Direct Debit Indemnity

tomoroid

I had an avc pension fund in my name only with Standard Life which was funded from a joint account that I held with my wife. I converted the fund to an annuity in March and asked Standard Life to cancel the direct debit at that time as part of this process.
I have separated from my wife and without my knowledge she instructed the bank (Abbey National) to recover 4 months payments to the avc account from Standard Life who are have now asked me for the money back, since they have paid me a lump sum and set up an annuity with Partnership.
Standard Life inform me that my wife can do the same thing again and they will have no choice but to refund the money up to and including the entire investment from the inception of the policy and there is absolutely nothing that I can do about it.

Is this true?
Is there any way to prevent it happening again?
Have Standard Life and Abbey National acted properly?

I have now removed my name from the joint bank account, but I fear my ex can issue an instruction in relation to the now defunct joint account to
claw back more money from the avc account.
I never gave any instruction to Abbey National regarding the direct debit, and it was cancelled only as part of the coversion process to an annuity that was done by Standard Life.

tom oroid

onlypaddy

the direct debit guarantee only applies to payments that have been taken in error. Your wife should not have been able to recall the payments. It sounds as though this joint account is a bit of a liability - [STRIKE]I would call the bank and ask them to freeze all action on the account while you sort this out.[/STRIKE] (sorry, just read you've taken your name off. Standard life should not let any more recalls be made.)

The pension was in your name and the direct debit was not taken in error. Your wife has stolen the money.

Mark_In_Hampshire

The bank are not concerned with the reason for a direct debit reveral. They don't need to know why you want a debit reversed. The information they have given you is correct - your ex can indeed do this again (if she is short of money one month perhaps) with any of the direct debits you have.

You will need to get the AVC funded from an account in your name only.