[ubuntu-uk] Lack of support for small business

[Gareth France]

Barclays are the ones who refused me. HSBC are the ones who seem to be
allergic to software. I wonder if their own PC's had pre-installed OSs and
if so where do the people they bought from bank?

On Sat, Nov 19, 2011 at 10:13 AM, Barry Titterton <
barry.titterton at mail.adsl4less.com> wrote:

> On Fri, 2011-11-18 at 23:32 +0000, Gareth France wrote:
> > Recently I decided to do my part by starting up a small business
> > selling machines with Ubuntu pre-installed and  offering support. My
> > bank have refused to offer me a business account at all 'because it's
> > too risky to open an account for a company selling computers',
> > apparently there's a high risk I will commit carousel fraud (whatever
> > that is). Another bank are getting iffy about it because I'm involved
> > in software (installing Ubuntu), I did attempt to explain that any
> > company selling hardware is just as involved with software as I.
> >
> >
> > Is it just me or does the British economy not want small businesses to
> > succeed?
> Gareth,
>
> Oh yes, I have just given up freelancing after fifteen years of battling
> the establishment. The government (of any colour) will happily give a
> speech saying that they support small business than immediately pass
> another piece of oppressive legislation.
>
> I think carousel fraud involves claiming a VAT refund from the British
> government for items that you claim to have purchased abroad. By the
> time the paperwork has caught up you are long gone with the money. Small
> high value items are the favourite subject for this fraud.
>
> Please name and shame the bank involved. The big high street banks are
> all rubbish with small business. My own bank, HSBC, told me when I first
> started my company the inter account transfers with a private account at
> the same branch would be free. But they gradually introduced charges
> over the next few years without telling me, which is against the rules.
> When I challenged them all they said was "Tough". You may want to try
> some of the smaller obscure, and even foreign, banks or building
> societies. Many building societies have a business arm these days and,
> being generally locally based, are more sympathetic to local small
> businesses.
>
> Barry T
>
>
> --
> ubuntu-uk at lists.ubuntu.com
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/
>
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