Hey all, thanks for all the advice given in this thread, especially regarding companies that offer to find you a bank account.. for a fee. I was considering a different site (ukbankaccounts.co.uk) whom were only charging £40 for the same service but have decided against it considering the likelihood of it being another scam.

 
As for me, I'm in quite a serious situation at the moment. At age 18 I had all these different things thrown at me, credit cards, loans etc and I totally blew the lot. At age 20 I was declared bankrupt with £13,000 of debt. Six months later I was discharged and now 18 months after that I'm finding it impossible to get any account outside of my Nationwide Flexaccount (which doesn't allow any form of electronic funds transfer, including DD). Over the last several weeks I've been to just about every company I can think of to try and try to get an account with no luck. Their computers just see "bankrupt" and it's a no automatically.

So I applied for my credit reference file and was shocked to discover that almost all of the companies I used to owe money to are STILL saying that I owe them it! Only two companies have marked the accounts as "settled", the rest are defaulted and outstanding debts, hence why I can't get any kind of account. I now have to write to each company involved and have them amend their details.

 
My major worry is that I'll be starting University later this month for the first time, and whilst every other student there will have access to their comfy interest-free overdrafts, I'll have absolutely nothing. I'm so worried that in six month's time I'm going to run out of money as we all know the kinds of debts that students mount up so easily! What do I do?

 
I've applied for the Royal Bank of Scotland's Key Account today and it has been sent away for approval, but after having just found out they own Natwest I'm thinking it will be declined (before the bankruptcy I owed Natwest around £2000). So I just tried for the Bank of Scotland's basic account and apparently I should hear back from them soon. So confusing, two separate companies with such similar names.

 
What I really need is an account from which I can run direct debits and which has a card that can be used to purchase things in store and online. The BoS seems to fit the bill there so hopefully we'll see what happens!!

Here's a 'lil bit of information for you all too (please don't see this as advertising) I've just applied for a credit card through a company called "Vanquis", who apparently specialise in people with bad credit. Of course their rates are extortionate but it could help people like you and me to rebuild our credit ratings. You can find them at www.vanquis.co.uk and I'd recommend trying for their "Abacus" card. Not heard back from them yet but I shall let you know when I do.

 I'm going to give N&P a go too, it can't hurt.. right?

---

"An idea isn't responsible for the people who believe in it" - Don Marquis

Hi all it's me again!

I'm going to include a link that will go straight to a .pdf document from a website called moneymadeclear which is basically a plain english government leaflet showing which banks give you what etc.

I found it very useful because it gives you the criteria different banks will consider opening an account. So, if you are unsure and to save some of you from pulling your hair out, click and have a read!

Ok so I could not include the link unfortunately. If you want to email me I will be happy to send the link to you!

I hope it helps!

Hello All!

 I've been reading this forum with much interest, as I am in a similar position to many of you here. I can honestly say my impression is to keep away from the lessthan..... website - sounds a bit dodgy to me, but that's only my opinion.

I have just completed an online application for a current account with Natwest which has been agreed in principal - I guess I'll have to wait now and see if some forms pop through the letter box for me to complete or not. Just really want to get my life and my credit score back on track, like so many of you, so will let you know how I get on and once again, thanks for all the useful comments and suggestions!

Miss Pink Panther

Hi Miss Pink Panther,

 Did you have any luck with Natwest I was thinking of applying for account, if all went well what facilities did they give you?

 

Thx

Re: Prepaid Credit Cards:

I dont know if anyone else have had any dealings with Prime Card Mastercard, its a Mastercard, and it purchased for the measley price of £3.00, available from most retail outlets displaying the PayPoint Logo. I got one no problems at all, and if approved for just a further £2.95 you can upgrade it, so you can withdraw cash from ATM's etc, plus shop online, pay bills online etc.,

Its just a case of topping it up as you would a pay as you go mobile phone, its not a credit-card so you can only spend what you load onto it, may be worth having a look for someone wanting a Mastercard..

Hope this may help people in a same situation as myself, turned down by Co-operative Bank, and no chance of even a basic account without a debit card from any Bank associated with Royal Bank of Scotland ( Natwest being one of them)

Seems a lot of the big Banks are affiliated to Royal Bank of Scotland, so from personal experience they are not worth a carrot if you are in receipt of State Benefits and have any adverse Credit History!!

Regards

First of all, I would like to thank everyone who has written on here. I have read all the posts and some of them have been very helpful.

Like many of you I have been foolish with money in the past, resulting to having very very bad credit. I couldn't get a credit card let alone a bank account.

Recently, I've tried (and successfully got) the following:

1. An Aqua credit card

2. A Vanquis credit card

and 3. an EasyCash Bank of Scotland account.

1. and 2. : Very high interst rates (35% and 39% approx.) BUT a very good way to repair your credit, provided that you really want to (by using them wisely).

3. The vast majority of the other banks' basic accounts only offer a cash card. This one gives a debit card too (visa electron) and you have all the normal facilities you'd expect, i.e. D.Ds, online banking e.t.c.

Note: You have to be able to prove your identity, at least for the bank account.

Finally, if I managed to get all the above with my credit being so bad, I'd say give it a try. You have nothing to lose.

Good luck :)

hi all

i have read this post with great interest, im 20 and unfortunatly have got myself into abit of debt when i was 18 with capital one and next. now i cannot get anything at all, i have tried vanquis for a credit card and god knows how many banks for just an account with a debit card. i have a cash card account with nationwide and have asked them for a debit card but they say i dont have enough credit history??? and that i need to take more things out with them??? all i want is to get my money the way i want im not asking for credit so why do they have to do a credit check???

i tried an account with natwest but havent heard back from them even after i sent them proof of id??

just tried with the halifax but havent heard anything back!

im gonna try for the easycash from bank of scotland and see if i get anywhere

if anyone has any suggestions that would be great

thanks x

A very basic but good account is a NatWest Step Account.

O.K you do not get an overdraft, chq book or service cards. . But you can use online and telephone banking, as well as setting up standing orders and direct debts.

Hi Careyhi

Please can you send me the pdf doc.

Kind Regards

Molley

Hi as someone who is new to this forum I have readhis thread with interest, as someone who has totally screwed up their credit I can sypathise with the people on this thread looking for a basic account, I hav just applied and been accepted for an account with think banking they are run by RBOS and you get a salary account and card account, they charge for a monthly account manager, I know some people will probably shoot this down but for me will help get my terrible finance back into some form of normality.

This looks like a typical pre-paid card which is NOT a bank account, and therefore will not account towards credit history or repair it? Also the monthly amount for running it is higher than most pre-paids. Anyone with some views on this?

This is not a pre-paid account but a account that gives you a maestro card for use anywhe.

URL www.thinkbanking.co.uk gives you more info

I was discharged from bankrupcy 18 months ago and Friday I went to Abbey and asked for an account. They took all my details and said they wold let me know. Saturday morning I had a letter to say I had been given a credit card with a 2K limit as part of my application. Today, Monday, I had a phone call from them to say it had all gone through and I had got an account with them. I think that aint bad!

How on earth did you manage that!!! I have one default on my credit history a few late payments due to disputes with catalogue returns. I've been turned down so many times it's ridiculous. I've no other bad history and yet I've been declined by just about everyone over the years. Even finding it hard to get business account and I've not gone Limited don't know where to go for good business account, don't need overdraft just chq bk and debit card. Anyone???????

I don't know, but I went into the bank and they agreed to it all. Credit card was on special offer so they just gave me that! I did have three grand in my pocket for whoever let me in and they took it. Suspect that helped and I was with them once before in the good days.