Has anyone still had problems with banks even AFTER using a Lasting Power of Attorney?!

[myss]

My brother and I are PoAs for my dad in regards to both LPAs. Fully certified/stamped/sealed/etc. They were done some years ago but it became apparent recently to register the financial one with my dad's banks.

The local branch of one bank where my brother also had an account with but I didn't initially told us wrong information in that, if we followed it, it would have meant going back to the Office of Public Guardian to amend the LPA, costing us further money and time. Thankfully we had a few more brain cells than the bank staff member and asked her to clarify her 'advice' with someone else, and then she confirmed we were right.

There were further moments of 'really?!' with that initial appointment but it didn't end there. As I didn't have an account with the bank, I needed further ID and kept making appointments to complete their registration. Each appointment then had an external problem, i.e. the person I needed to see was not available. Realising that the branch were just the 'middle man' between us and their PoA dept, I then sent all the paperwork to the dept, by recorded delivery, and they lost it! I am in the midst of a complaint with them, and so far they've admitted the local branch's service to us was below standard, and I'm possibly thinking of sending a copy to the Financial Conduct Authority.

The local branch of another bank were great. It was a pretty straightforward appointment. They asked if we wanted online access, and thought why not. After getting letters saying we're now registered at their bank as PoAs, my brother tried to do a transfer from one of this bank's accounts but it did not turn up at its destination. He went into the bank, checked the details of where the money was coming from and going to, and there was no mistake. So it was left with this bank to investigate.
Out of the blue, there was a note left on the online account to my dad stating that they know he has PoAs but only he can do this transfer not the PoAs. If he wants the PoAs to do this, we would need a Court Order!!
I can honestly tell you if was just a simple bank transfer to cover a payment in another account, nothing grand. And so another complaint awaits.

So have you still had issues when you've registered a LPA with the bank of your PWD? Or is it just us that's been unlucky?!?!

 

[Sirena]

That sounds a total shambles, really unacceptable. Just what you don't need when you are stressed enough already.

I haven't had any problems with my mother's bank, setting up the POA all up went fine, they were very helpful and clued up. When I couldn't get online access (probably my own fault rather than theirs) I went back in and they immediately fixed that for me. Since then I've had no problems with making transfers or setting up/cancelling direct debits and standing orders. Whenever I've had to ring the call centre they too have been really helpful. I think you've been really unlucky.

 

[Primrose19]

No problem with mum’s main accounts, possibly as it was where my account was as well, got online access and all fine. Recently been trying to change her address at various other building society and banks but they want POA registered with them first. All have different procedures, all want to make copies of the original, such a waste of paper and time! I haven’t sent the original off yet in case it got lost, mainly been taking it to their branches.

 

[MaNaAk]

My brother and I are PoAs for my dad in regards to both LPAs. Fully certified/stamped/sealed/etc. They were done some years ago but it became apparent recently to register the financial one with my dad's banks.

The local branch of one bank where my brother also had an account with but I didn't initially told us wrong information in that, if we followed it, it would have meant going back to the Office of Public Guardian to amend the LPA, costing us further money and time. Thankfully we had a few more brain cells than the bank staff member and asked her to clarify her 'advice' with someone else, and then she confirmed we were right.

There were further moments of 'really?!' with that initial appointment but it didn't end there. As I didn't have an account with the bank, I needed further ID and kept making appointments to complete their registration. Each appointment then had an external problem, i.e. the person I needed to see was not available. Realising that the branch were just the 'middle man' between us and their PoA dept, I then sent all the paperwork to the dept, by recorded delivery, and they lost it! I am in the midst of a complaint with them, and so far they've admitted the local branch's service to us was below standard, and I'm possibly thinking of sending a copy to the Financial Conduct Authority.

The local branch of another bank were great. It was a pretty straightforward appointment. They asked if we wanted online access, and thought why not. After getting letters saying we're now registered at their bank as PoAs, my brother tried to do a transfer from one of this bank's accounts but it did not turn up at its destination. He went into the bank, checked the details of where the money was coming from and going to, and there was no mistake. So it was left with this bank to investigate.
Out of the blue, there was a note left on the online account to my dad stating that they know he has PoAs but only he can do this transfer not the PoAs. If he wants the PoAs to do this, we would need a Court Order!!
I can honestly tell you if was just a simple bank transfer to cover a payment in another account, nothing grand. And so another complaint awaits.

So have you still had issues when you've registered a LPA with the bank of your PWD? Or is it just us that's been unlucky?!?!

I was required to show my passport at one bank eighteen months after registration. I had no problems with the local branch of this bank so I told the cashier what I thought!

MaNaAk

 

[witts1973]

I'm sorry to hear that you have had all these problems,I went to a larger branch of my bank,you might find people there that have had more experience,the local branch didn't seem to have much knowledge

 

[myss]

Thank you for the replies. With the first bank, considering their PoA dept were that dopey to lose some of the paperwork I sent them securely, I actually had an iota of sympathy for the local branch since that was who they were supposed to turn to for further direction/clarification.

 

[Lynmax]

I had a very good experience with my mums bank, (Santander) which happens to be my bank as well. I looked on their website first to find out what I had to do then made an appointment to see an adviser, taking along all necessary paperwork. I did not need to produce any paperwork, my debit card was sufficient but my brother and sister needed passports or a driving licence. It took over an hour to go through the process and discuss how we could support mum while still leaving her some financial independence. The adviser completed all the forms, copied the LPA and returned it there and then. Within three days, I could access my mums accounts through my on line account although it took a few more days for my siblings to be fully registered. We now all have debit cards and have moved mums money from her current account into a more secure savings account.

All in all, a pain free experience! I guess a lot depends on the bank and the experience of the person you speak to. I do think doing research first helped as we were able to take all the paperwork needed with us and book an appointment. The adviser said that some people just turn up at the counter and expect things to be sorted on the spot but we had privacy in an interview room and as much time as we needed.

 

[Elle3]

I have also had nothing but good experience with registering the LPA with my dad's bank. We did it at his local branch which helped has they know my dad very well and even though I don't bank with them, they knew me, as for the past few years I had been occasionally accompanying my dad to the bank. I still obviously had to produce ID and confirmation of address etc and it did take approx 60 mins.

I already had on-line banking access and a debit card for his account so that just continued (I previously had Third Party Access), however when I wanted to do an on line transfer of a large sum of money from his current account to his saving account I did have to speak to the Department that dealt with Power of Attorney, go through some security questions and then I was given authority to transfer as much as I liked. They even gave me a dedicated telephone number to ring which would go through to their department just in case I ever had any issues using the LPA for financial matters.

The bank have even helped me register my LPA with his private pension company as they have a connection to them.

 

[myss]

guess a lot depends on the bank and the experience of the person you speak to. I do think doing research first helped as we were able to take all the paperwork needed with us and book an appointment. The adviser said that some people just turn up at the counter and expect things to be sorted on the spot but we had privacy in an interview room and as much time as we needed.

I think you're right there - I did all my research, I was the one who did the forms for the LPAs in the first place. But as said the staff member of the first bank we saw had no idea about LPAs and it didn't help the department losing the paperwork! I'm glad you had a better experience.

 

[Baz22]

My brother and I are PoAs for my dad in regards to both LPAs. Fully certified/stamped/sealed/etc. They were done some years ago but it became apparent recently to register the financial one with my dad's banks.

The local branch of one bank where my brother also had an account with but I didn't initially told us wrong information in that, if we followed it, it would have meant going back to the Office of Public Guardian to amend the LPA, costing us further money and time. Thankfully we had a few more brain cells than the bank staff member and asked her to clarify her 'advice' with someone else, and then she confirmed we were right.

There were further moments of 'really?!' with that initial appointment but it didn't end there. As I didn't have an account with the bank, I needed further ID and kept making appointments to complete their registration. Each appointment then had an external problem, i.e. the person I needed to see was not available. Realising that the branch were just the 'middle man' between us and their PoA dept, I then sent all the paperwork to the dept, by recorded delivery, and they lost it! I am in the midst of a complaint with them, and so far they've admitted the local branch's service to us was below standard, and I'm possibly thinking of sending a copy to the Financial Conduct Authority.

The local branch of another bank were great. It was a pretty straightforward appointment. They asked if we wanted online access, and thought why not. After getting letters saying we're now registered at their bank as PoAs, my brother tried to do a transfer from one of this bank's accounts but it did not turn up at its destination. He went into the bank, checked the details of where the money was coming from and going to, and there was no mistake. So it was left with this bank to investigate.
Out of the blue, there was a note left on the online account to my dad stating that they know he has PoAs but only he can do this transfer not the PoAs. If he wants the PoAs to do this, we would need a Court Order!!
I can honestly tell you if was just a simple bank transfer to cover a payment in another account, nothing grand. And so another complaint awaits.

So have you still had issues when you've registered a LPA with the bank of your PWD? Or is it just us that's been unlucky?!?!

Interesting to read about your experience. I had to deal with two banks and had no problem with either. One was done on the day and the other took me a week. I have on-line access and have been managing the accounts for over a year. No problem either with DWP where I took the LPA down to the local job centre and they photocopied it. All sorted, again, within a week. So much depends on getting the right person at the bank.