Smile online bank is offline!

[Blodwyn]

We have a Nationwide account, no problem with us living in France. We kept the Smile account too, using our son's address (I asked and Smile had no problem with that) because sometimes when making a credit card payment it will only accept an account with a UK address.

I just went online to check a payment had gone through, and the Smile and Co-operative Bank sites have been down for some days. I would like to give up on Smile, but I suspect opening a new UK account, while living in France, would be impossible. When a friend returned from Canada she had huge problems opening a UK account, even though she was putting money in!

[Harnser]

I recall that it is possible to open a UK bank account when you are non UK resident because there was some kind of ruling that banks could not deny customers within the EU a basic bank account.

Aha - Yer 'tis.

https://www.bba.org.uk/customers/personal-banking/current-accounts-personal-banking/bank-account-access-in-the-uk-for-non-residents-2/

[Blodwyn]

I can't work the link, but I've heard that too. The problem is not having an account, but having one where I can use a UK address. I'm not on the electoral roll anywhere, I just need to use a UK postal address for the account. It's not fraud, I haven't any money to launder and wouldn't know how!

[andyh4]

Unfortunately it is the same old, same old from the British Barstewards Assoc..

Just as an example

Barclays: You can hold an international account if you deposit and maintain a minimum £25k in the account. This account is not a UK account. It is based off shore and therefore does not necessarily provide the protect you would expect for a UK account.

[cajal]

Try this link