CABritline

[Annesykes]

Anyone else had trouble trouble setting up an account. I got a 'new account' pack from them. Called to see what exactly we needed to send.
Thought I'd dealt with everything only to get the whole lot returned with a string of queries.
Mainly relating to proof of income, I sent them copies of my payslips but they also want P60s, why? we're not borrowing only depositing!!!
They want proof of self-employed hubby's income in the form of audited accounts, I don't plan on hiring an auditor just so we can open a bank account. I am an accountant myself and don't see the need to hire someone to do a job I can do easily myself but the law here doesn't require an audit just accounts.
The copies of passports etc I got signed as copies by an accountant but they want them 'stamped' what ever that is supposed to mean. the accountant in question isn't a partner in a practice so won't have a stamp of any sort. Anyone can get a rubber stamp made so that does not prove anything.
I had discussed all this on the phone with them.
I also explained that this account was to pay bills on our holiday house, we have no intention (only a vague dream) of moving to France full-time so I don't get it. Logically if we were moving to live there proof of income etc would be a joke as our work is here in Ireland.
Are they always so picky or have I just not understood why they need all this. I know my money laundering regulations inside out and there's nothing in the EU Directive about proof of income.

[Tonyfuller]

Hi Anne

We have just set up our account with Britline and they couldn't have been better. The problem we had was with Barclays in England but once we had overcome that, everything went along swimmingly.

Could I suggest that you may not have read all the instructions that came with the pack? The blue check sheet outlined everything and having just looked at out photocopies of what we submitted, it clearly states that the copies have to be certified and stamped.

We've had nothing but great service from Britline.

Tony Fuller

[Quillan]

To be quite honest we were with BritLine to start with mainly because they spoke English and I had to move money to a French Bank to pay for the house.

Once I got to France I realised my folly. We are down south and CA Britline are up North and they are like two separate banks in the real sense of the word, quite different to UK banks. Paying in cheques was a problem, it was better to post them to Britline than deposit at a local bank. Even putting cash in at our local bank meant a delay in registering on our account.

To cut to the quick, we toured to local banks and asked if they had English speaking assistants, there were two CA and Banque Populair. We noticed there were more people in BP than CA so we went with BP. Setting up the account was very simple and took about 5 mins and required our passports and a bill (EDF was fine). Our cheque books turned up 6 days later and our cards about 8 days later.

I have no problems with my branch, we do our private and business banking with them, I can move money around over the phone, its just like banking used to be back in the UK 30 years ago. Our personal banker knows us by first name and is very helpful and always drops what he is doing to say hallo when we go to the bank.

So my personal advice is to forget CA and pop round the banks locally till you find one that speaks English and that you like. It makes life so much easier.

Hope this helps.


Chris

http://www.chambresdhote.com

[Russethouse]

Does this mean you have found a house Ann, or is this in preparation?


Gay
http://www.quimperclub.org/