Really really need to advice..

bunnylajoya

Hi all,

Just a little back story as I have no idea where we stand...

Am happily engaged to a wonderful man who I met in January last year.. He had recently before meeting me ended a pretty horrific 6 year relationship, that he had been trying to end for some time as he has a child (now nearly 6)with this woman. We went all the right ways about our relationship, we gave it quite a few months till we told her and also the mother was involved in every initial step with my relationship with the daughter etc and since we've been living together and sharing time with his daughter it has been going quite well. The only thing is she has strangely almost 'refused' to help us get my partners name of their old joint account (which she uses as her current account.) Now.. Barclays are FULLY aware of the situation with this and have really tried to help us (we've tried everything, even making up letters so all the ex had to do was sign.. Turns out her signature wasn't even on the account so we couldn't do it this way!) from our last conversations with Barclays she STILL hasn't been to the bank to put her signature on the account, they have told us our only option is for my partner to close the account... But we really don't want to do this as for us we'll be back at square one regarding the relationships we've built up. The main problem is she is terrible with money. We've been used to seeing letters come to us about charges (weekly...) but now a bank statement has come today and it appears she's got herself into a lot of trouble with wonga... The bank statement doesn't go as far back as to say how much she has actually borrowed from pay day loans but I'm guessing its pretty serious as only yesterday THREE large payments were sent to them (all nearly 100 each time) and we're at our wits ends. Is there any option we have other than closing the account? Will this affect my partners credit rating? (the bank are fully aware he has absolutely nothing to do with this account anymore.) he has just asked her again to go with him to the bank so he can get his name off but no doubt she won't. We live together now and are getting married so its putting a strain on us, I've refused to get a joint account with my partner until this is sorted (which he completely understands) but what do you think?

About ready to tear my hair out!!

Tixy

There is no real option other than to close the bank account - its unlikely the bank would allow the account to be transferred from him to her anyway - she will need a new account in her own name. In terms of trying to maintain a reasonable relationship with her I would suggest he lets her know he will be doing this.

Is the account overdrawn? obviously if it is he will need to pay off the overdraft before it can be closed.

Does he have any other current account with the same bank?

Does she have her salary or benefits paid in to this account? if so then you might want to time it / give her sufficient notice so that she will have time to arrange to open a new bank account and get her income paid in to that.

Do the statements just come to him? If so then even after closed keep a close eye on any letters from the bank in case any later payday loan payments come out of the closed account.

In terms of his credit file - if items are being bounced or going in to an unauthorised overdraft it will affect his file and likely his ability to get credit.

If she is shown as a financial associate on any of his credit files then this will also likely affect his ability to get credit. If there are no open accounts in joint names he should file a notice of disassociation from her with each of the 3 credit reference agencies.

ValHaller

Partner should write to Barclays and instruct them that all further debits from the account are to be dual signed and that all continuous payment authorities are cancelled. Keep a copy of the letter. Ultimately the account must be paid off to zero balance and cleared. I believe that the sayso of 1 account holder should be sufficient to close it.

No doubt Barclays will create merry hell by refusing to action instructions - you have to dig in for a long fight.

bunnylajoya

Tixy wrote: »

There is no real option other than to close the bank account - its unlikely the bank would allow the account to be transferred from him to her anyway - she will need a new account in her own name. In terms of trying to maintain a reasonable relationship with her I would suggest he lets her know he will be doing this.

Is the account overdrawn? obviously if it is he will need to pay off the overdraft before it can be closed.

Does he have any other current account with the same bank?

Does she have her salary or benefits paid in to this account? if so then you might want to time it / give her sufficient notice so that she will have time to arrange to open a new bank account and get her income paid in to that.

Do the statements just come to him? If so then even after closed keep a close eye on any letters from the bank in case any later payday loan payments come out of the closed account.

In terms of his credit file - if items are being bounced or going in to an unauthorised overdraft it will affect his file and likely his ability to get credit.

If she is shown as a financial associate on any of his credit files then this will also likely affect his ability to get credit. If there are no open accounts in joint names he should file a notice of disassociation from her with each of the 3 credit reference agencies.

Thanks so much for a prompt response! He only has this joint account with her still no other accounts etc. She doesn't have an overdraft but she does have an overdraft limit which she goes over during the month. At the beginning of the month/when she gets benefits and her wages into this account she isn't overdrawn for a few days so maybe wait until then? The statements go to both my partner and to her but she never opens bank statements as I think she's in denial of the situation. The worst part of this is is that with her wages/benefits/child maintenance she gets A LOT of money but all her transactions are to clothes shops. My partner never had any money when he was with her as he now realises foolishly had his wages paid into the account when they were together and she'd rinse it all on cr*p. He has told her so many times that his only option would be to close it and in retaliation she uses the daughter as a weapon. I don't know if its just pure laziness on her part or she see's it as her last bit of control? Who knows!

[Deleted User]

I know hindsight is a wonderful thing, but he should have had her removed from the account, and/or closed the account, as soon as they split up.

Any financial misdemeanours she has committed, using his account, will impact his Credit File.

bunnylajoya

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

I know hindsight is a wonderful thing, but he should have had her removed from the account, and/or closed the account, as soon as they split up.

Any financial misdemeanours she has committed, using his account, will impact his Credit File.

Trust me... I've thought the same!! He was paying her rent a bills for over 3 months after they split as she couldn't be bothered to go and sort out the benefits she was entitled to! He's ultimately worried about his daughter which I understand but she's made a rod for her own back here and I think he has to be cruel to be kind.. Something that's not in his nature at all!

bunnylajoya

Does anyone know any good possibly free websites to check your credit rating? Pretty new to all this as luckily we're pretty savvy and never have ANY money problems (which make it kind of worse!)

Tixy

bunnylajoya wrote: »

He only has this joint account with her still no other accounts etc.

Is it actually a joint account? or is it just in his name? you say her signature is not on the account?

bunnylajoya wrote: »

She doesn't have an overdraft but she does have an overdraft limit which she goes over during the month.

? Not sure if you mean there is or isn't an agreed overdraft on the account? Either way if she is going over a limit, or going overdrawn without an authorised overdraft then it will be reported as such on his credit file.

bunnylajoya wrote: »

He has told her so many times that his only option would be to close it and in retaliation she uses the daughter as a weapon. I don't know if its just pure laziness on her part or she see's it as her last bit of control? Who knows!

Either way he needs it closed ASAP to stop further impact on his credit file.

Realistically if he warns her - and if there is an authorised overdraft limit is she likely to simply go to the bank and withdraw everything up to the overdraft limit - and if so is he in a position to pay this off in one go in order to get the account closed?

bunnylajoya

It was her account initially and he got added to it years ago.. The bank have no idea why or how her signature hasn't been on file for all this time. We've been dealing with one woman at our local branch who is in regular contact with us even to the point of informing my partner they have tried to contact his ex numerous times regarding problems (going over the overdraft limit) and she STILL hasn't been into branch to sort this out. The bank did tell my partner he wouldn't be at risk of bad credit because they are aware of the situation, but I'm not really sure how much truth can be made of that? They have the letters, complaints etc on file so if his credit rating has been affected can he 'appeal' this?

[Deleted User]

Tixy wrote: »

Realistically if he warns her - and if there is an authorised overdraft limit is she likely to simply go to the bank and withdraw everything up to the overdraft limit

I agree.

It know it sounds a bit nasty and underhand (although it isn't), but in his shoes, I'd say nothing to her about closing the account, wait until the account goes into credit, shut the account, and send her any money left in the account, perhaps with a note on the lines of:-

"Please find enclosed, the balance from account No *********".

[Deleted User]

bunnylajoya wrote: »

It was her account initially and he got added to it years ago.

In that case, he should have himself removed from her account.