Lake Elmo Bank

Not Impressed

I was looking for a new community bank in my area and decided to try Lake Elmo Bank. I had recently moved to the area and did not yet have a new driver license due to Covid-19 restrictions on in person visits to the DMV. But having opened other accounts online, I figured this wouldn't be too much of an issue. Upon arrival, I entered an empty lobby for a teller to look at me like I was lost. I said I wanted to open an account after which I was told to wait in the lobby area. The banker came out to greet me and brought me to his office. I told him I recently moved and wanted to open a new local account. Again, he looked at me like I was lost or out of place. Soon after he began the account opening process. I don't carry cash and have been able to open accounts with debit cards in the past. He said that they didn't do that there and that I'd need cash. So I had to use their ATM and incur a fee from my current bank and them... For which they did not refund me. Then the issue of my new address came up. I told him the circumstances of the move and DMV/Covid-19 issue. He asked his manager and was told he can't open the account without something showing my new address. I tried to pull an Xcel Energy statement, which didn't work. Then sent him my purchase agreement for the home, which they barely accepted. Again, I have never needed to prove an address at any previous account openings. After about 30min my accounts were opened and I wasn't impressed by the service so far. A few days later I had a paper check to deposit, so I figured I'd use mobile deposit. I made the deposit and received an auto email stating my deposit was not made and that I did not have approval to use mobile deposit. Even though I enrolled and accepted the terms and conditions. I contacted the bank and was told that I need to build up some time/tenure with the institution before using this type of feature. At this point I was irritated. They advertise mobile deposits as a feature of their accounts online. The rep referenced some underwriting guidelines, and as an underwriter myself. I have never heard of underwriting guidelines for mobile deposits, to which I called BS on. At this point I decided the account was more trouble than it was worth and transferred my remaining funds and closed the accounts. There was a mediocre attempt to save my business by rushing through an approval for mobile deposit. However, at that point I had had enough.