Need some advice on removing name from Santander Acc.

mmal

Hi all,

To cut a long story short, my ex partner and I opened a Joint account approx. 8 years ago, I do not recall why I did this due to the fact I had a excellent credit history and her was really bad.

We are obviously seperated now for 3 years, during those 3 years I have been into the bank several times to fill in the relevant forms and so has she, we have also been in together to fill in the forms.

I have been advised by my Ex. that my name still has not been removed from this account as that is what we have been asking to be done.

I then sent Santander a Letter approx. 2 months ago asking for this to be done asap as we had both followed their rules and regulations.

I received a reply stating that since she is overdrawn this cannot be done and they can find no record whatsoever of us aking for my Name to be removed, this is a blatant lie. I have the problem now that if anything goes wrong then apparently I am also liable for this account. I find that this situation is totally unacceptable.

Is there anything that can be done?

premierfella

Apologies in advance if the following is not what you want to read.

Writing a formal complaint letter providing details of when and to whom the paperwork was given and reiterating your request might get you some modest token compensation.

However, as the account is overdrawn and the bank refuse (now) to remove the name from the account because of this, the implication is that they are not prepared to offer the other party such facilities in their sole name (was the account in credit when the original requests were made?)

You should request that the account be frozen NOW (it is unfortunate that this was not done first whilst they sorted out the joint to sole name issue) so that no further overdraft is run up, but you may have difficulty avoiding joint liability for the existing overdraft if the other party is unable or unwilling to clear it. If you can evidence to the bank that the forms they required were signed and handed in when the account was in credit you would be in a strong position. If you cannot and they continue to claim they were never received, your position now is probably weak and reliant on the complaints department accepting your word and/or accepting the potential loss of the overdraft monies by removing your name from the account now.

joesaunt

I have had this trouble with Lloyds TSB!

My Ex husband and I had a joint account and I sent all the paperwork off, we went into the branch several times etc etc etc to get my name off the account and it didn't happen.

Ex husband went overdrawn, lloyds knew it was his debit card etc that had made the account overdrawn, they had confirmed this several times.

Lloyds also told me after he had gone overdrawn I should have frozen the account when we split up, I didn't know this was possible at the time and and on no occasion had the bank suggested this to me.

Long and the short of it is, Lloyds wouldn't take my name off the account, they denied all knowledge of branch visits (as the woman in the bank hadn't done what she said, they denied her ever speaking to me about it) said they had never recieved any paperwork.

Eventually I have entered into an IVA (another story) but this debt has been added to it and I will be payinghis debt off as the account is in joint names.

Slightly unfair I think, but cannot do anything about it.

I would suggest you get the account frozen as if she goes overdrawn any more you will still be liable for it, unless as other posters have said you can prove you had contact with the bank before it went overdrawn.

Good luck

dunstonh

I received a reply stating that since she is overdrawn this cannot be done and they can find no record whatsoever of us aking for my Name to be removed, this is a blatant lie. I have the problem now that if anything goes wrong then apparently I am also liable for this account. I find that this situation is totally unacceptable.

It is not uncommon for banks to refuse to remove a person from a debt if the other person is not capable or they believe not capable of sustaining that debt.

That is acceptable and no amount of complaining is going to change that unless the complaints handler chooses to overrule the lending manager (which basically would normally only happen if there has been an obvious wrong lending decision).

Bring the account into credit and then remove the name.

saverjustice

Was the account in debit when you applied to remove your name?

It is easy with hindsight to say you should have closed the account as soon as you knew there were problems with the relationship, or even just avoided a joint account at outset.

Follow premierfella's advice and get the account closed ASAP and by all means make a complaint but in the meantime get rid of the debt for which you are jointly and severally liable if the muck hits the fan.

christella

i opened an account with santander about a year a go nothing but trouble they messed up my direct debits so i changed to HSBC they did all the transfers of D/D transferred all my money from santander been away for a couple of months when i came back found a letter from santander that they had tried to take £5 as my account had not been used went to the branch to complain when i got back home the postman had just been £45 was now the total i owe as they said i was overdrawn