Making a change to your business accounts
You can make multiple changes to your business accounts using a single form.
Check the full list of changes you can make and how the form works.
Help with using this form
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As you complete each section of the form, you’ll return to Your Progress. On this page, you can check what you’ve got left to do and jump to different parts of the form.
If you can’t progress, it means there are still tasks to complete. So you’ll need to select an outstanding task from the task list. For example, ‘Add person 1’.
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You can save your progress at any time and come back to the form when you’re ready. To do this, select ‘Exit’. We’ll then email you a link so you can return to where you were.
You’ll then have 60 days to submit the form, otherwise you’ll need to start it again.
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Who can approve
Your approvers are the people listed as signatories on your mandate. The number of approvers you need is also on your mandate. If you don’t have a copy of this, try asking someone in your business. Otherwise you can contact us.
Your approvers must be able to:
- receive an email and SMS to a UK mobile number
- approve your changes within 60 days.
How approvals work
Once you’ve submitted the form, we’ll email your approvers a link to review your changes. They can either approve or reject them.
If they reject, we’ll email to you let you know.
Please talk to them directly about their reason for rejecting it. Once you’ve understood what needs updating, you can unlock the form, make your changes and submit again for approval.
Once we’ve received all approvals, we’ll send you a reference number and start working on your changes.
If your approvers aren’t available
You may be in a situation where the people on your mandate can’t approve your changes. For example, if a signatory has left the business but is still on your mandate.
In this case, you’ll need to complete a board resolution and upload it in the form.
What if I have multiple mandates across a group?
If your organisation has multiple mandates and you’re not sure which approvers you need to add, check with any colleagues who might know. Otherwise you can get in touch with your Relationship or Business Manager.
What if my approver can’t approve online?
To use this form, all approvers must be able to review and approve your changes online. If any of them can’t do this, you’ll need to fill in a paper form.
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In the About You section, enter your own details – even if you’re completing the form for someone else. You’ll be the one we update about the request as it progresses.
Change of personal details
You can’t use this form to change anyone’s personal details, including your own.
How to change your personal details.
What if the person I’m adding doesn’t have an email address or UK mobile number?
To add someone to your accounts using this form, they must have an email address and a UK mobile number. This is so we can send them what they need to log on and upload their signature.
If they don’t have both an email address and UK mobile number, contact us and we’ll help you.
Why do I need to enter an address history?
We need 3 years of address history to add a new person to your accounts. This is so we can confirm their identity and help protect your business from fraud.
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When we ask for your business account number and sort code.
Enter the account you want the changes to apply to. You then have the option to make the changes across all your accounts, or to add other specific accounts.
Will the changes apply to my business accounts with other Lloyds Banking Group brands?
If your business banks with other Lloyds Banking Group brands, you’ll need to use a separate form for each bank.
Do I need to complete a form for each entity?
Yes, you’ll need to complete a form for each entity that operates under the business.
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To find out the addresses we have for you, log in to Business Internet Banking. From here, you can also update your addresses. If this is the only change you want to make, you don’t need to use this form.
If you don’t have Business Internet Banking, contact us.
When you change your business, mailing or registered address, this change will apply to:
- business current and savings accounts
- business loans
- business credit and charge cards
- Business Invoice Finance
- all online services for Bank of Scotland Business Banking.
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You can only add people to our online banking services if your business is already registered with the service.
If it’s not, you’ll need to register first then add someone to the service later. Register for Business Internet Banking.
To register for Commercial Banking Online, get in touch with your Relationship or Business Manager.
Business Internet Banking
There are three access levels available on Business Internet Banking: Full Access, Delegate and View Only.
You can find out what each type of User can do here.
Commercial Banking Online
You can only add Commercial Banking Online administrators in this form. Administrators have special access that allows them to manage other users and control their permissions.
To add non-admin users, an existing administrator will need to log on to Commercial Banking Online and do it there.
Finding your Commercial Banking Online client details
To find your client name and ID, log on to Commercial Banking Online. Then go to ‘Administration’ and select ‘Client summary’.
Finding a username
Your username is what you use to log on to Commercial Banking Online.
To find the usernames of other people, log on to Commercial Banking Online and select Administration. You’ll see a list of users and their usernames. You can search this list by name.
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- This is about general access to your accounts. For information about online banking access levels, go to Online banking services.
There are three levels of access you can give someone when you add them to your business accounts:
1. Full Power signatory
A Full-Power signatory is on your bank mandate, and can:
- contact us about your business accounts
- make payments from your business accounts
- open and close accounts for the business
- apply for new products and services, including loans and overdrafts.
2. Limited-Power signatory
A Limited-Power signatory is on your bank mandate, and can:
- contact us about your business accounts
- make payments from your business accounts.
3. Non-signatory
A non-signatory could be a helpful Owner, Partner, Director, Trustee or other controlling official of the organisation.
By law, you must tell us about any Beneficial Owners in your organisation. This is the case even if you do not need them to be a signatory on your account.
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You can add someone to your existing business credit or charge card accounts. But keep in mind, the combined limit of all your cards cannot exceed the credit or charge limit of the business.
If you need to increase your business limit or set up a new credit or charge card account, you’ll need to contact our lending team.
What is my business limit?
Your business limit is the agreed maximum credit limit your business can have on a credit or charge card.
If you’re not sure what your business limit is, you can find this on your credit or charge card statement . Or you can check by logging on to Business Internet Banking.
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Your signing instructions tell us how you want to approve tasks that are outside of online banking, Telephone Banking and card payments. These instructions could be approval from:
- one signatory
- two signatories
- all signatories on your mandate.
You can set different instructions for two different types of task:
Payment tasks
These relate to:
- in-branch payments
- in-branch withdrawals
- cheques.
You can also add three bands for payment approvals, which we call payment levels. This lets you set different instructions for different amounts.
For online payments, our online banking services let you assign separate payment controls.
Non-payment tasks
These relate to:
- opening and closing accounts
- applying for new products
- changes to your bank mandate and people on your account.
How can I find out my current signing instructions?
You’ll find your signing instructions on your mandate. If you don’t have a copy of this, try asking someone in your business. Otherwise you can contact us.
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The form lets you completely remove a person from your accounts. This includes all products and services they have access to.
If you’re looking to cancel just one thing for someone, such as a credit card, go to ‘Make changes for people already on your business account’.
Removing a Commercial Banking Online administrator
If the person you’re removing is the only administrator on Commercial Banking Online, make sure you make someone else an administrator at the same time. This could be a change to someone already on your accounts, or a new person.
Removing a Business Representative from a credit or charge card
If you’re removing a Business Representative from a business or charge card, you’ll be asked to provide another representative in their place.
Removing a Beneficial Owner with more than 25%
If you’re removing a Beneficial Owner who owns more than 25%, they must remain on the account as a non-signatory.
Troubleshooting
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If you’re having issues uploading a file, you can:
- try again later – it may be an issue on our side
- log off, then use the link we’ve sent you to access the form again
- try using a different browser or a private browsing window. You’ll find the private browsing option in your browser’s menu.
Alternatively, please complete the mandate variation form.
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When you submitted the form, the person, or people, you asked to be given access to your accounts will have received an email to confirm their details. Check that they’ve done this.
You can’t see if they’ve completed this in the form itself.
When all approvers and the new people have confirmed, we’ll receive the case. The applicant will receive an email with a reference number to confirm we’ve got it.
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You can add or remove approvers to the form. To do so:
- Go to Your Progress
- Click, or tap, on the name of any approver.
- Then either amend any existing details or add another approver.
To remove approvers:
- Click on the x next to their name on Your Progress.
- You can’t remove all approvers. To amend the only approver, follow the steps above.
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We only email you a reference number once we’ve received all the approvals.
You can check the approvals yourself. Use the link we sent you by email after you submitted the form. This will take you to Your Progress, where you’ll see who has approved or rejected the changes, and who you’re still waiting for.
If your changes have been fully approved, check your spam folder for the email. If you still need help, contact us.
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You’re the applicant
If you’ve saved your progress but haven’t received your email with a link to return to the form, check your spam folder. The sender is noreply@bankofscotland.co.uk.
If one of your approvers hasn’t received a link to review, make sure you’ve added the right email address. To check, use the link we sent you when you submitted the form. Contact us straight away if the approver’s email address is wrong.
If you still need help, contact us.
You’re an approver
If you’re expecting an email with a link to review some changes, and you haven’t received it:
Check your spam folder. The sender is noreply@bankofscotland.co.uk.
Contact the applicant to check they’ve added the right email address.
If you still need help, contact us.
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This could be because:
- the applicant may have entered your mobile number incorrectly. They’ll need to unlock the form and check your number is correct
- you've used the link or refreshed the form’s start page too many times. That means the applicant needs to make the change request again.
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If you don’t think you should be approving the changes you’ve been asked to review, get in touch with the applicant. Their name is in the email we sent you.
If you don’t recognise the name and this is nothing to do with you, contact our fraud team on 0345 122 7801.
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If you’re not sure about any of the changes you’ve been asked to approve, get in touch with the applicant directly.
Their name is in the email we sent you.
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Refreshing the form will do this. Always save your progress, especially if you don’t expect to complete the form in one go.
To save and come back:
- use the exit button to leave the form – this will save your progress
- we’ll then send you a new link to pick up where you left off.
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If you see an error when trying to log on, you can:
- try again later – it may be an issue on our side
- try using a different browser or a private browsing window. You’ll find the private browsing option in your browser’s menu.
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If you’re making a change request
- Use the exit button to leave the form – this will save your progress
- We’ll then send you a new link to pick up where you left off
- Log on using a desktop instead
If you’re trying to approve a change
- Use the link we've sent you to approve the change on a desktop
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For security, you have 10 minutes to use the SMS passcode. If it expires, just use the link on the log on page to get a new one.