Joint Bank Account to Single...

[Steve]

I've been trying for around two or three years to revert my account to
my name only on break up of my marriage.

Lived in Scotland, Bank of Scotland Account, very happy with it.
Halifax took over, Christ.......

I've asked a dozen times for my ex's name to be removed, been given a
dozen different stories. you can't do it, you can do it, open a new
account forget the old one, go to branch, go to Manchester......

Now I want to keep this account, been with them around 10 years and
apart from glitches since Halifax took over its been fine compared to
other accounts I've had.

I've moved home to England, lost touch with ex who's moved God knows
where. I did get her to sign an authority to release her name from the
account, sent it off to Halifax (my original Scottish Bank of Scotland)
as per the latest set of branch instructions and now they've sent me
the exact same form, no mention of the filled in one I sent, along with
a letter asking me to:

1. Fill in the same form again with the ex's sig

2. Produce id for the ex, ie passport or driving licence

3. Return of chequebook, cards etc...

I'm getting a bit fed up with this, especially part 3 where I know they
are still sending her chequebook/cards etc to our old Scottish address
still, my say-so not being enough to change that and of course, the ex
is not bothered and why should she be.

I've told them until I'm blue in the face they are knowingly misposting
bank stuff but they don't seem to care.

I can't see me ever getting this account sorted, the ex is living
elsewhere in Scotland and I know or care not where, in the meantime
maybe it's possible I'm committing some sort of offence, and maybe I
have an ideal way to do some money laundering, the very thing these
uber-security things are supoosed to prevent.

Today I'm going to ring the Bank, no doubt I will have forgotten the
six and third digits of my secret password or at least will struggle to
complete the puzzle before the recorded message tells me I'm stupid and
to hurry up, causing me to forget it again....

Ombudsman?

Steve

[somebody]

Post by Steve
I've been trying for around two or three years to revert my account to
my name only on break up of my marriage.
Lived in Scotland, Bank of Scotland Account, very happy with it.
Halifax took over, Christ.......
I've asked a dozen times for my ex's name to be removed, been given a
dozen different stories. you can't do it, you can do it, open a new
account forget the old one, go to branch, go to Manchester......
Now I want to keep this account, been with them around 10 years and
apart from glitches since Halifax took over its been fine compared to
other accounts I've had.
I've moved home to England, lost touch with ex who's moved God knows
where. I did get her to sign an authority to release her name from the
account, sent it off to Halifax (my original Scottish Bank of Scotland)
as per the latest set of branch instructions and now they've sent me
the exact same form, no mention of the filled in one I sent, along with
1. Fill in the same form again with the ex's sig
2. Produce id for the ex, ie passport or driving licence
3. Return of chequebook, cards etc...
I'm getting a bit fed up with this, especially part 3 where I know they
are still sending her chequebook/cards etc to our old Scottish address
still, my say-so not being enough to change that and of course, the ex
is not bothered and why should she be.
I've told them until I'm blue in the face they are knowingly misposting
bank stuff but they don't seem to care.
I can't see me ever getting this account sorted, the ex is living
elsewhere in Scotland and I know or care not where, in the meantime
maybe it's possible I'm committing some sort of offence, and maybe I
have an ideal way to do some money laundering, the very thing these
uber-security things are supoosed to prevent.
Today I'm going to ring the Bank, no doubt I will have forgotten the
six and third digits of my secret password or at least will struggle to
complete the puzzle before the recorded message tells me I'm stupid and
to hurry up, causing me to forget it again....
Ombudsman?
Steve

1: Open a new account (maybe with a different bank if RBS/Halifax so
bad)
2: Transfer your various mandates
3: Write (recorded) to original bank informing them that you no longer
wish to be part of or in anyway responsible for old joint account.
"Please remove me from the account and/or mandate".

It then becomes their problem, not yours.

I appreciate how frustrating this has probably been for you, but life's
too short :-)

Hth
Someone

[John Boyle]

Post by somebody
3: Write (recorded) to original bank informing them that you no longer
wish to be part of or in anyway responsible for old joint account.
"Please remove me from the account and/or mandate".
It then becomes their problem, not yours.

No, the instruction would be ineffective with regard to Joint & Several
liability. What the bank should do is just stop the account completely

Post by somebody
I appreciate how frustrating this has probably been for you, but life's
too short :-)
Hth
Someone

[Nick]

I've been trying for around two or three years to revert my account to my
name only on break up of my marriage.
Lived in Scotland, Bank of Scotland Account, very happy with it. Halifax
took over, Christ.......
I've asked a dozen times for my ex's name to be removed, been given a
dozen different stories. you can't do it, you can do it, open a new
account forget the old one, go to branch, go to Manchester......
Now I want to keep this account, been with them around 10 years and apart
from glitches since Halifax took over its been fine compared to other
accounts I've had.

Is this legally possible?

In fact, see
http://www.bankersonline.com/operations/guru2006/gurus_op060506e.html

"Removing the Name of Joint Owner from an Account
Answer by John Burnett, BOL Guru

Question: Can an account holder remove the name of the other joint owner on
a deposit account (that is held Joint w/right of Survivorship)? If so, what
is the proper way to remove a name from a joint account?

Answer: The preferred method is for the individual to close the joint
account and open a new, individual account. Any other method, assuming that
the other joint owner is still alive, can lead to awkward problems and
challenges later."

Nick

[Steve]

Post by Nick

Post by Steve
Now I want to keep this account, been with them around 10 years and
apart from glitches since Halifax took over its been fine compared to
other accounts I've had.

Is this legally possible?
In fact, see
http://www.bankersonline.com/operations/guru2006/gurus_op060506e.html
"Removing the Name of Joint Owner from an Account
Answer by John Burnett, BOL Guru
Question: Can an account holder remove the name of the other joint
owner on a deposit account (that is held Joint w/right of
Survivorship)? If so, what is the proper way to remove a name from a
joint account?
Answer: The preferred method is for the individual to close the joint
account and open a new, individual account. Any other method, assuming
that the other joint owner is still alive, can lead to awkward problems
and challenges later."

This is one version of events I was given!

I think it's sorted now hopefully, the 'advisor' on the phone gave me
cast iron instructions on how to do it, and if it works, I'm happy. If
not, I'm off!

Steve

[Pedt]

Post by Steve
I can't see me ever getting this account sorted, the ex is living
elsewhere in Scotland and I know or care not where, in the meantime
maybe it's possible I'm committing some sort of offence, and maybe I
have an ideal way to do some money laundering, the very thing these
uber-security things are supoosed to prevent.
Today I'm going to ring the Bank, no doubt I will have forgotten the
six and third digits of my secret password or at least will struggle to
complete the puzzle before the recorded message tells me I'm stupid and
to hurry up, causing me to forget it again....
Ombudsman?

I needed to do the same at HSBC back in 2000. I was told by them that
the only safe way of taking a name off an account was to close the joint
account and open a new one in my own name. I opened the new one then
transferred the balance down to 0.00 with a BACS transfer. They only
asked for one signature when I subsequently closed the old one.

Similarly, I was with my mum when she went into Lloyds TSB to take my
father's name off their joint account after he died last Christmas and
they said she'd have to close the account and start a new one but, in
her case, they transferred the balance to the new account automatically
as they had a copy of the death certificate.

With two banks telling us that closing the account is the only safe way
to take a name off then I'd recommend you open a new account, transfer
the balance down to 0.00 by cheque or BACS then close the old one. If
they mutter about needing both signatures to close your joint account,
refer them to your previous correspondence with your ex's authority to
remove her name and mutter about taking them to the banking ombudsman.

From other experiences with the Shanghai lot, referring them to previous
correspondence and threatening the banking ombudsman concentrates the
banks mind :)

[Bookworm]

Post by Pedt
Similarly, I was with my mum when she went into Lloyds TSB to take my
father's name off their joint account after he died last Christmas and
they said she'd have to close the account and start a new one but, in
her case, they transferred the balance to the new account automatically
as they had a copy of the death certificate.

My experience some 20 years ago was different. My mother & father had a
joint account and mother went to the bank, Lloyds TSB, and told them
father had died and she wanted to draw money out. No way. They said
that, as father had died the account was not now a joint account and
that she could not draw anything without probate.

I for get how it ended up but we were most upset at the banks attitude
at the time.

I have told my wife that, if I die, open a new account in her name,
transfer all the money except £1 and then tell them I have died.

Am I right?

[Eric Jones]

Post by Pedt
Similarly, I was with my mum when she went into Lloyds TSB to take my
father's name off their joint account after he died last Christmas and
they said she'd have to close the account and start a new one but, in
her case, they transferred the balance to the new account automatically
as they had a copy of the death certificate.

My experience some 20 years ago was different. My mother & father had a
joint account and mother went to the bank, Lloyds TSB, and told them
father had died and she wanted to draw money out. No way. They said
that, as father had died the account was not now a joint account and
that she could not draw anything without probate.

I for get how it ended up but we were most upset at the banks attitude
at the time.

I have told my wife that, if I die, open a new account in her name,
transfer all the money except £1 and then tell them I have died.

Am I right?

No the bank in this story was completely in the wrong.
A joint account whereby it is either to sign (as opposed to both to sign)
goes to the survivor on the bank getting proof of death ie death
certificate.
There is/was no need to open a new account as the old one could be run as
before.

[John Boyle]

Post by Eric Jones
No the bank in this story was completely in the wrong.
A joint account whereby it is either to sign (as opposed to both to sign)
goes to the survivor on the bank getting proof of death ie death
certificate.
There is/was no need to open a new account as the old one could be run as
before.

What if the account was debit?

[John Boyle]

Post by Bookworm
My experience some 20 years ago was different. My mother & father had a
joint account and mother went to the bank, Lloyds TSB, and told them
father had died and she wanted to draw money out. No way. They said
that, as father had died the account was not now a joint account and
that she could not draw anything without probate.

Was the account in credit or debit when your Father died?

Post by Bookworm
I for get how it ended up but we were most upset at the banks attitude
at the time.
I have told my wife that, if I die, open a new account in her name,
transfer all the money except £1 and then tell them I have died.
Am I right?

Lloyds action would only have been correct if the net position of all
the joint accounts was debit, even if they were within any agreed
overdraft or loan facility. The current account may have been in credit
but there could have been a joint personal loan for example.

If your parents total joint position with the bank was credit, then
Llloyds were wrong.