Change my name back to maiden name but NOT getting divorced....Help me please!

pixie1980

Hi,

Me and my husband got married in August last year. I changed my name at the bank to my husband's but for one reason and another (honeymoon, moving, falling pregnant) I didn't change it anywhere else.

Now I've had a think about it, and talked it through with my hubby obviously, I have decided I would rather keep my maiden name than use his.

As I have not changed it on my passport, driving licence etc I thought it would be easy to swap back. I asked the bank via online banking chat and they said I could change both my name and address (because of the move) when I had photo id. So I waited for my new licence with my current address to come back from dvla. When I went into my bank (natwest) they refused to change my name saying they can only do this with a decree nice. I told them I'm not getting divorced and am still with my husband. They have on the system my maiden name and they let me pay in a check with this on it rather than my husband's surname. I was like "if you can see it's there and I want to go back to it why can't I?" but the man behind the desk was very "computer says no" about it! lol.

I wouldn't give a stuff but some places are a bit weird if you do everything in your actual surname and then pay with a card with a different surname on it. I'm sick of being treated like a thief .

So what the heck can I do to get my name back?

bryanb

Anyone can legally call themself any name they choose. Some like to do it via a deed poll, it is no more legal but some feel it must be because it costs money.

If your bank don't like it, send it to them in writing and tell them to change it, if they still say no, escalate it as a complaint. However it is reasonable for them to be cautious to prevent fraud.

peachyprice

I would try another branch.

pixie1980

Thanks for the replies. I will try a different branch and if that fails I'll try writing in. I know it's to prevent fraud but they already have my marriage certificate on file and can see I'm only going back to a name I had before. If I was trying to commit fraud I'd be changing it to something completely different considering my credit report :-s lol.

pigpen

Natwest are rife with total tools tbh.. They are the most customer unfriendly bank ever. You can use whatever name you like, I would try their telephone banking and just keep going up the ranks until someone changes it..

caeler

I changed my name back before being divorced. My passport was still in maiden name and most places accepted that. I think Halifax and Aviva wouldn't do it but every other place was fine. I had an arguement with Aviva and they simply wouldn't accept that when I took out my policy with them it was in my maiden name so why wouldn't I be able to revert. Stupid internal rules and a lack of understanding.

mountainofdebt

pixie1980 wrote: »

So what the heck can I do to get my name back?

why not simply change your name by deed poll?

moneysaymoneydo

Well done just because you are married does not mean you have to take his name, i always felt it was like a cow being branded especially when invitations come through the post to Mr and Mrs and his initial, pathetic, unless of course you like that "im his" business of course

mountainofdebt

moneysaymoneydo wrote: »

Well done just because you are married does not mean you have to take his name, i always felt it was like a cow being branded especially when invitations come through the post to Mr and Mrs and his initial, pathetic, unless of course you like that "im his" business of course

Oh *(&(*&*&^!

tbh (and no offence to the OP or others who have chosen this course of action) I think its sad in way that there are women out there who think that by taking a man's name when they get married its some how letting the sisters down.

trevorsminted

Oh mountain of debt not all women feel when they walk down the aisle they need to do this, but there are the women who want to be owned by a man, shame i always knew a lady like that was so grateful when she got married changed her name was so pround had 3 kids and then he did one, i still to this day laugh at her private reg for car which is her 'married surname' when she is now divorced he is married again, i think maybe she could sell to 'missus no2' who also changed her name to his name :rotfl:

sweaty_betty

I had a friend who had exactly this situation. She had the same hassle as it sounds like you're having, so it's not personal

In the end, the best way they could deal with it was to remove her name from the joint account (normally it's just a signature or two to do this). Once this is done, they applied for her (original) name to be put on the account - so basically it went from a joint account held by Mr & Mrs Smith, to a single account held by Mr Smith, to a joint account held by Mr Smith and Ms Jones.

That seemed to sort it all out.

I must admit, regardless of your views on name changing, sisterhood, etc. this kind of faff was one reason why I didn't bother at all too:)