HSBC: PoA, 3rd Party mandate, or Joint a/c?

gterr

Hi there,


I have Power of Attorney for my elderly foster mother who lives 400 miles away from me, is housebound and completely deaf. I have not, up to now, had to register the PoA with her bank (HSBC), because she's been able to manage internet banking, read statements and sign cheques. However 'something went wrong' yesterday when she was online and now her account has been suspended (just the internet login, I hope!). She may have fallen foul of their new 'Safeguarding' procedures. Not sure.


For obvious reasons, I can't speak to HSBC on her behalf to get the internet banking unlocked. What's the best way forward? I could arrange a third party mandate fairly easily, but this would only allow me to speak on the phone to HSBC on her behalf, not to do internet banking. I could register the PoA with them, which would (I think) give me internet access. Or she could add me to her account - i.e. convert her sole account to a joint one.


One problem is that I'm 400 miles away. Another is that she's housebound and completely deaf. She's not going to be able to visit her branch in person, or phone them. I think all of the above require at least one of us to visit her branch.


Does anyone else have experience and/or could recommend the best way forwards? Any idea how long it would take to get a PoA registered with HSBC and a new internet banking logon issued?


Is it even time to consider a change of bank? I've seen horror stories about HSBC's Safeguarding programme and I think my foster mother will be unable to provide the information they want.


Thanks for your time.

muzza_miester

Hi. If you type hsbc power of attorney into google and click the first link there is more info about power of attorney. Hope this helps.

muzza_miester

Sorry but for some reason i can't post the link on here.

xylophone

https://financialplanning.hsbc.co.uk/events/power-of-attorney/registering-a-power-of-attorney-with-hsbc

muzza_miester

yep thats the link

kkgree1

I have registered POA with HSBC for my mother-in-law. Found it fairly straight forward - just make an appointment in your local branch to take in the original/certified copy and your ID and they will set it up.

Once they reset her internet account, you will be able to use her details to login and use online banking going forward.

le_loup

Agreed. HSBC are one of the easy banks when it comes to POAs.