spouse of scouse

I had a meeting with the branch manager of my UK bank today to sort out a few things before I return to Australia. As part of their security, if I'm in my online account and am transferring funds to an individual for the first time, the bank automatically sends me a text with a code, and I need to input that number to continue the transaction. Also, if I make changes to my online banking profile (eg change of address), the bank calls me to check that I'm - er - me.

All that's great, but I wanted to know what happens when I'm back in Australia and want to change my address and phone number online, or transfer funds to a new UK recipient, or transfer funds from the UK to Australia via an FX broker - the bank won't be able to text or call me.

The manager advised that they are a UK bank only (ie not international) and have no extra security steps or devices I could utilise to continue to use my UK account with an Australian address and phone number. However, she did tell me that as long as they had a UK address attached to my account (at which point I asked her if my brother in law's UK address would be ok, and she said it would), and if I also had a UK mobile phone account and number they could text and call me on when necessary, then there would be no issues with me continuing to use my UK account in the way I need to.

The UK phone number wouldn't be a problem, there are a few UK mobile providers that have good roaming rates that allow you to receive and make calls/texts while in Australia. My only concern is - it doesn't sound quite legal, does it? I would love to be able to do this, as otherwise I'll have to change to Lloyds, NatWest or HBSC with all the associated hassle of opening a new account, closing the old account, contacting all those who make regular payments into my current account etc etc. But by the same token, I don't want to do anything that's going to get me into trouble, or is going to cause my account to have a block put on it - it's a long way to come back if anything goes wrong.

So my question is - if the bank's happy for me to keep my account, use my brother in laws UK address, and use my UK mobile in Australia as their contact number - am I worrying unnecessarily? Is what the bank manager today proposed a permissible bend of the relevant legislation, or is it actually fraudulent?

Pollyana

spouse of scouse

Thanks Polly, that's great

Giantaxe

I have a US phone number registered with Lloyds and they do text it for 2-step verification of some transactions.

scrubbedexpat094

We have an account with the RBS. They have our home address and telephone numbers. My OH occasionally does some Internet banking and is set up with a password and has a little platinum token thing that comes up with a code to input online. Should get myself sorted with the same thing.
Other than UK banks being less helpful than their NZ/Aussie counterparts, we've not had an major problems in over 11 years. Hope all goes well with the move chuck. Not posted much lately as the black dog is visiting!

spouse of scouse

Thanks Giantaxe, it's reassuring to hear that this works for you.

spouse of scouse

Thanks love, and very sorry to hear that bloody dog's been hanging around. You've had a pretty crap time of it this year - I'll keep my fingers crossed that the dog's ready to move on.

Sounds like you have a premier account with RBS - I did look into that but similar to others, they want £25,000 - £50,000 invested with them. We won't be returning to the UK to live so I don't want to tie up funds there. It wouldn't be a huge problem not having a UK account if we didn't have rent payments going into it. Just gives me the pip that we're registered for tax self-assessment with HMRC and obviously pay tax on the rental income, but we can't maintain a UK bank account to facilitate that without a huge palaver!

All the last minute admin stuff for the move is giving me the shites, TBH. It was easier to move here than it is to leave!

michali

Editha

The whole 8 years I was in Canada I kept my FirstDirect account linked to my mother's address. I never had a discussion with FD about whether it was OK, but I didn't lie about it either, and ditto with the UK and Canada tax authorities. Having a UK bank account saved me a lot of hassle dealing with our UK income and frankly I never spent time worrying about it.

michali

Editha

We didn't do HMRC tax returns. I forget now, but there was a form to fill in and we were counted as overseas and not liable for UK tax. I had no problem for myself, but did have an argument with them about my husband's UK income, which I won.

holly_1948

If the issue is UK phone number that will also receive texts and which you can use anywhere in the world then service from Callcentric will do it for about USD6 per month. They will forward incoming calls to your landline just about anywhere in the first world for USCent 1 per minute, higher for mobiles of course. Same price for calls to the UK if you buy ObiHai hardware (roughly USD60 for an Obi202) assuming you have internet access wherever you happen to be.

spouse of scouse

Thanks Michali. I'd still be able to get the rent payments deposited into my account, and to use online banking for some things - the issue with my bank is that some of the things I need to do while in my online account generate a text message with a code as an extra security measure, and I need to enter that code before I can continue. My bank will only text or call a UK phone number. Not sure if that's a new thing or just applies to some banks.

spouse of scouse

Thanks Editha. Yes, a UK account is more or less essential if you have UK income and if I hadn't been advised by my bank that my contact phone number must be local, I wouldn't have worried either.

spouse of scouse

Thanks Holly, that's a very useful tip about Callcentric. I think I've resolved the issue now - I purchased a sim only from Vodaphone UK, which comes with something called 'roam further'. In a nutshell, it means that I get a UK phone number that people in the UK can call or text at local charges for them, and no charge to me. Just had to pass a credit check, and set up the monthly fee of £11 as a direct debit from my bank account.

So that's something else out the way. HMRC tax return and selling the car are this week's jobs.