mikelincs

When we moved back from Spain our rental contract was taken as proof of residence to get onto the Electoral Roll, so we were able to do that within 48 hours.

iwatkin

I had zero problems getting on the Electoral Roll. Starling mention that a poll card is one method of proof of residency. Each bank seems to have its own rules. It's important to understand that I'm staying with friends and have no utility bills of my own. I don't think I can even rent my own place yet without a credit history. When I called HMRC to get the letter, I initially got the runaround until I mentioned that I had a circular problem and, out of frustration, just said I may as well get back on a plane and return to the US. Then she pricked up her ears and went through the identity verification and took me seriously. Dave, the first person I spoke to at HMRC (after an hour and ten minutes on hold), told me I'd called the wrong department and promptly dropped the call while "forwarding the call to the right department".

christmasoompa

He moved to Norfolk after being in the US, but now apparently lives in Hampshire. I absolutely love him, and in fact have just re-read his Walk in the Woods, Notes from a Big Country and The Lost Continent books in preparation for our move stateside! I could read his books endlessly, he makes the most mundane subject engaging.

CaptainPea

We had a similar problem with opening bank accounts on return to the UK five years ago. Even though I had been a customer of HSBC for over 50 years they were reluctant to give my US citizen wife an account despite her having many thousands of pounds to deposit from the sale of our property in the USA and she already had an HSBC account in the USA. It seems they go through an automated system that just ticks boxes and if it comes out wrong - no account. The manager of the branch we were at was on the phone to London trying to find out why she couldn't have an account (even with a stellar US credit rating) and they wouldn't even tell the manager why not.

We went to Barclays and they turned her down flat.

So we returned to HSBC and after much begging they gave her a bank account usually used for bankrupts - no credit, no interest.

Pitiful.

tdrinker

Congratulations on opening the bank account. It can be maddening when you go round in circles or hit a dead end, especially when you often don't know what the problem is so can't attempt a solution.

UK banks no longer require proof of address to open accounts - I don't know why or when it changed, only that it could be a pain trying to prove it if you didn't have a utility bill in your name.

With a bank account and being on the electoral roll, you will start building a credit history. Setting up a couple of direct debits, e.g. phone contract, getting (and using) a credit card, even if you pay off the full balance each month, will build your credit score. Using no more than around 30% of your credit card limit improves your score and don't withdraw cash on your credit card (it makes you look like you're struggling financially). For renting, what's really important is not just your credit score but not having any major negatives - missed credit card or loan payments, unauthorised overdraft, rent defaults, county court judgements against you, etc. You can check your credit rating for free:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/lo...credit-report/
It's surprising that your rating can be quite different at the various agencies. It's useful to check to at least ensure they don't hold any false information about you that is damaging your rating - if they do, you can challenge it and have it corrected.

marigoldfairy

So odd, I just went to the HSBC bank with my husband the day after I got to the UK and they added me to his existing account no issues. Even set me up on an additional saver account in addition to the now joint account.

Pulaski

I am intrigued as to where you got that information as a quick Google search found that the Citizens Advice web site, plus Wise, HSBC, Barclay's, and Metrobank all say they require proof of address, and NatWest says it "might" need to.

tdrinker

Perhaps I'm wrong in saying that no banks require it. But it's true that at least some - the ones I checked - don't, e.g. Lloyds:

ID and verificationWe will need to carry out identification and verification checks on you, as well as anyone else who will be authorised to operate your account.

In most cases you will only need to produce one of the following:

• a current UK photo driving licence
• passport from the United Kingdom

They need your address, but not that you prove it.
This accords with my own recent experience of opening a (non-Lloyds) bank account, which I did online whereas a few years ago it was necessary to submit documents, sometimes certified. It might be that they are making checks behind the scenes, and will revert if necessary.

durham_lad

I can confirm that neither HSBC or Chase require proof of address. We went into our local HSBC branch to ask what our daughter needed to open a bank and no proof of address was needed. A day or 2 after she arrived last week she decided to use Chase UK which had a recent very high rating by Which? consumer magazine. It took less than an hour to open it and no proof of address needed. She did it online using the Chase UK app and after completing the application it said that it would now be reviewed by a person so she expected to hear next day. Within 15 mins she got a message that she had been approved and was provided with a sort code and account number. I immediately set her up as a payee and sent her £10 which arrived within seconds. When I set her up from my HSBC bank app it first came back with an exact match when I put in her name, sort code and account number so I was very impressed at how quickly the databases updated and were synchronized.

kateg60

I opened a Lloyd account online with a UK mobile number and a passport. I used my sisters address. I deposited GBP once I was in the UK.

kaj808

I use Revulot, allows me to hold multiple currencies as well which is useful as i'm between the US and UK currently.

TeaRose36

Make sure you are on the electoral roll. It is crucial to building up a credit history. I have only just joined this forum and forum rules say that I cannot post links until I have made 5 posts but look on the UK government's website for details of how to do it. Good luck.

brits1

I remember sending my mother and step father in law in the UK a book by Bill Bryson (my DF just loved his work) whilst we lived in Australia the books title was “Down Under” I had not read this actual book bought thought it would be a nice gift as they were going to be coming to Australia for their first ever visit, anyway the book in parts terrified my FIL so much so he was having 2nd thoughts about visiting lol well he is afraid of even house spiders here in the UK

TeaRose36

I loved that Bill Bryson book. I loved all his books but I remember one of the first remarks he made in Down Under was something like 'there are more things that want to kill you in Australia than anywhere else on earth'! If you haven't read it, I can thoroughly recommend it and every other book he has written, too.