Help-who will let me open an account??!!

[monkeysmama]

I have recently registered a limited company so I can do some consultancy work. I went to HSBC last week to try and open a business account (I also want to open a joint account with dp) but half way through the form filling was told I couldn't open one because of a ccj against me (student loan non payment).

I don't know how much info anyone who knows about this kind of thing would need to give me advice but I need a business account and don't know what to do now?!!!

TIA

MM

:Monkeysmama, I don't know about the perils of having a personal ccj when opening a business account, but I was a sole trader as a consultant for about 7 years, and everything went through my personal accounts, so unless you need to be a limited company, ie, gettings loans etc and want to limit liability, I would just do that. You can call yourself what you like! If you want to keep it seperate from your personal finances, then maybe open a current account with anther bank.

I suppose what I am saying is you don't need a business account really.

but also, has the ccj been satisfied If it has, it should be marked, and depending on how long ago, should not be relevant anymore and you may be able to get it removed from your credit rating.

It might be worth trying to clean up your credit rating before applying for any more accounts, as a refusal shows up also.

A ccj will only drop off your credit records after 6 years. If it is satisfied it will only be marked as satisfied if you have obtained a certificate of satisfaction from the relevent court. This costs £15 and the court will automatically inform the credit reference agencies. It takes about 2 months to see the change on your credit records but in the meantime you can use the hard copy of the certificate and physically go into a bank to make an application.

Madamedefarge is absolutely right, you don't neccessarily need a business account.

If you think you do, then the best option is to try each high street bank, go in and sit with their business advisor and make sure you tell them up fron that you have a CCJ and whether or not it is satisfied. Halifax are generally OK with people with lower credit ratings.

Don't let them carry out any credit checks on you unless they have told you that they can definitely open an account as this will show up and can affect your ability to get credit if you have too many searches showing on your records. (in general two seraches in 6 months is ok. Any more than that can be questioned).

The Co-Operative Bank are very good, and Barclays are also helpful in such situations.

Thanks very much for these replies.

I'll get in touch with the Coop and Barclays and Halifax too maybe as I have a mortgage with them.

The ccj isn't satisfied yet - I can't get any money I am owed until I open an account for it to be paid into!

Thanks again - all the replies and advice is appreciated.

Word of warning!

I just did a credit search on myself, as I just got turned down by O2, classed a 'good' by experian, then I did equifax...OMG! The crap they have on there, and loads of wrong info...now to get it all sorted out....sigh.