Getting a bank account with a SOLO or MAESTRO card

[nutcackle]

Right I am getting mightly pee'd off with having a crappy Electron card because you can hardley use it anywhere, very few shops or websites take them.

I have noticed that most shops/sites take SOLO/MAESTRO and apparently these are given out with basic accounts at some banks.

Question is, which banks give them out with a account AND am I likely to be able to open an account with bad credit history ??

oh yes - face to face in DH's branch (20 miles away), face to face at the local branch, over the phone, in writing - the whole lot - they've said no!

How did you get on NC? I applied to Nationwide and Natwest and both have said I just need to go in with ID. I don't think the Nationwide one has a debit card but the Natwest Step account has solo.

Haven't heard a thing off HSBC. Thye emailed me to confirm my application but nothing since.

Think I will apply for the Natwest one.

Is it an Electron card you have Zeph ?? Just discovered that Mail Order Express accept them, which is great for xmas pressies.

nutty, have you considered LloydsTSB? Im with them and found them to be very "flexible" with my dire credit history which can only be described as a joke. I have a debit card and credit card with them ( which is not always a good thing) and really my credit rating two years ago was so bad that i couldnt even get a 'Kays' catologue. Worth a try, i tried to open a basic account with natwest three years ago to put my child benefit into and was literally laughed out of the branch.

dont know about HSBC but Barclays are to**ers.

Will add TSB to the list then emma

Have just applied with Natwest, so will have to wait and see.

It's not like I want them to let me have money thats not mine, I just want to be able to spend my money online, really fail to understand why they have a prob with that.

I haven't got any cards except an Abby cashcard which isn't debit. I don't understand why all cashcards aren't debit where you can just use the money you already have in your account

Yep exactly, it's our money we should be able to use it how we like.

The woman at barclays said that with a visa debit card, they just let the order go through without checking the money is there (not strictly true though cos i got refused twice). She said that with an electron card they check that the money is there first before the transaction goes through.

So why can't they have a card that checks and it be able to be used everywhere ??
It's discrimination against people on low incomes IMO.