Banks

[Guest Greg and Karen]

Hi all

 

I'm sure this is a common moan on here, but is anyone else having difficulty with their Aussie bank? We're with Westpac, the Central Mkt branch.

 

They're friendly and efficient enough, but my issue is access to my money. We have a considerable sum invested with them but because I have not got a job yet they will not give me a debit or credit card. Instead I'm left with something called a "handycard", which is anything but. Its not a card you can use easily over the counter and we're trying to avoid using our UK cards because of steep transaction charges.

 

Anybody else - who is not working yet - been given a better card by another bank? In other words could I get better access to my money with another bank?

 

Before I threaten to leave Westpac it would be good to know what the score is with the other banks first.....

 

cheers,

Greg

[Guest Aussie pat]

Hi Greg,

 

We are still in the UK but have already got money in a couple of accounts at the Commonwealth Bank. We also have an account at their branch in London. We have a 'key card' which my husband was able to use last year when he visited Adelaide for a reccie. So we can already withdraw money from one of our accounts with this card, despite not even living there yet. Also have online banking set up with them. The migrant assistance officer at the city branch has been really helpful.

 

Hedy

 

PS My husband retired early several years ago and I left my part time job 2 weeks ago so we are officially unemployed!

[Guest Guzzler&Sas]

Hi all

 

I'm sure this is a common moan on here, but is anyone else having difficulty with their Aussie bank? We're with Westpac, the Central Mkt branch.

 

They're friendly and efficient enough, but my issue is access to my money. We have a considerable sum invested with them but because I have not got a job yet they will not give me a debit or credit card. Instead I'm left with something called a "handycard", which is anything but. Its not a card you can use easily over the counter and we're trying to avoid using our UK cards because of steep transaction charges.

 

Anybody else - who is not working yet - been given a better card by another bank? In other words could I get better access to my money with another bank?

 

Before I threaten to leave Westpac it would be good to know what the score is with the other banks first.....

 

cheers,

Greg

 

Hi,

 

If I was in your shoes I would open an account with another bank, I thought a debit card would only let you draw on funds available??????.

 

When we arrived we had an account already opened with the Commonwealth in King William street, on activating the account our debit cards were waiting for us and whilst there we were asked if we would also like to have a credit card, it might well be worth having a chat with another bank,

 

Good luck

 

Guzzler

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

We were with the Commonwealth, but after a tax file number blunder we took all the money out, I could almost see the tears in the managers eyes. I gave him a chance but head office would not re fund the money, we had to get it ourself. That wasnt the only problem, there were issues with the difference in the savings and cheque accounts, they had called them the wrong thing, so we were using the savings by mistake. We switched to the ANZ, who incidently paid out on a cheque that was a year out of date:err:

[Guest Guzzler&Sas]

We were with the Commonwealth, but after a tax file number blunder we took all the money out, I could almost see the tears in the managers eyes. I gave him a chance but head office would not re fund the money, we had to get it ourself. That wasnt the only problem, there were issues with the difference in the savings and cheque accounts, they had called them the wrong thing, so we were using the savings by mistake. We switched to the ANZ, who incidently paid out on a cheque that was a year out of date:err:

 

 

Not saying this is the case in this instance, but it is really important to get your Tax File Number (TFN) as soon you as can after arrival and let your bank know. Because until they have this all interest on any savings will be taxed at 46.5%, You WILL get this refunded (by the tax man:dull:) but you may have to wait severals months depending where we are in the financial year (1/7 - 31/6). If you can get your TFN to bank within 2-3 weeks they can NORMALLY stop this happening,

 

Guzzler

[Lea]

Hi all

 

I'm sure this is a common moan on here, but is anyone else having difficulty with their Aussie bank? We're with Westpac, the Central Mkt branch.

 

They're friendly and efficient enough, but my issue is access to my money. We have a considerable sum invested with them but because I have not got a job yet they will not give me a debit or credit card. Instead I'm left with something called a "handycard", which is anything but. Its not a card you can use easily over the counter and we're trying to avoid using our UK cards because of steep transaction charges.

 

Anybody else - who is not working yet - been given a better card by another bank? In other words could I get better access to my money with another bank?

 

Before I threaten to leave Westpac it would be good to know what the score is with the other banks first.....

 

cheers,

Greg

 

We had exactly the same problems with that branch of the bank. We voted with our feet and opened an account with Bank SA who provide a Visa Debit card which has been an absolute godsend to us. I know ANZ do a similar card with their transaction account but Commonwealth will not be issuing a Visa Debit card until November (I rang and asked them!)

 

Can't recommend Bank SA enough.

 

Also the limit for buying things on the Visa Debit is $8000 a day which has proved useful.

Lea

[Rachiegarlo]

The Adelaide bank is good, it has a visa debit and their net bank is easy to use.

[Guest Tina]

Hi all

 

I'm sure this is a common moan on here, but is anyone else having difficulty with their Aussie bank? We're with Westpac, the Central Mkt branch.

 

They're friendly and efficient enough, but my issue is access to my money. We have a considerable sum invested with them but because I have not got a job yet they will not give me a debit or credit card. Instead I'm left with something called a "handycard", which is anything but. Its not a card you can use easily over the counter and we're trying to avoid using our UK cards because of steep transaction charges.

 

Anybody else - who is not working yet - been given a better card by another bank? In other words could I get better access to my money with another bank?

 

Before I threaten to leave Westpac it would be good to know what the score is with the other banks first.....

 

cheers,

Greg

 

i have a westpac choice account and they gave me a handycard and we havent had any problem getting money, i think it depends on the amount you want at once. i can buy anything with EFTPOS up to a $1000 per card (we have one each) per day or at any westpac cash till and getting the same amount of cash out. If we wanted more than this we would go to the bank and get a cheque.

[Guest caoimhe]

Do the Oz banks charge to use cash point machines owned by other banks?

[Rachiegarlo]

Yes it's the biggest rip off going. it's $1.50-2.00

[Guest graandjac]

:)We are with Westpac and bost of us have a debt card...??, we also have some money put away with a term deposit but when i opened the account we had no jobs also, so not sure why you cant get one.

[Guest Greg and Karen]

:)We are with Westpac and bost of us have a debt card...??, we also have some money put away with a term deposit but when i opened the account we had no jobs also, so not sure why you cant get one.

 

Maybe they just didn't like the look of us....!

 

We're going to see Bank SA in Eastwood tomorrow to see what they've got to offer.

 

To compound matters our UK bank keeps freezing our UK cards to "prevent fraud", even though I've told them a 100 times that we've moved to Oz.....

 

Banks.....ggrrrrr

[Guest Bodie]

We're with the ANZ, we established our account in similar circumstances -ie. no jobs. Were issued with a debit card and offered credit cards. Have been with them a year (opened accounts prior to arrival) and so far over all the service has been good. Our manager (Blackwood Branch) has been excellent.

[Carole Jolly]

Hi all

 

I'm sure this is a common moan on here, but is anyone else having difficulty with their Aussie bank? We're with Westpac, the Central Mkt branch.

 

They're friendly and efficient enough, but my issue is access to my money. We have a considerable sum invested with them but because I have not got a job yet they will not give me a debit or credit card. Instead I'm left with something called a "handycard", which is anything but. Its not a card you can use easily over the counter and we're trying to avoid using our UK cards because of steep transaction charges.

 

Anybody else - who is not working yet - been given a better card by another bank? In other words could I get better access to my money with another bank?

 

Before I threaten to leave Westpac it would be good to know what the score is with the other banks first.....

 

cheers,

Greg

 

Hi Greg

 

We are still in England but have opened westpac accounts ready for our move over there. I rung them this morning and she said the handycard is also a debit card and you should have cheque books. She said you could email her and she would sort out any problems for you. Email is sarahkindell@westpac.cm.au

 

She is really helpfull and deals with migrant banking. she did say credit cards are not issue if not working though, so cant help with that one.

 

good luck

 

Carole

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

Not saying this is the case in this instance, but it is really important to get your Tax File Number (TFN) as soon you as can after arrival and let your bank know. Because until they have this all interest on any savings will be taxed at 46.5%, You WILL get this refunded (by the tax man:dull:) but you may have to wait severals months depending where we are in the financial year (1/7 - 31/6). If you can get your TFN to bank within 2-3 weeks they can NORMALLY stop this happening,

 

Guzzler

They had our TRNs straight away, she didnt link them to both accounts:realmad:. We did get the money back but had to claim it ourselves. By that time it was a case of one mistake too many for my liking (we had moved to the Blackwood branch by then), the manager did his best to sort it but he couldnt. Besides, by then I liked the blue and lime green colour scheme of the ANZ:jiggy:

sarah

[Guest katsmajic]

Were with the Adelaide bank, and so far so good,

the merlin account is the worst but easiest - charges for everything really...so we gave that one a miss

got the visa debit card, $5 fee pm, only charges if you use another banks cashpoint - however ive used anz a few times and not been charged...not on end of month statement etc...

their internet banking is pretty simple too.

[Guest the4hopes]

Do all the banks have internet banking?

Laura x

[Rachiegarlo]

Yes, but some are more user friendly than others. NAB if you want to send money to another person's account you have to register for that to be added to your internet banking. The standard net banking allows you to transfer money between your own accounts, use BPAY, set up payments with it to come out of you account on a set day. Adelaide Bank already has the transfer to anyone thing on the standard net bank.

[Guest Greg and Karen]

Hi Greg

 

We are still in England but have opened westpac accounts ready for our move over there. I rung them this morning and she said the handycard is also a debit card and you should have cheque books. She said you could email her and she would sort out any problems for you. Email is sarahkindell@westpac.cm.au

 

She is really helpfull and deals with migrant banking. she did say credit cards are not issue if not working though, so cant help with that one.

 

good luck

 

Carole

 

Thank you all for your responses, much appreciated. What I should have clarified (and this seems to be the problem) is that we are here on the 495 SIR visa (i.e. we are 2nd class citizens) so it seems this is the main reason we can't get anything other than a handycard....we can't be trusted. I can understand not giving a credit card, but a debit card only draws on existing funds....so what the?

 

So this is what the nice lass at the Bank SA told us today: even when I get a job I can't get proper grown up cards until we are PRs. However, I have read that ANZ will issue visa debit cards to to us provo visa types..... is this true?

[Andrew from Vista Financial]

Hi,

 

yes this is true. We had WestPac handy card initially and are on 495. ANZ can issue a debit card without having to do a credit check. It's called the 'everyday debit'. Very good, you can apply online, cards come through in the post and you then go in to a branch to activate them.

 

Andy

[Guest Greg and Karen]

Hi,

 

yes this is true. We had WestPac handy card initially and are on 495. ANZ can issue a debit card without having to do a credit check. It's called the 'everyday debit'. Very good, you can apply online, cards come through in the post and you then go in to a branch to activate them.

 

Andy

 

thanks Andy, ANZ first stop tomorrow then

 

we need some IFA so we'll be in touch when I have a job and baby has been born

 

regards,

Greg

[Andrew from Vista Financial]

No probs Greg, feel free to contact me when you want. Hope all goes well with the baby.

 

Andy

[Lea]

Thank you all for your responses, much appreciated. What I should have clarified (and this seems to be the problem) is that we are here on the 495 SIR visa (i.e. we are 2nd class citizens) so it seems this is the main reason we can't get anything other than a handycard....we can't be trusted. I can understand not giving a credit card, but a debit card only draws on existing funds....so what the?

 

So this is what the nice lass at the Bank SA told us today: even when I get a job I can't get proper grown up cards until we are PRs. However, I have read that ANZ will issue visa debit cards to to us provo visa types..... is this true?

 

They let us have the Visa Debit card on the same visa without a job offer - although we like you can't get credit cards until we have PR. Thank goodness we kept our UK ones. Must be down to the individual branch staff.

 

Lea