Whom should I Bank with in UK?

Sounds like a stupid Q but in light of various posts on this forum where HSBC refuses to cooperate in terms of UKBA required format letter, I hope all immigrants would like to be with safest option.
Is it
Natwest?
Lloyds TSB?
HSBC?
Any other?

Please share your good/bad experiences with various banks.

cheers,
nks

never go to Lloyds TSB. they will neither stamp ur online statement, nor they will provide any letter.

Barcklays are best in customer services ...

kumarsanjeev wrote:never go to Lloyds TSB. they will neither stamp ur online statement, nor they will provide any letter.

Santander,go through their website.

My suggestion would be to go for any bank and choose an account that gives you hardcopy statements (ie, not an online account). That way you will have the evidence you need and you won't need to get statements stamped/signed. I am with HSBC and they will issue a statement mid-month if you ask. It arrives just like a standard one (letter head, name and address, ...) so meets all the requirements.

nks wrote:Sounds like a stupid Q but in light of various posts on this forum where HSBC refuses to cooperate in terms of UKBA required format letter, I hope all immigrants would like to be with safest option.
Is it
Natwest?
Lloyds TSB?
HSBC?
Any other?

Please share your good/bad experiences with various banks.

cheers,
nks

Very vague question since it all depends on your requirements. And what's a better tool than google to "know-it-all"?

Currently, I am with NatWest and Barclays. Both have it own advantage and limitation.

Natwest can stamp your statements but not sign it in branch. Hence do not satisfy UKBA requirements. Barclays can not do any of these in branch and also the ad-hoc statement sent by them looks not suitable for visa application. On other side, Natwest can not change your datae of monthly statement generation. However, Barclays can do and you can get original statement by post if you change statement generation date. I considered same while deciding which should be my salary account and settled for Barclays. Reason is that if needed I can always change statement generation date (if needed due to sudden rule changes by UKBA) and get my statement within a week.

Also never ever go for paperless statements. When you will need it, it will be very hard to get them and bank will show all kind of non-cooperation. Atleast you will end up spending money and time for getting them. So better have them ready for next day visa application (again if needed) rather than saving money for bank.

I do not have recent experience with HSBC but when required they posted statements. Not sure latest or regular one. Also do not recall if I requested for statements until date before regulal statements. So can not judge them whether they are better for visa application or not.

HI,

I am with LLoyds TSB since i came to UK, and never have had any problem with the bank statements.

In few cases i needed the online statement signed and stamped, and they did it for me. If one branch doesnt do it, you just need to go to another branch.

Blackwater1 wrote:Santander,go through their website.

They may sign/stamp statements - I'm not sure - but they are well known as one of the worst or the worst bank for customer service in the UK.

I have an account with HSBC and certainly wouldn't advise them for 'Bank Statements' as they have a lot of disadvantages:

1. HSBC doesn't stamp or sign any of the statements provided by them
2. Say you miss out one of the HSBC monthly statements sent by post, if you request you to resend them, the new statments will contain 'DUPLICATE'written on them. I believe UKBA doesn't accept them.

One advantage I can cite is that they are flexible with the statement period date. They are willing to change the statement date.

Even I am looking for a bank where I can meet the above conditions, so please share your experiences

regarding Lloyds TSB, i think it is branch dependent, last year when i went to the branch in canary wharf for a letter for maintanance fund they refused to give me, I stood at the customer service desk and told that unless you give me a letter i am not moving from here. in the end the manager came and told the guy to give me a print out which was stamped but not on there letter pad.

I was so irritated that i was all set up to change my bank after i get my extension, then for another reason i had to go to the Maidenhead branch where i had opened my account, the lady there was so polite and gave me a latest statement + a signed letter saying that my balance had never gone below XXX amount and also apoligised for me to travel all the way as the issue which i wanted to sort out could have been corrected in any branch.

balak2 wrote:2. Say you miss out one of the HSBC monthly statements sent by post, if you request you to resend them, the new statments will contain 'DUPLICATE'written on them. I believe UKBA doesn't accept them.

I have sent bank statements with "duplicate" on them and had my visa approved (these were from another bank and this was a few years ago). But provided the statements meet all the requirements I can't see why the word "duplicate" would create an issue.

goldfish wrote:

balak2 wrote:2. Say you miss out one of the HSBC monthly statements sent by post, if you request you to resend them, the new statments will contain 'DUPLICATE'written on them. I believe UKBA doesn't accept them.

I have sent bank statements with "duplicate" on them and had my visa approved (these were from another bank and this was a few years ago). But provided the statements meet all the requirements I can't see why the word "duplicate" would create an issue.

Do you remember whether you got these statements stamped and signed?

I agree that the duplicate statements are on official bank stationery and are as good as the original statements. All I am suggesting is that one needs to extra-cautious because of the current state of affairs.

balak2 wrote:Do you remember whether you got these statements stamped and signed?

They were not stamped or signed. They looked exactly like the usual statements sent (same paper, same format, ...) except for the word "duplicate" printed at the top of the statement.

I interpret "original" to mean a document that originated at the bank on proper stationery, etc, etc. A "copy" is a photocopy, printout from online banking, etc, with the key difference being that they cannot be confirmed to be authentic without stamping/signing. The word "duplicate" on a new set of bank statements doesn't stop them from being "original" in this context.

But everyone has to decide for themselves what documents to send and what they consider adequate to meet UKBA standards.

balak2 wrote:Say you miss out one of the HSBC monthly statements sent by post, if you request you to resend them, the new statments will contain 'DUPLICATE'written on them. I believe UKBA doesn't accept them.

They do, without a doubt.


regards

Thank you goldfish and sushdmehta for your replies. I'll try to contact UKBA and get this point clarified.

nks wrote:Sounds like a stupid Q but in light of various posts on this forum where HSBC refuses to cooperate in terms of UKBA required format letter, I hope all immigrants would like to be with safest option.
Is it
Natwest?
Lloyds TSB?
HSBC?
Any other?

Please share your good/bad experiences with various banks.

cheers,
nks

All these banks will issue statements that will meet the requirements
I think everyone just gets to worked up about it they will all issue monthly statements just keep them and use them as needed, the problem arises when you try and ask for extra statements etc even then if you have a good relationship with the bank they will issue other statements but in the most case this is not required over and above the normal monthly statement.
As a new arrival you should be looking for banks that give you access ability to branches etc not what type of statement you get
consider building societies too like nationwide

The issue being discussed only comes up if you sign up for paperless statements and suddenly realize you need these stamped by all the banks mentioned.

As long as you are here in the country, ensure you get physical statements sent to your registered address. This is very helpful as a letter from the bank always helps, not only for visas, but for many other applications as well. Trust me as this comes from personal experience

Also, even if the bank issued the statement a second time with 'Duplicate' written on it then there is no problem at all and UKBA will accept it. Hope you guys know that if a P60 gets lost, the tax office just stamps a photocopied version and sends it over!!! So if thats what a govt office does, then they will accept an original bank letter with the word duplicate written on it

KP