International banking, delivered at your door". All about their offshore account service - interest paid gross, clued-up helpline, etc, etc.  When I looked at their interst rates on the internet .............. they're 1.3% !!!!!!!!!  They're having a laugh, aren't they? 

[RicandJo]

No problems with banks or credit cards or even uk mobile phones.  The only minor issues where some banks computer system didn't recognise the French post code but that was always circumvented.

 

[Cerise]

Use French address for everything without problems.  Lloyds sent cards here too.  Had slight issue with Barclaycard as they insisted we didn't have a 'real' address.  Like many areas of rural France there are no house numbers etc.  Gave house a name and that satisfied them.

Ocassionally when I order things on-line to be delivered to UK (presents for family and the like) the computer gets itself worked up about French billing address.

[AnOther]

I'm only going by what Lloyds told me, lets see what actually happens when the time comes then [;-)]

[Ron Avery]

[quote user="ErnieY"]I'm only going by what Lloyds told me, lets see what actually happens when the time comes then [;-)][/quote]

What when the bank finds out that you don't live at the address that you have told them is your place of residence ( and by default a resident of the UK ) given which is against their T&Cs and cancel your accounts and cards? 

[AnOther]

Sorry Ron, you've lost me - "by default a resident of the UK" ?

The address for my Lloyds A/C is France, which is where I live. If being non UK resident disqualifies me from having an A/C they should have told me so, not accepted the change, but they said nothing except about sending the cards.

As for cancelling the A/C and Cards, I've already said that any messing about will result in me closing them anyway.

[Ron Avery]

Not Lloyds Ernie, the other bank.  You  wrote "

We had initially changed our address with Nationwide to France but once I came up against this sort of thing I changed it again to my son's in UK."

so if the Nationwide or other banks think you live in the UK, because you have told them so, then find out you are pretending to be a UK resident , isn't that in breach of their T&Cs irrespective of whether you could keep the account when you move to France, which could allow them to close the account?

[AnOther]

I'm not pretending anything Ron only did what Nationwide themselves advised when I discussed the problem with them !

[mint]

Have read the posts here and I can't understand most of the problems discussed.  For example, we are now down to accounts with Nationwide and NatWest only, having closed all the others. No problem with either institutions re French address.  All statements, correspondence, etc come here.

No problems with using debit or credit cards though only use the Nationwide ones for reasons of good exchange rates and no charges.

Also have a Tesco credit card.  Often buy things from Amazon and other internet based companies and get things sent to friends and family to bring over for me - no probs with card and detination addresses being different.

Only problem is topping up Tesco mobile (still cheapest I can find as I use it about once every 6 months, whether I need to or not!) as the automated system does not recognise a French postcode.  Get one of my friends or family to top up for me from the UK and electronically transfer the money into their account.  Job done to my satisfaction.

Also, of course, as others have posted, now unable to open any new accounts but, on the other hand, not sure I want to put any more money in any UK bank at the moment, so I don't lose sleep over that one either.

[powerdesal]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

Only problem is topping up Tesco mobile (still cheapest I can find as I use it about once every 6 months, whether I need to or not!) as the automated system does not recognise a French postcode.  Get one of my friends or family to top up for me from the UK and electronically transfer the money into their account.  Job done to my satisfaction.

[/quote]

Sweet, why not set up an on line top with TESCO, direct to your credit card. See page 13 of the Tesco top up guide

[mint]

Thanks for that, Steve.  Will do as you suggest.

[tinabee]

[quote user="Cerise"]

Use French address for everything without problems.  Lloyds sent cards here too.  Had slight issue with Barclaycard as they insisted we didn't have a 'real' address.  Like many areas of rural France there are no house numbers etc.  Gave house a name and that satisfied them. [/quote]

I have told a couple of UK organisations that my house is called "Lieu Dit" [;-)] - works all round

[Blossom]

Has anyone had any problems using a UK address for UK bank accounts and claiming back the tax on these accounts with the FD5 tax form using a French address?

[Lou]

I reckon a lot of the problems are down to automated procedures - no person with a brain and a bit of common sense involved.

When we moved to France I gave HSBC the new address - no problem, all statements and blurb came to France.  Then a few months ago I received a letter, to the French address, telling me my new debit card was available for collection in my branch - in Nottingham.  I phoned, explained that I was now living in France and understood security blah blah but could they please post card to France. Some confusion as they seemed to think I was on a scam and just going to give them any old address in France - until I pointed out that it was the address they had on their records and where they had sent the original letter to........ oh ok then - it arrived by post a few days later.

Egg (online bank) wouldn't accept a non-UK address, the girl in the call centre carefully said "are you sure you don't have an address in the Uk anymore?" so they now have my parents address.  All statements are online, credit card bills paid by direct debit and Mum posted the new cards out to us when they arrived - since they have to be activated online there wasn't (I felt) a huge security risk.

And yes I am one of those people who now deeply regret not opening a Nationwide account BEFORE we left.

Lou

[Gardian]

[quote user="Lou"]I reckon a lot of the problems are down to automated procedures - no person with a brain and a bit of common sense involved.[/quote]

This says it very succinctly. 

Let's face it, the banks deal with most of what we want done pretty well. It's just that there's been a (forgive the phrase) 'de-skilling' in the branches. The ability to give a consistent and accurate response, either there or from the Call Centre, leads to confusion.  Equally, nobody has any power to act any more.

Example: conversation with somebody who I eventually got to in my designated branch.

"So you agree that this is daft and needs fixing?"

"Yes".  "And your job title is?.........?"

"Account Manager" 

"Do you not feel that the title 'Manager' incorporates the ability to resolve a problem?"

End of story.  She felt that I was being somewhat confrontational. I gave up: can't remember what the outcome was.

So that's it - you just have to grin and bear it.  But, Ernie, they'll send your cards to your French address.  If to me, why not to someone of your standing?[6]      

[AnOther]

[quote user="Gardian"]Ernie, they'll send your cards to your French address.  If to me, why not to someone of your standing?[/quote]Not sure what that's about Gardian [8-)]

Allow me to relate what is an ongoing saga which further illustrates Lou's observation.

Earlier this month I transferred several thousand pounds from my Lloyds A/C to Nationwide. Unfortunately I made bobo and inadvertently sent it to my Credit Card A/C instead of my Flex A/C. I had no outstanding balance on my card so the whole sum I'd sent was showing as a credit balance. This will become important larter on.

As soon as I realised what had happened, which was several days later when I saw it appear on the Credit Card, I called them to explain and asked what was the best way to get it into the correct A/C.

They told me that I had to get in touch with Lloyds and get them to recall it which I did only to be told that this was not possible. It might have been within the first day or so but it was too late now.

Back to Nationwide - this time I was told that they could transfer it internally but it couldn't be done yet because the money hadn't fully cleared. This was 5 days after it had left Lloyds and 3 days after it had appeared on my Credit Card online statement BTW

OK I said, I'll call again tomorrow.

In the event it was the day after that however this time I was told that it wasn't possible to transfer it and the only way they could pay it back to me was by cheque and that would take 7-10 working days to issue. Getting a little frazzled now so I asked what if I withdraw the cash bit by bit from a cash machine in France, will you charge me, you shouldn't because there is no fee for using the card and it is my own money I'm taking not yours. After a 5 minute wait whilst the operator consulted with her supervisor the answer came back no, we won't charge.

Great I said, I'll do it that way then, I wanted the money in France, not urgently, and whether it came out on the Flex or Credit Card was of no importance.

Off to the ATM then next day (Saturday), drew out £300 worth of Euros on my card then tried the same with OH's card, uh hu, not having it. This is not a card we use much if at all so not sure if I'd got the correct PIN so went back home and checked it. Definately OK so back to the ATM on Sunday and this time OH's card worked but not mine. Nothing to do now til Monday.

Check my statement on Monday morning and yes you've guessed it, the pillocks have charged me for 2 cash advances. Grrrrrrrrr.

Back on the phone - sorry, daily limit is on the A/C (£300) and not per card as for the Flex A/C. Did get a refund of charges but I'm rapidly losing the will to live now, each phone call entails 20-30 minutes of musak and a different operator and a complete retell of the story.

After listening to the tale this operator now tells me yes, we can transfer it internally. Are you absolutely sure I ask, yes not a problem but it will take 3-5 days. Excuse me, 3-5 days - why - these are cleared funds to be tranferred from one A/C in your organisation to another and you're telling me that takes 3-5 days ! - Yes sir that's right.

That conversation was on Monday then so now I'm sitting here checking my statements waiting for something happen. so far nothing [:@]

 

[mint]

Erns, why don't you and Mrs Bluecat just go out on a spending spree with the credit card?[:P]

[AnOther]

Good idea sweets, I do need a shed for my back garden ..................[;-)]

Let's see what tomorrow morning brings.

[Gardian]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

[quote user="Gardian"]Ernie, they'll send your cards to your French address.  If to me, why not to someone of your standing?[/quote]Not sure what that's about Gardian [8-)]

[/quote]

Oh dear - not an intended insult Ernie.  It was a 'If they'll do it for me, they'll do it for you' comment. It's the old written word rather than face-to-face thing, that mucks things up.

  

[AnOther]

Never thought it was but not to worry anyway, it takes far more than that to insult me, skin like the proverbial (unlike some [Www]) [:D]