Archives: Faq

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Ask the Directors

Our directors want to hear from you! Email your questions and our directors will answer them during our Ask the Directors session at the AGM.

Please note that for reasons of time, we can’t guarantee to answer every question during the AGM. Any questions that are not answered on the day will be answered afterwards and we’ll post responses on our website.

Why attend?

We're owned by our members and put their interests first, so if you're a part of Ecology we want to hear what you think.

Our AGM is your opportunity to:

  • Meet the Ecology team and share your views on our work
  • Hear from leading experts on the challenges of meeting the UK's net zero targets to address the climate crisis
  • Meet other Ecology members in a friendly environment

Identification requirements

Verifying identities helps protect us all from fraud
  • We carry out identification requirements to protect everyone from fraud
  • Where possible, we will first use electronic searches to confirm your identity

All banks, building societies and financial institutions are required by law to verify the identity of any individual or organisation that opens an account with them. This is necessary to protect the organisation, its members and the public from fraud and also to help combat money laundering.

You should note that there may be occasions when documentation over and above that stated here will need to be produced and you will be told if this applies to you.

What we need to verify an individual's identity

Existing member - quote your account number on your application:

If you already have an account with us and quote your account number on your application, we may not need any further evidence of your identity and address.

New to Ecology – we'll verify your identity with electronic searches:

What we'll need if we request more information:
If we need more information, we'll ask you to provide us with two additional forms of identification, one from each of the tables (see below).

 

Table A

  • HM Revenue & Customs tax notification
  • Letter issued by the benefits agency
  • Passport (certified copy)
  • UK driving licence (certified copy)

+

Table B

  • Bank current account statement
  • Building society or bank investment account statement
  • Council tax bill
  • Gas bill
  • Electricity bill
  • Water bill
  • Telephone bill (not mobile telephone)
  • Mortgage statement
  • Credit or store card statement

 

Joint account? You must each have your identity verified. However, both of you may rely on the same items from Table A and Table B if they are addressed to and clearly identify each of you.

Please note:
  • Online statements or downloaded documents cannot be accepted under any circumstances
  • Any documents produced must be current and issued within the last 12 months
  • The identification provided must be from different organisations
  • All original documents will be returned to you when the account has been opened
  • Copy documents are not acceptable, except in the case of passports and driving licences, which must be certified (see below)

Copies of passports and driving licences must be certified by one of the following:

  • Accountant
  • Bank or building society official
  • Doctor
  • Minister of religion
  • Regulated financial adviser or mortgage broker
  • Solicitor
  • Teacher

Certification: The document that is being certified must state 'original seen' as well as being dated and signed. The document should also include the name of the certifier, their profession and full contact details. If the identification is photographic, the certifier must state that 'the photograph is a good likeness of the applicant'. The certifier must not be related to the applicant in any way, or named as a joint account holder.

Open a Regular Savings account for a young person (16-17 years) or on behalf of a child

In a young person’s name (16-17 years old)

An account can be opened by a young person aged 16 or 17 with a cheque or a payment from an account in their name.

Alternatively, a parent or relative can provide:

  • a cheque (drawn on their own personal current account);
  • a bank or building society cheque (supported by an investment account statement from the relevant bank or building society); or
  • a bank transfer from an account.

A covering letter must also be provided confirming the money is being given to the young person and how they are related.

We will need to verify the identity and address of the young person.  For details of how this is done, please read the Savings account identification requirements leaflet.

On behalf of a child (as a trustee)

An account can be opened by a parent or relative as a trustee for a child of any age if the parent or relative makes an initial deposit from an account held in their name. Applicants (the parents or relatives) must each have their identity verified in accordance with the information provided in the Savings account identification requirements leaflet specified for individual’s identification requirements. The application should be accompanied by a Birth/Adoption certificate (original only), NHS Medical Card or National Insurance notification letter.

Open a Regular Savings account for a child

In a child’s name

An account can be opened in a child’s name if a parent or relative makes an initial deposit from an account held in their name and includes a covering letter, confirming the money is being given to the child and how they are related.

Important note: If an account is to be opened in a child’s name, the child must understand how the account will operate and be able to sign their own name.

The application should be accompanied by three items:

• A photocopy of the child’s birth certificate
• A photocopy of the child’s passport, medical card, school/college ID card or bus/train pass
• An original letter from the child’s school/college, doctor or dentist specifically referring to the child.

On behalf of a child (as a trustee)

An account can be opened by a parent or relative as a trustee for a child if the parent or relative makes an initial deposit from an account held in their name. Applicants (the parents or relatives) must each have their identity verified as specified for individual’s identification requirements. The application should be accompanied by a photocopy of the child’s birth certificate.

I have received an email telling me to log in to ‘Mimecast’. What is this?

Ecology uses Mimecast to send emails that may contain sensitive information. Using Mimecast is a trusted and secure way for us to send you emails about your account.

In order to log in to Mimecast to view the email that we have sent to you, you will need to enter your username (the email address registered to your account) and a password. If it is the first time that we have sent you a secure Mimecast email, you will receive a password via email. You will need to change this to a password of your choice once you have logged in.

Please note, the log in details for the Mimecast secure email service are different to those required for Ecology’s online account service.

 

Identification requirements

Verifying identities helps protect us all from fraud
  • We carry out identification requirements to protect everyone from fraud
  • Where possible, we will first confirm your identity via electronic searches and the bank details or personal cheque that you have provided to us in order to make your initial deposit

All banks, building societies and financial institutions are required by law to verify the identity of any individual or organisation that opens an account with them. This is necessary to protect the organisation, its members and the public from fraud and also to help combat money laundering.

You should note that there may be occasions when documentation over and above that stated here will need to be produced and you will be told if this applies to you.

What we need to verify an individual's identity

Existing member - quote your account number on your application:

If you already have an account with us and quote your account number on your application, we may not need any further evidence of your identity and address.

New to Ecology – we'll verify your identity with electronic searches, plus your bank account details or your first cheque:

We will make an electronic search for the purpose of verifying your identity and will also ask you to open your account by bank transfer from a current account in your name, with your own personal cheque drawn on your current account, or with a cheque from another building society or bank where you hold an account. In the latter case, we will also need to be provided with a recent account statement from the relevant building society or bank. If this is necessary, it will also count as the Table A item.

Please note that if you are opening a Regular Savings account, an initial bank transfer or cheque is not required as you will be asked to submit a Direct Debit mandate with your application.

What we'll need if we request more information:

If we need more information, we'll ask you to provide us with two additional forms of identification, one from each of the tables (see below).

 

Table A

  • Bank current account statement
  • Building society or bank investment account statement
  • HM Revenue & Customs tax notification
  • Letter issued by the benefits agency
  • Passport (certified copy)
  • UK driving licence (certified copy)

+

Table B

  • Council tax bill
  • Gas bill
  • Electricity bill
  • Water bill
  • Telephone bill (not mobile telephone)
  • Mortgage statement
  • Credit or store card statement

 

Joint account? You must each have your identity verified. However, both of you may rely on the same items from Table A and Table B if they are addressed to and clearly identify each of you.

Please note:
  • Online statements or downloaded documents cannot be accepted under any circumstances
  • Any documents produced must be current and issued within the last 12 months
  • The identification provided must be from different organisations
  • All original documents will be returned to you when the account has been opened
  • Copy documents are not acceptable, except in the case of passports and driving licences, which must be certified (see below)

Copies of passports and driving licences must be certified by one of the following:

  • Accountant
  • Bank or building society official
  • Doctor
  • Minister of religion
  • Regulated financial adviser or mortgage broker
  • Solicitor
  • Teacher

Certification: The document that is being certified must state 'original seen' as well as being dated and signed. The document should also include the name of the certifier, their profession and full contact details. If the identification is photographic, the certifier must state that 'the photograph is a good likeness of the applicant'. The certifier must not be related to the applicant in any way, or named as a joint account holder.

How to apply

If you're interested in joining Ecology as a borrower, we'd love to hear from you.

Because we take an individual approach to every mortgage, we like to discuss your application with you over the phone to make sure it fits our criteria and to answer any questions you have.

You can contact us on 01535 650 770, or you can email us via our enquiry form. If your enquiry is urgent, please contact us by phone.

When you get in touch with us, it's helpful if you can provide us with some basic information about your project:

  • what you want to do (especially the environmental aspects of your project)
  • how much you'll need to borrow
  • how you intend to finance it.

For residential mortgage enquiries, please contact one of our mortgage advisors to discuss your project and your mortgage requirements.  You can find out more about the process by downloading The application process: a step-by-step guide

    Woodlands mortgage enquiry

    First name*

    Surname*

    Email address*

    Phone number*

    What do you want to do?

    How much would you like to borrow?

    How will you finance it?

    We’ll only use your details to respond to your query and for legal/regulatory obligations. Your information will not be used for marketing purposes, unless you have requested this.


    How to apply

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    When your buy-to-let project is complete

    For us to apply the C-Change sustainable homes or C-Change retrofit, once your work is complete you need to provide an Energy Standard certificate and, if applicable an Architect or Building Control certificate. Or, for us to apply the C-Change energy improvement discount, please send us all invoices for qualifying works.

    The discounts are only applied to our Variable Rate from the date we receive evidence that the work has been completed and, if applicable, the Energy Standard rating required has been achieved.

    How we work out your buy-to-let Variable Mortgage Rate:
    Buy-to-let Variable Rate (VR) minus C-Change discount = Variable Mortgage Rate