Czech au pair needs bank account

[Rhythmisadancer]

Barclays, natwest and Lloyds all been useless. They say they need her name on a utility bill, but npower will only put her name on the bill if I close my account and she sets a new one up at our address. We didn't have any trouble setting up an account for our French au pair last year. Do I need to chase down the water company, or is there a bank which will just open a basic account with a passport ID?

hsbc will let her open a "passport account" - she needs a confirmation of her address in her home country.

Post office basic bank account?

A phone bill will do, has she got a phone contract in her name?

I have a Czech au pair and had no trouble at all opening her a bank account with lloyds. She just needed her passport and a letter from me to say she lived with me.

I'm a Czech au pair and I opened an account at HSBC just with my Czech ID and passport so try it there :)

Thanks, we'll give HSBC a go

Our au pairs have used their au pair contract as evidence of address for opening bank accounts, library membership etc.

If she does have any issues I'd suggest writing a letter of introduction for her to your own bank and asking them to facilitate a basic account to be opened on her behalf. I realize it's not like the old days where the bank manager knew you personally but the bank should help an existing customer out with such a request.