Registering POA with banks

Vix321

Registered User
Mar 24, 2015
22
0
I've had Lasting Power of Attorney for my mum registered with the Office for Public Guardian since last summer.

Since then, I've been slowly trying to register it with the banks that mum uses so that I can help her with her finances. Unfortunately, the bureaucracy related to getting it registered is driving me mad! Multiple trips to the branch, being required to produce the same documents on multiple occasions and then it being registered incorrectly at the end of it all.

Has anyone else found this? I'm starting to think it's something I'm doing wrong!!

I have already made a formal complaint to one bank and will be doing so with another. That said, it's hard to find the energy to make formal complaints on top of all the caring responsibilities and coping with bureaucracy.
 

joggyb

Registered User
Dec 1, 2014
119
0
I've had Lasting Power of Attorney for my mum registered with the Office for Public Guardian since last summer.

Since then, I've been slowly trying to register it with the banks that mum uses so that I can help her with her finances. Unfortunately, the bureaucracy related to getting it registered is driving me mad! Multiple trips to the branch, being required to produce the same documents on multiple occasions and then it being registered incorrectly at the end of it all.

Has anyone else found this? I'm starting to think it's something I'm doing wrong!!

I have already made a formal complaint to one bank and will be doing so with another. That said, it's hard to find the energy to make formal complaints on top of all the caring responsibilities and coping with bureaucracy.

I had this experience last autumn. Some organisations were pretty good and efficient, but Dad's main bank was absolutely rubbish - it took me 2 months of constant emails, and sending multiple copies of documents, complaining to the CEO, etc, to get everything sorted out.

Sadly, you simply have to be persistent. But it really shouldn't have to be like this.
 

sinkhole

Registered User
Jan 28, 2015
273
0
Yes, in general the approach is very inconsistent from one bank to the next.

They have so much regulation these days it's very difficult to find one person who understands everything, so you end up being passed from one 'specialist' to another which often leads you down a blind alley.

Can you name the banks you're having trouble with?
 

valefan

Registered User
Nov 17, 2014
5
0
I have been trying to register POA with a bank on one of my dad's accounts since July last year. I raised a complaint regarding the poor administration and they were still unable to resolve the matter. I have now raised a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman. All other banks dealt with registering POA promptly.
 

Rageddy Anne

Registered User
Feb 21, 2013
5,984
0
Cotswolds
I was recently told that the banks are much better now and staff should be falling over backwards to assist. If anyone is obstructive there is a code of practice that they should be know about. Apparently..
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,075
0
Bury
"I have been trying to register POA with a bank on one of my dad's accounts since July last year. I raised a complaint regarding the poor administration and they were still unable to resolve the matter. I have now raised a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman."

My response would be to open another account elsewhere, progressively change all DDs and incoming funds to the new account and when I finally obtained access to the original account close it and inform their management of the reason for my action.

Using feet to walk is one of the few things that makes management stop and think!!!
 

sinkhole

Registered User
Jan 28, 2015
273
0
I was recently told that the banks are much better now and staff should be falling over backwards to assist. If anyone is obstructive there is a code of practice that they should be know about. Apparently..

It often boils down to how knowledgeable or helpful a particular member of staff wants to be. There are plenty of people in all sorts of jobs who will fall over backwards to help but there are also still a lot of lazy, unhelpful, obstructive wasters who seem to enjoy saying no whenever possible.

One bank I had to register a LPA with kept me holding on their inbound callcentre for literally 30 minutes before I could speak to a human being and set up a branch appointment. That music-on-hold is now burnt into my brain :eek:

When I went to the branch, a very helpful lady there needed to call someone in department dealing with POAs. I was staggered when she ended up having to make the same selections as me on the automated call system and ended up with the same music-on-hold :)eek:) in order to speak to another member of staff. When she finally got through, the person at the other end wouldn't give her a fax number she needed and so she slammed the phone down on him and had to get it elsewhere!

When the bank staff themselves receive such poor service, I don't think us mere customers are going to find it much better. If you can be added as a third party or joint account holder, it may actually be better than registering your LPA in some circumstances. Just do plenty of research into the pros and cons first.
 

Bree

Registered User
Oct 16, 2013
246
0
I left my bank after 36 years after constantly receiving poor service, the telephone call centre having a 'couldn't care less attitude'. When I told them that after all these years I was changing banks, they weren't at all bothered. The trouble as I see it is that branches are closing, managers being few and far between.
 

Adcat

Registered User
Jun 15, 2014
287
0
London
I had a nightmare with a big bank begining with B and a big one from Spain begining with S. I was hopping mad with both after countless trips. Put in formal complaints. B took three months to respond and gave me £100 compensation and S did the same.
It boils down to a lack of knowledge/education.
Now it's registered its a breeze.
Complain complain complain. I didn't have the energy to put it in writing but both banks phoned me and did appear to be genuinely sorry.
 

Linbrusco

Registered User
Mar 4, 2013
1,694
0
Auckland...... New Zealand
Didn't realise it was so difficult in the UK?

I work for a bank here in New Zealand.
The person that has POA presents the original document or a certified copy by the lawyer to the bank, along with their passport or photo drivers licence, or other recognised photo identification ( you must have photo ID) and proof of your address.
If the POA is only on mental incapacity, they also have to produce medical certificate certified by lawyer that it has been registered.
The bank takes a copy which is electronically imaged and held on file with the account holders records.
Each year the bank will ask you to return with POA documents to sign a declaration that it has not been revoked.

If you have all the documents and ID to hand, it takes all of 10 minutes.
 

nmintueo

Registered User
Jun 28, 2011
844
0
UK
|Oh dear I have just started this process with a few banks and I thought it would be easy|!

Well, it may be. You might encounter problems, or you might not; it's not all doom and gloom.

Generally, we've had good experiences with multiple banks and no very serious problems; sometimes a bit of to-and-fro when someone at the bank has to seek help from someone more experienced - took a bit of patience, but all right in the end.
 
No ID

My big problem is that I don't have any photo ID. I don't have a driving licence. That's not a problem for life in general because I have my disabled bus pass so can get around. Indeed, apart from banks, you wouldn't believe how many organisations will accept a bus pass as photo ID! :eek:

My last passport expired and I didn't renew - who needs a passport when for years they've had to be within a short distance of a relative who's certainly not travelling abroad?

Meanwhile, I want to open some new accounts. In one place, after several visits and three hours of my time wasted, they finally turned to Dad's ID having previously refused to look at it before looking at mine. The manager told me that he couldn't accept it because it was out of date. I caustically pointed out that it had still been in date when I first went in to try to open the account. I walked out.

The problems are ridiculous. "But it's a photocopy!" for a copy certified by a solicitor in black. A page lost of a certified copy by a high street bank. No possibility to make an appointment in another place, which kept sending me away because their scanner was broken, and then finally registered me against only half of his investments there, despite my having taken in the bond certificates and account statements.

It's doing my head in and I've only got through 5 of his financial institutions and I have a whole filing cabinet of the wretched things.

Still at least I'm lucky. Dad's got money. I'm not being funny, but someone with only, say, £30 in the bank may find they need access to their money a lot more than Dad did.

I'm not rich but I've some rainy day money and my credit is good, so when he was in hospital and I needed to install a downstairs shower room, I checked my bank and credit card statements etc. and worked out I was worth at least £20,000 overdraft, albeit at horrendous rates. As it is, on that occasion, he recovered enough to sign a cheque.

So although I'm stressed out with dozens more institutions to approach, it's not the disaster it might be for many people with just one.
 
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Flake

Registered User
Mar 9, 2015
222
0
I registered my Mums POA with B Bank. I already had access to my mums accounts as a signatory and they were quite helpful and the process done quickly. They gave my my own card and pin number. I did find that some staff members were better than others. The Post Office didnt even want to see it as I am already a signatory on the account. Think I may have been lucky.
 

jan.s

Registered User
Sep 20, 2011
7,353
0
72
I registered my husbands POA with local branch a couple of years ago. I made the appointment, but no one bothered to tell me what I needed to take; thankfully I had my driving licence with me.

At first the manager told me, she could only make the changes I was asking for with husband being present and his signature! I went on to explain to her what POA means and how it should work. She then trotted off to find the right forms and came back with more knowledge; I guess she had phoned head office and got the correct information.

I have had no problem since then, although I do admit that I keep all of his accounts with the one bank/building society, mainly because I can access it all online.

Good luck to anyone trying to register POA.
 

Pottingshed50

Registered User
Apr 8, 2012
514
0
I must admit Mum and myself are with B Bank as well and I dont recall any problem whatsoever with registering the EPA with them, nor being able to allow my sister and myself to become signatories, it was all quite straight forward. The only hiccup I had was they insisted Mum had a debit card, well she has no need for a debit card as I deal with all of the money (she is in a Care Home) and in my view it was just another thing to get lost or stolen. So after an ado managed to get all that cancelled.

Do hope you get sorted soon.
 

opaline

Registered User
Nov 13, 2014
182
0
My second cousin is a financial advisor in our local bank and she advised me to have a joint account with Mum as when she dies POA dies too and I would be unable to access any funds. Did this a couple of years ago and have had no problems whatsoever.
 

Kjn

Registered User
Jul 27, 2013
5,833
0
I've been POA for while but as yet havnt needed to use it. Mum mentioned to their bank re dads Isa accounts etc and they just asked for copy of her POA. They have since sent me a letter asking me to pop in and register as I'm on it.
Mum has wondered whether my brothers should be on it too.:confused:
 

Kjn

Registered User
Jul 27, 2013
5,833
0
Oooh wonder if need an account with my parents even if has nothing in it ?
Confusing .
 

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