Nationwide sending letters to dead customer

lottieholder

My husband died 13 years ago and Nationwide were informed at the time. Every year they are still sending letters to him. I have phoned them, written to them, sent copies of his death certificate and have been assured that I will receive no more correspondence. But still the letters arrive. I suspect that the account is still open but with very little in it. I don't have the authority to close it as probate was granted to his daughter and she and I don't speak to one another.

How can I get them to stop?

To add insult to injury they can't even get his name right.

pochisoldi

lottieholder wrote: »

My husband died 13 years ago and Nationwide were informed at the time. Every year they are still sending letters to him. I have phoned them, written to them, sent copies of his death certificate and have been assured that I will receive no more correspondence. But still the letters arrive. I suspect that the account is still open but with very little in it. I don't have the authority to close it as probate was granted to his daughter and she and I don't speak to one another.

How can I get them to stop?

To add insult to injury they can't even get his name right.

Sounds like a Data Protection issue

Write a letter to Nationwide's Data Protection officer
(See https://www.nationwide.co.uk/about/corporate-information/cookies-and-privacy/how-we-use-your-information#xtab:contacting-data-protection-officer)

Keep your letter to no more than 4 paragraphs:

Paragraph 1: Who you are, your situation, what you have done and what Nationwide have failed to do.

"My name is Mrs X, I was married to Mr X for Y years, until his death in nnnn. At that time I notified you of his death. You have continued to send letters addressed to him since that date, and I have provided further evidence of his death so that this can be stopped. You have failed to do this."

Paragraph 2: Specifically how they have broken the data protection principles

"In continuing to send letters addressed to my late husband, not only are you causing me personal distress, but you are failing to adhere to the most fundemental data protection principles - accuracy. Your organisation has failed to update and maintain accurate records, and even after being notified of this by myself, continue to do so"

Paragraph 4: What you want them to do.

"Your failure provides an annual reminder of my loss. I want you to update your records and cease sending letters addressed to my late husband. No later than 31st January 2019, I want to receive a written apology and a confirmation that the unwanted/incorrect correspondance will cease. If, by that date, I do not receive such a confirmation, or any further unwanted/incorrect correspondance is received, I will report this matter to the Information Commissioners Office."

For the record, I had a mexican standoff with another financial organisation who refused to deal with my request unless I emailed them personal information via insecure email (data protection no-no). I found that contacting their Data Protection officer resulted in an immediate escalation, and a fast resolution.

You should also be prepared for Nationwide coming back and saying "You never told us who the personal representatives were"

Hope this helps
PochiSoldi

lottieholder

Thankyou PS.

Re: You should also be prepared for Nationwide coming back and saying "You never told us who the personal representatives were"

By the time I realised that NW weren't going to stop, I'd ceased contacting my step-daughter and since she has moved I no longer know how to. And I'd prefer not to rattle her cage.

Brewer20

Different situation but relative to Nationwide, my daughter became a member of Nationwide after the take over of Derbyshire BS which was a few years ago. My daughter contacted Nationwide to tell them she had moved address (left our home and got married) and supplied them with her new details.
She's only got a minimal amount in the account but we still keep getting her statements and only today a marketing letter from them. It's not a big deal for us or her but it does make you wonder how many accounts are just floating around with small amounts of money in and as it seems for my daughter they haven't even bothered to reply to her letter she sent.

J_B

Halifax failed to change my address despite several requests.
They paid me £100 compensation ..... twice!!!

Robisere

We moved our NW Joint account and ISA's 2 years ago. Everything was correctly done and we have Closed Account confirmation from them, still filed away, including their last statement and Switch details.


Last year we received a NW Savings letter and again this year. What an incompetent bunch this BS is! Generating paperwork to send to customers who are no longer customers.

colsten

Robisere wrote: »

What an incompetent bunch this BS is! Generating paperwork to send to customers who are no longer customers.

It's called Marketing

Keep_pedalling

Might be worth contacting NWs bereavement team on 0800 4643018.

Voyager2002

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

Might be worth contacting NWs bereavement team on 0800 4643018.

Yes.


I had some dealings with them last year and I can confirm that they are extremely efficient, and very sensitive as well.

Thrugelmir

lottieholder wrote: »

I don't have the authority to close it as probate was granted to his daughter and she and I don't speak to one another.

Then write to her. One has to question if she has she fulfilled all her legal obligations as executor of the estate.

IanManc

lottieholder wrote: »

Thankyou PS.

Re: You should also be prepared for Nationwide coming back and saying "You never told us who the personal representatives were"

By the time I realised that NW weren't going to stop, I'd ceased contacting my step-daughter and since she has moved I no longer know how to. And I'd prefer not to rattle her cage.

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Then write to her. One has to question if she has she fulfilled all her legal obligations as executor of the estate.

She doesn't know where the step-daughter is.