SDJL.co.uk

Some of you may know that I’ve gone into a partnership with two other friends. We’ve been attempting to open a business bank account with the Abbey for well over a month now. It’s come to the point where we’ve asked them to cease the creation of the account. As this is a rather long post, all is explained below by clicking the link!

1st May
The three of us filled out the twelve page application form to start the ball rolling. I had a few questions about the application process so gave their dedicated number a call. They explained all I needed to know and took a few of my details so that the application “would get processed quicker”. I was also told the account opening process would take roughly five working days.

6th May
A letter arrives at our registered address asking to confirm that we wanted to open a business account. I found that a little odd as most people wouldn’t fill out a twelve page application form, get two forms of ID together, a business letterhead and a letter stating who was in the partnership for an evenings laugh. Anyway, we confirmed and each signed this letter and sent it back.

20th May
We receive a letter asking for Nature of the Business and to confirm who the registered partners are. Because we’re in a limited liability partnership, the Abbey can’t access who we are via companies house. A bit of a unique situation and one that we were keen to help out with. So we filled out a companies house application form that we could then send to Abbey to confirm we are who we are! Just to make sure, I posted and faxed this form as well as spoke to someone on the phone who emailed the nature of business.

3rd June
Another letter arrives asking us to once again confirm we wanted to open a business bank account. They needed our three signatures for a third time.
I rang them on the 11th and asked them why they required our signatures for a third time. Tony explained that for some unusual reason they only had a signature for me and required the other two signatures. I asked for them to process the application without the need for the signatures. He rang through to the account opening team and they said they required that letter to be sent back.

When I asked to speak to the account opening team I was told they were a back office team and that no one could speak to them. This was the point where I told them that if the account couldn’t be opened now without the letter going back we would be cancelling it. There apparently wasn’t a manager around for me to speak to, so the opening process was cancelled. Or so I thought.

21st June
Today a letter arrived from the Abbey detailing information for online banking of a business bank account. So they’ve not cancelled the application as per our request. On Monday morning they will be finding out where to stick their bank account.

22nd June
We now find that Abbey have sent us cheque books, even though we told them to cancel the account opening.