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Moving back to the UK - bank and mobile accounts

This is an area for the discussion of matters related to issues about moving from one country to another. Examples could be about money transfer, moving and packing, validity of driving licence, etc..

It is not a general non-immigration, free-for-all area.

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mulderpf
Diamond Member
Posts: 1669
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2010 7:10 am
Location: London

Moving back to the UK - bank and mobile accounts

Post by mulderpf » Sat Oct 16, 2010 8:22 am

I have decided to move back to the UK on a Tier 1 (Highly skilled) visa next year.

In 2002 and 2003 I was there on a working holiday visa and by the time I left I had a bank account, credit card, national insurance and mobile phone contract all sorted out.

Now I remember what a mission it was to get the mobile phone contract and the credit card and my questions are basically:

1. I left my Natwest account with probably about 6p in and it must have gone dormant by now, if not closed. Would they let me re-open the account or do I have to go through the application process again? (They have no contact details on their website other than phone numbers, so it's a bit difficult to get hold of the right information).
2. Would it be easier to re-open my old mobile account with T-mobile or will it be as difficult as before to get a contract? I still have all my old bills, my account was always up to date and I closed the account when I left.

For everything I still have much of the documentation and I before I left I sorted out everything to ensure that I wouldn't run up bad debt or leave anything unpaid (e.g. all direct debits were cancelled and debts were paid up).

I am assuming that my National Insurance number is mine for life and I can use it again when I go back. I am not sure where my NI card is, but I still have my number.

As it's 7 years later, I realise that I will have no credit history left in the UK, so I want to find ways of making it easier than the first time to build up a positive credit history.

Any advice would be appreciated!

avjones
Diamond Member
Posts: 1568
Joined: Wed May 16, 2007 5:43 pm
Location: London

Post by avjones » Sat Oct 16, 2010 7:39 pm

I don't think they do just close bank accounts, it's probably still open.
I am not, and cannot, offer legal advice to particular people. I can only discuss general areas of immigration law.

People should always consider obtaining professional advice about their own particular circumstances.

kenfrapin
Senior Member
Posts: 601
Joined: Wed May 13, 2009 8:07 pm
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Re: Moving back to the UK - bank and mobile accounts

Post by kenfrapin » Tue Oct 19, 2010 9:41 am

1. I left my Natwest account with probably about 6p in and it must have gone dormant by now, if not closed. Would they let me re-open the account or do I have to go through the application process again? (They have no contact details on their website other than phone numbers, so it's a bit difficult to get hold of the right information).

It may just be dormant and it wont be difficult to re-activate your account once you are here. As long you never took an overdraft or your account did not go into negative balance you should be fine

2. Would it be easier to re-open my old mobile account with T-mobile or will it be as difficult as before to get a contract? I still have all my old bills, my account was always up to date and I closed the account when I left.

No it wont. Once an account, especially a mobile one, is closed then it has no bearing on previous accounts held. There are more than enough companies here so getting a mobile connection is quite easy

For everything I still have much of the documentation and I before I left I sorted out everything to ensure that I wouldn't run up bad debt or leave anything unpaid (e.g. all direct debits were cancelled and debts were paid up).

But as it's been 7years now it wont make a difference at all. The only thing is you dont have a bad credit rating

I am assuming that my National Insurance number is mine for life and I can use it again when I go back. I am not sure where my NI card is, but I still have my number.

NI Card is not important at all - and yes, NI number is yours only. Just call the Job Centre once your back and confirm your NI number with them.

As it's 7 years later, I realise that I will have no credit history left in the UK, so I want to find ways of making it easier than the first time to build up a positive credit history.

Not a very easy question honestly. Every company has its own criteria for credit rating. Example - Credit Card companies prefer customers who dont pay out their credit bill promptly every month but take installments as that way the Company can make some money which essentially means you have debt that you pay back monthly. On the other hand, mortgage providers dont like people who have debts and according to them its bad rating.

The biggest key to a good rating is to not have any payment defaults with any company - Utilities, Mobile, Cable etc and you dont seem to have that. Another mandatory and important thing is to be registered to vote else you will fail the most basic of credit checks. For securing loans of any sort living at an address for 5 years and longer is always favorable but not an option to most Tier 1 holders. The post code of the area you live in and at counts a lot unfortunately. So if you want a place for low rent but the neighborhood is not great means the Post Code will have a few defaulters and that affects you - unfair I know but thats how it is. So try to move into a nice neighborhood. Also ensure you keep Direct Debits to a min because sometimes, if a bank fault means you dont pay something, then there is a chance of a default being recorded on your file. No one tells you such stuff, you just learn it the hard way :-)

Hope this helps and all the best
KP

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