Elderly housebound dad can't get to the bank - need some advice

Smithy2

Hi there, I was wondering if anyone had some advice please. My elderly dad is very frail, he is dying of heart disease and has kidney failure. As a result he is now housebound apart from attending hospital, which he is taken to via ambulance. He wants to change his Santander bank account into a joint account with my mum, but when my mum enquired about this she was told that they both need to attend the bank in order to do this, even though she explained the situation with his health. They did have an appointment booked for this week, and my mum was planning on trying to get him there on the bus and she cannot drive and they have no-one else to take them (I live an hour away) However, his health has taken a turn yesterday and he now has to attend hospital on a daily basis until further notice. My mum rang the bank to informed them that they will not be able to make the appointment and explained the situation, she asked if someone could come to the house, and the woman she spoke to said they might be able to, she took my mums number and said she would call her back. After waiting a number of hours she called again, and spoke to a different person, who told my mum that they do not come out to people's houses as they have specialist equipment in store that can verify their identity. I just wanted to know if this really is the case, surely banks have disabled and elderly clients who cannot get to the bank, what do they do? Or do the banks just encourage them to do online banking? Both my parents do not understand online banking, and do not really want to use it, surely there must be some alternative? Thank you in advance for your help

zaax

I think its not going to happen. Why not use the quick switch service to move to a telephone bank like First Direct?

grumbler

I'd try to apply for another joint account online, possibly with the same Santander.

Applying online doesn't mean that it has to be managed online.

suki1964

Nationwide managed to come out in the evenings to sort out mum and dads finances a couple of years back

MARTYM8`

Best way to get the bank to help - bad publicity.

Contact the Mail, Telegraph, local newspaper - because this is ridiculous expecting a terminally ill man to visit a branch to sort out getting his wife on a joint account.

xylophone

Is it possible for you to assist your parents to set up a new joint account with Santander on line and for the sole account to be switched into it?

SuperHan

Could you get a solicitor to come out to you so your father can sign over power of attorney? Then you will be able to manage his affairs on his behalf, and I would guess solicitors are more used to home visits than banks are.

agrinnall

I'd agree with SuperHan that a Financial Lasting Power of Attorney (and perhaps a Welfare one too) would be the best solution, although it may take a few weeks to get it in place. Strictly speaking you don't need a solicitor, the one that I helped my mum do we did without any legal help, but in this circumstance it may speed things up.

https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney/overview

ERICS_MUM

Could you take a day off work and take Dad and Mum to the bank ? It would help them to have you with them at the bank for support.

[Deleted User]

+1 for switching to a bank like First Direct.

Alternatively, call Santander's dedicated "Customer Diversity Support Team" on 0845 972 4724 for advice.

BM29

Smithy2 wrote: »

Hi there, I was wondering if anyone had some advice please. My elderly dad is very frail, he is dying of heart disease and has kidney failure. As a result he is now housebound apart from attending hospital, which he is taken to via ambulance. He wants to change his Santander bank account into a joint account with my mum, but when my mum enquired about this she was told that they both need to attend the bank in order to do this, even though she explained the situation with his health. They did have an appointment booked for this week, and my mum was planning on trying to get him there on the bus and she cannot drive and they have no-one else to take them (I live an hour away) However, his health has taken a turn yesterday and he now has to attend hospital on a daily basis until further notice. My mum rang the bank to informed them that they will not be able to make the appointment and explained the situation, she asked if someone could come to the house, and the woman she spoke to said they might be able to, she took my mums number and said she would call her back. After waiting a number of hours she called again, and spoke to a different person, who told my mum that they do not come out to people's houses as they have specialist equipment in store that can verify their identity. I just wanted to know if this really is the case, surely banks have disabled and elderly clients who cannot get to the bank, what do they do? Or do the banks just encourage them to do online banking? Both my parents do not understand online banking, and do not really want to use it, surely there must be some alternative? Thank you in advance for your help

Hi just in the process of switching to Santander if you want low hassle and good helpful staff DO NOT use this bank. for a start off it is very complicated to use and if you are not computer literate at the earlier level then the online account is no use to you
if you put in the wrong codes by mistake 3 times in a row then you are locked out and it takes 9- 10 working days for them to send you new ones. We are not stopping with this bank.