windsong

That's the problem. I don't have a bank account yet. The bank needs the council tax to be in my name to open one. I should get a notification from the council soon and then they can do it.

I just called the bank today to see if they could give me the equivalent of a cashier's check/bank draft to send a payment to the USA but they can't do that either until my bank account is opened. They told me I had two choices by which to make payment in dollars - Moneygram or Western Union.

I can't wait until my account is opened!

Shirtback

Fairy nuff. In the meantime, you've been given several options for paying your rent.

This is an entirely different question/conundrum. Iirc, your OP asked how to pay your rent in UK while waiting to open a bank account. NOT about how to remit to the U.S.

robin1234

This isn't going to help windsong, who is already back in the UK and in the process of establishing herself, but the lesson for others who might be planning on returning to the UK soon, or next year, or whenever..

Open a current pound sterling account in the Isle of Man! I opened mine with Lloyds a few years ago. I was a U.S. resident. While the IoM is not in the UK, and Lloyds in the IoM is not a branch, but is an offshore wholly owned subsidiary of Lloyds Bank, IN PRACTICE the IoM Lloyds International current account operates in England exactly like a regular domestic bank account. Debit card, ATM, direct debit, cheque book. People you do business with don't know or care that your bank is an offshore institution, since all the common processes clear etc. through the domestic UK banking system, so far as the shop, business or individual is concerned.

When I first got the account, it paid a good rate of interest. Now it doesn't pay interest. I get it free of fees, by maintaining a minimum balance, and I believe if it goes less than a certain balance, there would be a small monthly fee.

Having this account allowed me to set up all the easy and necessary stuff as a new UK resident. Eventually I'll walk into a UK bank and set up, or try to set up, a current account, but no hurry. Hopefully by then I'll have enough ID and enough payment track record with utilities etc to make the process go smoothly.

spouse of scouse

Am I missing something with all this fuss about opening a bank account? On a visit to the UK, my husband opened a bank account with just his British passport and birth certificate.

He advised the bank that he still lived in Australia, pending our permanent arrival to the UK, and was advised to just use a relative's local (UK) address for correspondence. Any banking could be done online.

Are the rules so different for different banks? The bank my husband opened his account with is Halifax.

rebs

How recently was that, Spouse of Scouse?

spouse of scouse

End of 2013 Rebs. On another visit back last month, we got me added to the account so it's now joint.

rebs

Well yes that's relatively recent. I think he maybe just got lucky?

I've opened two new bank accounts in the last few years (2008 and 2013) and both times had to produce proof of identity and proof of address. Even as an ordinary UK resident at those times it was still a relatively unyielding process in terms of what documents had to be provided.

old.sparkles

You do not need a bank account to make a direct deposit into someone else's account. With their account details, go into the nearest branch of their bank and complete a deposit slip with their details and pay the money in as cash.

Pollyana

Exactly! If you want accurate responses, give us the whole story nowhere did she tell us she wanted to make payments in $ to a US account

Windsong, when you got into a rental contract with this landlord did you not discuss with him/her about paying the rent? They usually ask how you will do it.

old.sparkles

Oops - missed that too

spouse of scouse

Everyone deserves to get lucky now and then

I still don't get the fuss though. Even given your experiences, the OP should be able to open a bank account with her passport and rental/lease contract.

Novocastrian

Nor do I. Like robin above, I've had an offshore sterling account (with Barclays in my case) for years and I've also been an HSBC premier account holder ever since we decided 8 or 9 years ago to return to Europe for retirement.

If a branch wants to confirm a temporary address (in our case my FIL's) suggest to the manager that s/he send a letter to you at the address and after you've received it, take it back to the branch.

Giantaxe

And as the OP has just relocated from the US, surely they still have a US bank account to deal with any US $ payments.

luvmykids

I returned to the UK last week and successfully opened a bank account with the Halifax Bank - all they required was my passport as ID. Lloyds Bank also do an account called a passport account which is aimed at new immigrants and overseas students. They only require a passport for ID too. These might not be your first choice of banks, but it will get you started until you settle and then once you have enough bills etc with your name and address on you can shop around for another account.