EU Au Pairs and UK BankAccounts - recommendations?

[Strix]

Current lovely au pair has been with us less than year and wish (understandably) to have a UK Bank account. Lloyds has been... Well... Les than friendly. They want me sign something saying I have know her for 12 months (which I haven't) and give them my sort code and account number (which I am not comfortable with).

So the question is, what banks will give my lovely au pair an account? She has a contract to use for proof of residence. But, unfortunately not much else. So just wondered if other banks are a bit more au pair friendly?

And, I could be wrong, but I thought bank had to offer EU citizens an account. Anyone know more about this?

Hi,
Our au pair opened an account in HSBC, with no difficulty at all. I wrote a letter confirming she lives at our address and that was it.

Our lovely (Polish) au pair was not welcomed by HSBC, but staff in the HSBC branch recommended Bank of Scotland, who were fine with just a letter from me stating that she was employed as my au pair.

"...give them my sort code and account number (which I am not comfortable with)."

Why on earth not? You give it to complete strangers with no security procedures every time you write a cheque or use your debit card, and you can't use it to do anything except pay money in to your account anyway.

They need that to strengthen the evidence that you are who you say you are and therefore the letter of support from you is worth more than the paper it is written on.

Opening accounts for au pairs is always painful, and very dependent on the quality and training of the branch staff you are dealing with.

Barclays are very good. Our au pairs have always been able to open an account there, by taking in their passport, proof of their home address in Germany and a letter from me confirming that they have moved to the UK as an au pair and are residing at [my address], and will be receiving £pocket money per week.
HTH

Have had dreadful trouble with this, went to HSBC (my own bank by the way) they wouldnt give her an account despite my letter, contract and me in person with all my bank stuff. Needed proof of her account in France (why? relevance) she had all her letters about her account - but no good - must have a bank statement last 3 months, this was sent from france including a personal letter from her bank manager translated into English - but that was no good either can you believe it !! Shes given up. I complained which for HSBC means they put it back to the branch I was complaining about who rang me up and said - we're right! - very frustrating exercise but so UK!

I'm surprised,I opened an account with Lloyds for our au pair in Nov 2012 and all she needed was her EU passport. No problems at all.

Thanks everyone!