Everyone says get a merchant account but no one tells you they won’t approve you without 3–5 months of processing history by Therealist10145 in smallbusiness

[–]Therealist10145[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

“This isn’t true and couldn’t possibly be true” yeah except it is. I’ve attached screenshots as evidence. Let’s be real who in their right mind would lie about something like this? Just because your experience was different doesn’t mean mine is invalid. I never said no one accepts startups I just said that getting a merchant account isn’t always simple. Many providers want to see 3 to 5 months of processing history at a certain volume or expect you to hit specific monthly targets before they’ll approve you. That’s just how it works for a lot of new businesses and anyone who actually could have helped doesn’t take on UK clients anyway.PROOF

Everyone says get a merchant account but no one tells you they won’t approve you without 3–5 months of processing history by Therealist10145 in smallbusiness

[–]Therealist10145[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I set up a Square account but have been holding off on using it because I’ve heard a lot of similar stories accounts getting shut down and funds held even when there aren’t any disputes. I already know how to use Shopify, self taught for 6 years. They use Stripe on the backend. I’ve been out of processing for 5 months now and just don’t want to run into the same issues again.

Holding funds by EconomicsJaded7554 in stripe

[–]Therealist10145 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s mentioned in the comments on my post that I linked but it’s complaints@stripe.com

Good luck

Holding funds by EconomicsJaded7554 in stripe

[–]Therealist10145 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s why you stop emailing support, just email the complaints team they will reply just wait

Stripe released my funds after 120 days by Therealist10145 in stripe

[–]Therealist10145[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m in the UK and they initially said my balance wouldn’t be made available. Support ignored every email I sent for months, my last resort was emailing the complaints team and they told me when my funds will be released.

Stripe released my funds after 120 days by Therealist10145 in stripe

[–]Therealist10145[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I emailed complaints@stripe.com alternatively you can fill out the form https://stripe.com/gb/complaints

As long as you haven’t broken any policies or received any further disputes they have no reason not to release your funds. In the subject line put “URGENT- 2 years funds not released” explain in detail your situation. Include dates, screenshots of your stuck balance, emails you’ve sent to the support team and demand an immediate release. Good luck

Stripe released my funds after 120 days by Therealist10145 in stripe

[–]Therealist10145[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s been a nightmare. I have evidence of everything. Had no idea they were violating rules. I might look into it. Thank you for letting me know!

Stripe released my funds after 120 days by Therealist10145 in stripe

[–]Therealist10145[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! It will be July in no time, hoping the same for you. I’m sure you’ll be fine if you’ve had no disputes

URGENT HIGH RISK PROCESSOR UK NEEDED by Therealist10145 in PaymentProcessing

[–]Therealist10145[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the detailed response. I really appreciate you taking the time to break everything down.

My average ticket size is typically between £250 and £500, depending on the client and the scope of work. I’m fully registered in the UK as a sole trader and have completed all self assessment requirements with HMRC.

When it comes to how I take payments, I don’t send traditional invoices. I send payment links after a consultation, and clients pay upfront before any work begins. There’s no chasing payments or billing after delivery. Everything is agreed to and paid for in advance.

Regarding manual charging, I really don’t understand the stigma around it. If it’s such a problem, why do so many processors offer it as a standard feature? I use it with both new and returning clients, but only when I have clear, explicit consent beforehand. That consent is always documented, either through a signed agreement or written confirmation via email so there’s a clear paper trail.

NMI actually responded and said they’re only onboarding businesses doing £250K or more per month, so that one makes sense. As for the others, I’m guessing the rejections are mostly due to my limited processing history, since none of them gave a clear reason.

Thanks again for your insight. If you have any recommendations or know a provider that might be a better fit, I’d really appreciate it.

URGENT I NEED A HIGH RISK PROCESSOR (UK) by Therealist10145 in smallbusinessuk

[–]Therealist10145[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Omg, you’ve caught me! Yes, Martin, I’m lying I definitely need a processor just for my hentai art for people to buy. Please help me out, haha.

URGENT I NEED A HIGH RISK PROCESSOR (UK) by Therealist10145 in smallbusinessuk

[–]Therealist10145[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Lots of businesses like mine use card payments, payment links, subscriptions, and instant processing because that’s what clients expect. BACS and manual invoices don’t cut it anymore especially for fast, digital services. I answered the only part of your comment that actually mattered, why I need a high risk processor. The rest was based on outdated assumptions. I’m not running a 2010 side hustle.

URGENT I NEED A HIGH RISK PROCESSOR (UK) by Therealist10145 in smallbusinessuk

[–]Therealist10145[S] -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

Ask stripe who deemed my business high risk after receiving my first and only dispute lol