Ulster Bank (underwritten by RBS and Natwest) - can RBS offset?

[IF]

Re: Ulster Bank (underwritten by RBS and Natwest) - can RBS offset?

is it called flex account i cant see any mention of basic

Hi Mike this is the one ---- > Nationwide: Savings, Mortgages, Current Accounts, Loans, Insurance

IF...x

[ScabHunter]

Re: Ulster Bank (underwritten by RBS and Natwest) - can RBS offset?

Hiya, per this thread, I have an HSBC basic account. Can set up direct debits and have online banking but only a cash card.

The only downer is they will never upgrade this account unless you pass a credit check (never going to happen in my case lol).

hope that helps,
p

Just been reading through this thread and see that most of the posts are over a year old.

1245pebbles, did you ever manage to get a plastic card which would allow you to buy railway tickets? If not, this might help -

Prepaid MasterCard – Kalixa

I've done a lot of research into these prepaid cards, and I think this is probably the best one. There is an initial charge of £7 to set the account up and get the card, but after that there should be no further charges whatsoever if you run the account properly, and this includes charges for obtaining replacement cards. The card lasts for three years, and if you use it within three months of the expiry date you get a free replacement (important – read 12.4 and 12.6 of the terms and conditions).

There are charges for loading the card using most methods, but they can be side-stepped if you go into a branch of Barclays Bank and load it with cash over the counter, or load it through online banking. There are also charges for withdrawing cash at ATMs, but why would you want to load it with cash only to draw the cash out again?

There are also “inactivity fees” if you don't use the card for six consecutive months. These should be avoided just by natural use of the card.

There is no credit check to obtain the card, just the routine identity check which is needed to open anything. The account is opened online, and the card is even activated online. No need for phones at any stage of the process.

Even though I've got the Co-op Cashminder, and a current account with a cheque book left over from the days before I started my UE “adventure”, I still picked up one of these cards. So far, everything is working as they say it should.

It would be a good match for the HSBC basic account because you could draw cash using the ATM card, take it into Barclays and load the card, and then use the card as though it was a HSBC debit card. You can probably even load it for free at home using HSBC online banking (can't verify this because I don't have HSBC account, but it looks possible).

The alternative is to look at the Bank of Baroda stuff that Niddy has posted up, which should even get you a chequebook. I won't be trying them as I've already got a current account, but it might be worth a try for someone who hasn't.

Hope some of this helps,
SH