Bankers

Tuesday 18th March 2008
Ian got the kids up early this morning in an effort to break them in to school routine and they were not happy chappies, Fraser as usual just got on with it and stuck his head into a bowl of cereal before brushing his teeth and getting changed. Kristian and Marisa were not quite so accommodating and had to have the bed clothes pulled off them before they would even move, they eventually got up and had breakfast but they are such slow eaters we think they will be going to school hungry until it sinks in that they need to get moving in the morning if they want to eat, meanwhile Carolyn enjoyed her Coffee in bed again this morning.
We went shopping again today to pick up the last few things that the kids need for school tomorrow, dropping off Kristian’s Library books on the way (I think we need to start choosing for him as he gets through them quite quickly) followed by a trip to the bank we intend to use for the business.
Banks over here appear to be the same as back home when it comes to red tape. We can’t arrange a meeting with the Business account manager because he only talks to businesses that want to borrow money, we can’t open a business account prior to taking over the business because somebody else is currently running that business, we can’t have a card machine until after we have started trading and then it could take 7 working days after we apply before we got one, we can’t order cheque books until we have started trading.
We pointed out to the young lady that we needed an account because potential suppliers would want references before opening credit agreements, we explained that there own bank was lending us money towards the business and would need for us to have an account in order that they can get their money back, we told her that the Café has a card machine at the moment that customers are used to using and would expect to carry on using, we told her that we needed cheque books so that we could start purchasing things for the business rather than getting things mixed up with our personal account, we pointed out that when we get in there we need to hit the ground running and that meant that everything had to be in place before we take over, not just the banks.
She said we can’t do it until you are the registered owner of the business, but I will try to get you a card machine although I don’t hold out much hope because they have strict rules on what they can do (and the rest of the bank don’t? what planet is this girl on). She took our number and said she would get back to us, so as a parting gesture we pointed out that we currently bank with the same bank as the Café owner, they had also offered us finance (the rate was not as good) and as they know the business would probably be more than able to set up a card machine for us and left it at that.
About an hour later we got a call from the bank saying that we could set up an account, we could arrange for a card machine to be there on the day we take over and we could have a cheque book, all we have to do was give them our Company and Trust details and they will organise it.
Was it blackmail in threatening to go elsewhere or common sense that prevailed, I don’t suppose we shall ever find out.
We then headed home stopping at the supermarket for some bits for the kids packed lunches tomorrow, followed by the accountants to drop off some paperwork and then to the Library to get Kristian some more books, all of this done and we haven’t got in the car once today, at this rate we’ll be able to fill that hole in the ozone layer before long.
When we got home Ian switched on the laptop and found that he could connect to a network but could not get a good signal, however we did see who had sent emails to us even if the signal was not strong enough to download them and one of them was from the Foreign Investment Review Board.
So desperate to know what it said Carolyn sent Ian to the Library again to use their internet and find out what the email said. Ian got to the library and asked about using the internet service and was told he had to register, so he read the rules and signed the form to register, he was then asked when he wanted to use the internet to which he replied, now please (that caught them on the hop). It turns out that you have to book your time slot which is fair enough so Ian took the first slot available which was Computer 4 at 3.30pm, half an hours time, so he went and bought a paper and stood at the library counter reading and hoping to get on one earlier. After a couple of minutes the person on computer 2 finished, came to the desk and said goodbye to the person behind it, Ian is thinking that’s handy, but no, about 10 minutes later some spotty youth walked in and said can I use the internet, to which the person behind the counter replied you can have one computer now but if your friend wants one as well he will have to wait for 40 minutes, so off the youth goes and gets comfortable at his computer that he has not had to wait for. It’s a good job Ian is such a placid sort of chap really because any normal person would probably started ranting and raving about this by now.
Anyway, a couple of minutes later the person on computer 4 finished, came to the counter and said goodbye, this time the other spotty youth who should have been waiting 40 minutes was given the use of the computer and before Ian could say anything the person behind the counter had done a runner, fortunately a very nice lady took their place and after asking if he had booked time on the computer pointed out that the computer in question was about to come free. Ian has vowed that if he ever becomes Mayor he is going to change the rules to take into account the fact that some people may not use up all of their allotted time on the computer. But as we said Ian is not the sort of person to let things like this faze him.
Anyway after about 20 minutes on the computer number 4, not 2 or 3, Ian had received the message that we had been hoping for and forwarded it to everybody that needed to know. We have FIRB approval to buy the house which is great news and removes a great weight from our shoulders and subject to a bank survey of the property tomorrow, should be plain sailing from hear on in.
When Ian got back and told Carolyn and the kids they were all ecstatic which was good to see, after dinner we took the kids to the park in the hope that they would burn off a bit of steam and get a good nights sleep before going to school tomorrow, we’ll let you know tomorrow if it worked or not.