Who's panicking?

Big Boy · Legend Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 2929 Location: UK

margaretcarnes wrote:

HHTel · Professional Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 291

I don't have a UK bank account so had a problem initially getting monies from various pension bodies. I called Bangkok Bank in London, gave them all my details and confirmed by e-mail. They sent me back an account number and a reference to give any payers-in. Has worked a treat over the last couple of years. Automatically gets transferred to my Bangkok Bank account in Hua Hin although I can give an instruction to hold it in London until I say when to make the transfer. I get local onshore rate of exchange which is fine and it's usually in my bank around 3 days after being received in London. Couldn't tell you what the bank charge is but I'll let you know when I get my next statement.

margaretcarnes · Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 5:26 am Post subject: Who' panicking?

Bangkok Bank sounds like a good option then, plus maybe internet banking (which has just taken me over a month to sort with LLoyds)
But some replies have already touched on the Knock On Effects Don. UK banks have got so paranoid over the last few years and really don't like 'care of' addresses. Someone also made the point about ATM useage abroad, which is one to watch.
But one of the main potential difficulties is with State Pension - which I assume you are getting? Theres 2 ways of doing it 1) Don't tell them you are in Thailand, in which case you should carry on getting the April increases. 2) Let them know where you are, in which case your pension will be frozen at its present level.
Option 1 is really an illegal one, though folks do get away with it and I'm not judging either way. But if you've already given the Pensions Dept the 'care of' address they will be suss. They might start writing to it for info from you.
If you've given them the other address as your own, the person living there might find themselves facing questions if, for example, they are getting things like single person Council Tax reduction, or Housing/Council tax benefits, or Income Support. Just a thought.

niggle · Professional Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 403

Not telling pensions or official bodies of where you are is ok if you:
keep a uk address, for all official forms this is your address. You do not have to live there but watch out for council tax if its still you property and noone else lives there, Best use address of friends or relatives.
This is also your mailing address for all official mail.
Stay registered with GP in UK
Tell bank this is mailing address as you will be abroad for a while. Tell them up to a year.
And remember this --- you still live in UK as you have address/GP etc. You are on an extended holiday only - you dont regard here as your place of residence permanently - a long stay holiday home as far as UK is concerned. And maybe after you visit UK next you might decide to take another long stay holiday
The important thing is the address in Uk and maintaining that this is a holiday
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niggle · Professional Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 403

As an add on, the council tax will not be due if the address you give - after all you could be staying in a spare room at yourr friends - is not your house (if you have one).
Whatever the address, someone should forward / email all official mail to you. ANy replies needed - deal with bu phone or email. Or reply to your friewnd and get them to reply wityh you letter in a UK stamp. Do as much as possible on line - paperless options tell no one where you are
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Curiosity killed the Quantum Cat

margaretcarnes · Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:09 am Post subject: Who's panicking?

Some good points there from Niggle, but I wasn't saying that our new ex pat would be liable for council tax himself on the UK address. My point was it might affect the council tax or benefits of the householder.
I agree that keeping a UK address does make life a lot easier, especially where banks are concerned, and popping home now and then helps to maintain 'resident' status. Wink

niggle · Professional Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 403

I think council tax will only apply if you are declared as living there. If the address you give is an empty property or is a separate entiity as in a flat within a house then they could ask questions but I guess the way round it is to be able to show you are not currently in there but may move in at a later date. After all you wouldnt want to pay rent in case you dont move in. Having a mailing address is perfectly legal of course.
If of course its your own property then I think you can get a reduction if you are not living there - but then that brings us back to the start again !!
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Curiosity killed the Quantum Cat

margaretcarnes · Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:41 am Post subject: Who's Panicking?

Yes we are going round in circles a bit now! But Don said that he's sold up anyway.
The rules on empty properties used to be that if left unfurnished there was no CT liability. Now you have to pay whether property is left furnished or not (although I think there are some CT free months allowed?)
Don won't have that particular problem, and is now pretty close to flight time and probably in a right tizz.
I would still be very wary though about any effect on the householder whose address he is using. I work in Welfare Benefits Advice and know the systems pretty well. One thing that hasn't been mentioned, and links up with your advice on staying with a GP etc, is whether Don is going to maintain his registration on the Electoral Roll. If he's trying to maintain a 'legal' presence in the UK, then surely he would fall foul of Big Brother if he fails to register when required? Vicious circle time again!

caller · Ace Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 1717 Location: Londonistan

The local authority are required to visit if someone doesn't return their electoral registration. They will either get the form completed on that visit, or note any change of circumstances.

The full electoral register is available to other sections of the Authority and ultimately, if needed, the pension people. Its not quite the public knowledge it once was (to try and stay off mailing lists etc).

Governor · Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:33 pm Post subject: Re: Who's panicking?

[quote="margaretcarnes"] I wasn't able to get a BACs transfer to Thailand on my civil service pension, and suspect other pension providers have the same rules. Its not actually a rule - just something that, for whatever reason, they can't do.
quote]

I have a civil service pension and whilst it is currently paid into my UK bank they, Capita, have advised me that they can pay it directly into my Thai bank.

They say that they pay it in Thai Baht which will mean I would get the lower rate, which I think I probably get with my UK ATM card.

ozuncle · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:28 pm Post subject:

Governer,
As mentioned may times previously on this forum,
Do not let them send Thai Baht.
Always send your currency and let the Thai bank do the conversion.
It makes quite a difference.
I am not sure about your UK card but "Onlyme" has said many times that Nationwide card is very good.
thumbs up

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Governor · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 1:50 pm Post subject:

Yes, thanks ozuncle, I realise that and I thought I had said as much in my post, that they pay the lower offshore rate anyway.

I was just making the point that a Civil Service pension can be paid into a Thai bank account and was sugesting that the loss of a few Baht in the pound my save me some hassle, but clearly I would need to do my sums before going down that route. Interestingly Capita can pay sterling into a Singapore bank account but not a Thai account, they say that their exchange rate is competitive but I doubt if they realise the implications.

Having severed my ties with the UK it might not be possible to get a Nationwide account, I currently have a HBOS account they charge £1.50 each time I use my card and their exchange rate is pretty naff.

lomuamart · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:28 pm Post subject:

Governor · Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:05 am Post subject:

Following my earlier posts I have been trying to ascertain if it is practical to have my Civil Service pension paid directly into my Thai bank, given that they use an offshore rate.

Capita, who pay the pensions of retired civil servants, have advised me that they can only pay in Thai Baht, and there have been many warnings against this option. However, they have also advised that on 29th January they transferred money to other retired civil servants at the rate of 63.475 Baht to the Pound, Bangkok Bank had a rate of 64.45 that day so the difference was only 0.975 Baht to the pound. I do not know what the ATM rate was on that day.

At the moment I have my pension paid into a Halifax account in the UK then withdraw via a bank branch in Thailand, which is time consuming, or via an ATM which is problematical as the card sometimes gets locked.

I now have to weigh up my options; I can have my pension paid directly into a Thai bank at the lower rate or continue with ATM and branch withdrawals, I think there will be little in it.

margaretcarnes, I note you cannot get your civil service pension paid into a Thai bank, your pension may be paid by a different company to mine, but you might want to double check.