Applying for Classic Account
Whether you're a new or existing Chelsea saver, it's easy to open an account.
Important information
Please read and print the information listed below so that you can proceed with your application. We also need you to tick the box below as confirmation.
- Terms and conditions
- Chelsea standard investment account terms and conditions
- Information for Chelsea savers
- Summary financial statement
How to apply
- Complete all the relevant sections of the downloadable application form below, print it off and sign it. If you are an existing Chelsea saver and want to transfer from an existing Chelsea account, please also complete, print and sign the transfer form.
| Application form (new and existing savers) | Transfer form (existing savers only) |
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These forms are PDFs and may take a few minutes to download. The file size is detailed to give you a guide as to how long it may take on your system. You will need the free Adobe® Reader® software and weblink plugin to view these documents. If you do not have these, you can download them using the button below  Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat Reader are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. |
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- Please return your application to us by post. Just follow the instructions below:
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Chelsea Classic account can only be opened and operated by post sent to our Head Office. This account cannot be opened or operated at a Chelsea branch. |
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* Please ensure that cheques are written clearly and made payable to Chelsea Building Society followed by your name. This will help us to prevent fraud. You should draw a line through unused space on the cheque so unauthorised people cannot add extra numbers or names. If you are transferring from an existing Chelsea account, you won't need a cheque but you will need to provide your passbook (if applicable). |
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- When your account is opened we will send you a special account operating pack, which contains all the necessary documents to operate your account.
Proving your identity
Before you open an account with us, we will ask for proof of your identity. This is no reflection on you - it’s to ensure compliance with the Money Laundering Regulations that apply to every bank and building society. Asking for proof of identity also makes it more difficult for criminals to use stolen identities, helping to prevent financial crime and protecting you from fraud.
Proving your identity is simple and can be done by post or in person at one of our branches. Once we have taken a record of the relevant information we will return any documents to you.
Existing customers may also need to provide us with additional information – we will let you know if this is the case.
Acceptable documents
We’ll need:
- the required item from section A and
- one item from section B and
- one item from section C.
We will need to see these documents for each person opening an account and they must be originals. The same document cannot be used to confirm both your name and address.
Please ensure that your full name, including initials, is on all documents presented.
A |
A completed cheque drawn on your personal current account (sole or joint) for the opening deposit or as part of the opening deposit. We are unable to accept building society cheques as proof of identity+. |
B |
One of the following Government issued documents to confirm your name:
If you can’t provide a document from the above list, the following documents are also acceptable:
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C |
One of the following to confirm your address:
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If you apply to open an account as a trustee, then as well as identifying you (see acceptable documents A,B and C), we will need to know the name of the settlor of the trust (ie the person who provided the funds to set up the trust) and also identify each beneficiary. If the beneficiary is over 16 we will need to see two documents (one from B and one from C).
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Where the beneficiary of the trust is under 16, the following are required for the young beneficiary:
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If you can’t supply one of the items listed, please call us as we may still be able to help. In some circumstances we may be able to accept other documents, or use an electronic verification system to prove your identity.
Charitable assignment
It is a condition of opening an account that new members must agree to assign any future windfall conversion benefits to Chelsea Building Society Charitable Foundation.
‘Windfall conversion benefit’ means a benefit which a person may become entitled to receive as a shareholding member or depositor of Chelsea under the terms of any future transfer of Chelsea's business to a company (ie on a conversion or takeover) but excludes the statutory right to have shares (including any balances on share accounts) converted into deposits with the company to which Chelsea transfers its business.
The requirement to assign any future windfall conversion benefit applies to anyone who opens a share account with Chelsea unless that person is an ‘exempt customer’.
To be an ‘exempt customer’ you must either have been:
- a shareholding member or a borrowing member of Chelsea continuously since 19 March 2000 or
- belong, at the date you apply to open the account, to one of the classes of exempt customers (a list of the customers who are exempt or who are partially exempt is available on request – the reason why some individuals are exempt is to avoid unfairness).
The agreement to assign any windfall conversion benefits lasts for five years (unless you are a partially exempt customer in which case the period will be such shorter period as Chelsea considers appropriate for the particular class of partially exempt customer to which you belong).
Charitable assignment has been introduced to avoid disruption to normal business caused by the action of speculators whose main objective is to receive conversion benefits.
The application form sets out your agreement, unless you are an exempt customer, to transfer to Chelsea's Charitable Foundation your rights to any windfall conversion benefits to which you may become entitled for the required five year period. Your agreement cannot be withdrawn or varied either by you or us.
Chelsea Building Society Charitable Foundation is a registered charity, constituted so that a majority of its trustees are independent of Chelsea Building Society. It provides financial assistance in the form of grants to registered charities.
+If you’re opening a joint account, please ensure both applicants’ names appear on the cheque.
