Paying bills for an american condo

[Ciaran]

We have a condo in Florida. We had an American bank account for years that is used to pay all utility bills and for day to day spending. Recently we were told by the bank that they are closing our account because we are not US citizens. Has anyone else come across this before and what solutions did you come up with for paying your bills?

I've managed to get something up with Barclays but it's not great and I can't pay the electric from it as the account is in the UK and the electric company aren't much help with another method.

Any advice greatly appreciated!

[supersport]

Wise (formally Transferwise) allows you to have a local account.

[NorthDave]

I'd have a look at Revolute. You can set up dollar accounts (among others). I use a euro account to pay direct debits in France so I would assume you can do the same for the dollar.

The app is so good it is becoming my default choice for all my personal banking.

[Ciaran]

The problem we have it that we can't get the details of where to pay the bills and our current bank can't tell us either.

[NorthDave]

Surely you can see who has been taking money from the old account and then contact them with new details?

[Ciaran]

You would like to think so but for some reason I can't.

[K50 DEL]

Which bank is it that are closing your account?
I've had a Citi Bank account for almost 2 decades now as a non-resident so maybe you could try just transferring to another US bank?

[Ciaran]

It was Bank of America. Apparently some new law coming in to try and cut down on laundering and fraud.

I'll try Citi Bank, thanks.

[Mr Overheads]

Try MoneyCorp

[Ciaran]

The problem is that I can't get the bank details from the electric company - everything on their website either asks me to input my own routing details or sends me to their partner SpeedPay to pay by credit card and as the card isn't registered in the US it won't work.

[Saleen836]

Ciaran said:

It was Bank of America. Apparently some new law coming in to try and cut down on laundering and fraud.

I'll try Citi Bank, thanks.

I've had a Wells Fargo account for around 16 years as a non resident also have a Visa debit card with my account,I've not heard or read anywhere of supposed new law,not had any comms from the bank suggesting it either.

Edited by Saleen836 on Monday 21st June 19:35

[Countdown]

Ciaran said:

The problem we have it that we can't get the details of where to pay the bills and our current bank can't tell us either.

Surely when the direct debits or payments aren't made then the people you need to pay will get in touch with you?

[The Moose]

It sounds like whoever is managing your account at BoA doesn’t know what they’re doing.

There are millions of non citizens (myself included) with checking accounts. I don’t have accounts any more with BoA but my parents do.

There’s a form you have to complete - I wanna say W8-BEN…but I’m not 100% sure.

[smack]

Saleen836 said:

I've had a Wells Fargo account for around 16 years as a non resident also have a Visa debit card with my account,I've not heard or read anywhere of supposed new law,not had any comms from the bank suggesting it either.

Same for me, but I have a Chase account. I went with them from advice from others after the HSBC branch didn't know the banking laws and said I couldn't open account (but could if I had a UK Premier account). The manager at the Chase branch a few blocks away knew the procedure and had it all setup in 30 mins or so.

[Saleen836]

The Moose said:

It sounds like whoever is managing your account at BoA doesn’t know what they’re doing.

There are millions of non citizens (myself included) with checking accounts. I don’t have accounts any more with BoA but my parents do.

There’s a form you have to complete - I wanna say W8-BEN…but I’m not 100% sure.

If the OP hasn't kept this form up to date that might explain why their account has been closed, when my place over there was let out for short term rental most of my bills (water/electric) I paid online via suppliers webiste

[K50 DEL]

The Moose said:

It sounds like whoever is managing your account at BoA doesn’t know what they’re doing.

There are millions of non citizens (myself included) with checking accounts. I don’t have accounts any more with BoA but my parents do.

There’s a form you have to complete - I wanna say W8-BEN…but I’m not 100% sure.

Yep, that's the form.
I get sent one annually by Citi that I have to fill in and send back and that's the extent of the required admin.

[The Leaper]

I don't think the W8-BEN form is correct. That form is completed every three years by a non resident alien, so that instead of a USA derived income being taxed in the USA as such, it is subject to the lower withholding tax rate. I cannot see how this form can relate to paying bills in the USA for a condo.

R.

[The Moose]

The Leaper said:

I don't think the W8-BEN form is correct. That form is completed every three years by a non resident alien, so that instead of a USA derived income being taxed in the USA as such, it is subject to the lower withholding tax rate. I cannot see how this form can relate to paying bills in the USA for a condo.

R.

For the bank account, not for paying the bills!