Nationwide – posted 19th January 2009
It looks like I’ve had a bit of luck with my bank account.
Years ago I had a full Nationwide Flexaccount with debit card, chequebook etc. I stopped using it long before my bankruptcy, but never closed the account. I declared it on my bankruptcy forms, but it was never frozen by Nationwide, and the OR never showed any interest in it.
While I’ve been happy with my Co-op Cashminder account I’ve missed having a full debit card, rather than a Visa Electron, and I object to paying for a prepaid card. As I knew no other bank was likely to consider giving me an account I decided to give Nationwide a call and ask if they could send me a card so that I could start using the account.
I’ve got a basic Flexaccount with Nationwide, which I opened after I was bankrupt, so I fully expected them to send me another cash card rather than a Visa debit card. I was very surprised to see a nice shiny full Visa debit card when I opened the envelope!
When I went into Nationwide on Saturday I decided to ask for a chequebook as well. After a nerve-wracking couple of minutes I was told it’ll be with me within 5-7 working days. I don’t need to write a cheque very often, but every now and then it comes in handy, and it’ll be nice not to have to ask other people.
My salary will be paid into the full account, with my direct debits coming out of the cash account so I don’t have to worry about whether everything has been paid – I know what’s left is mine.
I now feel that I’ve got my financial life back on track. I’ve got a full bank account, an ISA (Abbey) and an e savings account (also Abbey) – not that there’s much in either of them! My credit files have been amended (apart from Tesco who I’ll be reporting to the Information Commissioner), I’ve got 16 more payments into my IPA, which seems to be flying past, and I can’t believe it’s nearly 2 years since I went BR.
I hope no-one thinks I’m boasting or sounding smug as that’s not my intention. I just want to show that there is life after bankruptcy, and while it’s not the solution for everyone, for some of us it’s the right decision.
