Bank will not hand over late mother's money

katebl

We've been in 4 times to ask them to stop sending out statements for my Dad who passed away in August... they had the death certificate twice but they still can't seem to stop them - even worse they are now addressed to my Mum who never had an account with them re XXXXXXXX DECEASED.... very nice! Good luck.

dontknowwhatimdoing

vaio wrote: »

maybe the branch could email or write a letter to HO

I suggested they email their HO - they said they were unable to do that because emails would hold delicate information. I said they would not have to put on any bank details, just my mother's name - but they just said it was impossible.
Barclays need to sort themselves out!

dontknowwhatimdoing

katebl wrote: »

We've been in 4 times to ask them to stop sending out statements for my Dad who passed away in August... they had the death certificate twice but they still can't seem to stop them - even worse they are now addressed to my Mum who never had an account with them re XXXXXXXX DECEASED.... very nice! Good luck.

My mum died last March!
Before she died, we went into Barclays to get them to authorise her POA, which she did 15 years earlier.
It took 3 visits until they were happy with who we were. She died 4 weeks later.
We went in again, this time as executors. It took another 3 visits for them to accept our identities.
When I complained that we had been vetted only 4 weeks earlier, they said that was different - we had POA then, now we were executors.
Barclays are raving mad. I hope they sue me for saying this...then it will hit the papers.

magpiecottage

E-mail the bank and tell them you are the personal legal representative of the deceased and making a regulated complaint. The e-mail addresses are:

Barclays - Customer.relations@barclays.com
HBOS - dawnhoyle@hbosplc.com
HSBC - servicequality@hsbc.com
Lloyds TSB - Customercare-Admin@lloydsTSB.co.uk

NatWest doesn't seem to have one on the FSA website but you can snailmail to:

Customer Relations
Freepost Nat12685
Borehamwood
Hertfordshire
WD6 1BR

Similarly its parent, RBS, can be snailed at:

Customer Relations
Freepost
PO Box 1727
Edinburgh
EH12 9JN

This should prompt intervention from somebody who can sort it for you.

dontknowwhatimdoing

Thank you Magpiecottage - I will do that.
X

chewmylegoff

dontknowwhatimdoing wrote: »

My husband and I are were joint executors for my late mother's estate. I was sole inheritor.
All has been sorted and transferred to me except her Barclays ISA and Bank account.
To help, I even opened an account at Barclays in my own name. (My main bank is Natwest).
I informed Barclays about her death months ago. All paperwork was taken in, we both had interviews to prove who we were and I was told all would be sorted by their Head Office and a cheque sent to me direct. I had to take in a signed letter telling them to close her accounts and transfer funds to my own account.
Barclays are now sitting on this and doing nothing. I have been in to the local branch another 3 times, each time waiting over 1 hour to be seen by an advisor. I have made and received numerous telephone calls to and from this advisor, who has been so helpful but has admitted she cannot get through to her Head Office - they do not answer the phone.
Finally, over 3 weeks ago, she got through and insisted they transfer the funds. They said they would do it immediately.
I have now received a letter from Barclays telling me my deceased mother's money has been put into another account, in her name, which I cannot access, only the named holder can access. Yet they have admitted she is deceased....
I managed to speak to the advisor at the local branch this afternoon, who is now livid. She said her HO had lied to her and she would get her Manager onto it. She checked and told me my mother's funds are still all in her name, all they have done is change the account.
She phoned back this evening to say her manager cannot get through, no one will answer the phone.
Any ideas? We are talking about £10,000 here, nothing too major.

you could try writing to one of the major newspapers that have a money column. the sunday broadsheets all have a page in their money section where the journo basically bullies the bank into sorting readers' complaints out using the implied threat of bad publicity.

long shot that the paper actually selects your letter to do something about but it will only take 5 mins to write.

omen666

dontknowwhatimdoing wrote: »

I am in full agreement except for one thing...I have sat at the advisor's desk whilst she rang through...she was put on hold and 40 mins later, when I left her, she got me to listen..she was still on hold.
My husband was a Natwest manager - he said they had internal calls that were answered immediately.
I told Barclays this and she said they have no internal calling.
Fantastic! It would be funny if it was not so annoying.

Thats umtrue they do have internal dialling I worked at Churchill Place for years

dontknowwhatimdoing

Thank you - it has got to the point where I am happy to do anything (legal) to highlight their incompetence.
Because also, whilst I can show humour, actually wrangling with a bank over my mother's money is upsetting.

dontknowwhatimdoing

omen666 wrote: »

Thats umtrue they do have internal dialling I worked at Churchill Place for years

I think I need to go in and demand to speak to the Manager.

babyshoes

I second the idea of going in with a sleeping bag, and the press. Call your local paper and get them to send a journalist & photographer to document the process.

Alternatively, have you tried your citizens' advice bureau? They could help with any legal issues you might have.