wits end

Hi I wonder if you can help me? I've read on here countless times that it's useful to have a UK bank reference to take over to Oz with us. I have contacted my very 'helpful' bank and let's just say they're not being very cooperative . Can one of you kind people tell me what details I need them to write and how yours was worded if you've been successful in obtaining one of course! Pls PM me if you prefer.

Thanks in advance for your help, I really appreciate it!

curly

I don't know of anyone who got a UK bank reference! All people want to see here are bank statements - money talks

wits end

Thanks for replying Curly, if that's the case have got loads of statements and it will save me the hassle with my bank. It's just in the 'to do' lists I've looked at it says refs from banks to prove we're good payers?

charlie-k

you could try Experian for a credit reference.

Bermudashorts

I got a bank reference from my bank (first direct) before I moved to Bermuda. Unfortunately I can't remember what it said exactly although I will take a look around.

I do recall it was very to get and I think it just said that I was a customer of X years and my accounts were maintained in good order.

LINZI32

I have read on this site that bank references are no good, australian banks arent interest...i might be wrong but thats what i have read !!

Centurion

Don't bother with any form of credit check, bank references or so on. It will be a complete waste of your time and not help with any process once you are in Australia. Its about your ability to pay here, your job here, and institutions are not the least bit interested in your overseas credit history.

Whether your history is good or bad, everyone starts from scratch.

Wol

Bank references are written in some sort of code in the UK: someone in the industry might be able to decipher them. They use phrases like "Good for all transactions" and "His banking history so far does not unduly arouse concern". (ie would not touch with the proverbial...)

But whether Australian banks would be able to make the appropriate inferences from the "code" I doubt, even if they looked at the references.

AlliF

Does that apply for mortgages too? We are looking at buying a house soon and were wondering how they went about checking credit histories.
Ours should be fine I hope - we both had mortages back in the uk with no defaults - but my husband missed a couple of credit card payments before we met 4 years ago. He didn't get taken to court or collection agencies or anything but had a couple of payment overdue reminders. I'm probably just being paranoid. We have had no problemn with opening accounts and credit cards over here so far...

harrip

When I moved here I got a "Letter of Introduction" from the HSBC in the UK which I gave to the HSBC here in Australia. Apparently it makes things easier. Just demonstrated they had a banking relationship with me.

Inglewhite

Like it's already been said before, you start from scratch over here, whether you have been a good or bad payer previously it doesn't matter.Your credit history in England doesn't count for anything.
All they are interested in is if you have the $$$$$ for a deposit if necessary and a job to pay mortgage.
We needed 20% for a deposit as we hadn't been in employment for at least 6 months, but got the mortgage immediately, couldn't believe how easy it was!
The bank manager said if we hadn't got 20% deposit, we would have had to pay extra charges such as mortgage indemnity insurance and waited until we had been in work 6 months. Hope this helps

wits end

Thanks everyone for all of your replies, really helpful and you've saved me no end of time! Really appreciate it - THANK YOU!

Bermudashorts

That is kind of thing I bought to Bermuda, First Direct being part of HSBC and I opened an HSBC account there. Their systems are not connected but I had tw bank accounts and a cedit card within an hour and everyone told me that was a record