Spouse with different Surname

DBR1_2

I'm struggling to find any guidance on this so thought I'd ask there question here. 

I am repeatedly coming across problems trying to discuss orders placed on line by my wife, even those where I have paid (my debit or credit card used).

As to be expected with the large increase in on line ordering there are going to be some that don't go smoothly and need some follow up. 

Here lies the problem, my wife uses her maiden name as she became a Dr before she became a Mrs so when ordering things she uses that name (its what she uses in every day life), When I try to sort out problems with suppliers I get the "we can't talk to you under GDPA". Now I think this is simply people blindly following instructions as clearly I have all the detailed information on any order and I have details of payment (my card details) further I am not requesting information but supplying it.

In short what this means is every time I try to sort an issue I have to have my wife with me, or get her to phone the supplier in advance to give consent for  me to speak to them. A small inconvenience you may say but its becoming regular and quite tiresome particularly if trying to sort something when my wife is not around.

In this day and age, where I presume more and more couples retain their own surnames, what is the position for me and others like me, can I insist suppliers deal with me without the need for my wifes intervention/consent?  

Sandtree

Irrespective of surname if you are not their customer they cannot give personal information to you about your wife unless she explicitly consents. 

davidmcn

DBR1_2 said:

In this day and age, where I presume more and more couples retain their own surnames, what is the position for me and others like me, can I insist suppliers deal with me without the need for my wifes intervention/consent?  

I think you're barking up the wrong tree - they shouldn't be discussing your wife's details with you even she did have your surname. Why can't you both just use your own cards for your own orders?

unforeseen

Even if you and your wife use the same surname then they shouldn't be discussing your wife's dealings with you anyway. 
It is nothing to do with different surnames. 

lincroft1710

Agree with Sandtree, name is immaterial, you are not their customer.

gettingtheresometime

I've been married 31yrs, have the same surname as OH and still suppliers wont speak to me if he orders something using my card

Tigsteroonie

It's not the different surname that's the issue, it's that you are not your wife. If she's placed the order, they can only speak to her - the days of speaking to husbands/wives of the customer are long gone.

Mickey666

I agree with all the comments about the surname being irrelevant.  I've had similar issues over the years even with the same surnames.  Mrs Mickey often manages things in my name and the process usually goes like this:

MrsM to ??? - I'd like to discuss xxxx in my husband's name

??? - I'm sorry. I cannot discuss that without your husband's permission

MrsM to me  - please come and tell this person I have your permission to discuss xxx

Me to ??? - Hello, yes this is MrM, I'm happy for you to discuss xxx with my wife, MrsM

??? to me - OK, thank you, please pass me back to MrsM

Mrs M to ??? - Hello, I'd like to discuss . . . . . .

Some companies, eg insurance, banks etc will keep a record of who has been given permission, so the above process need not be repeated every time.

Mickey666

gettingtheresometime said:

I've been married 31yrs, have the same surname as OH and still suppliers wont speak to me if he orders something using my card

Isn't it against the terms and conditions of the card to allow anyone else to use it?

Why not just get an additional card for the same account but in your husband's name?  We do that for all our credit and debit cards.

Littlestars_2

To solve this problem place orders under your own name. Quite frankly when working in customer service you can not speak to anyone except the person named as the billpayer, and it doesn't matter how many times people would throw a hissy fit, demand managers ect we had to follow data protection. 

Manxman_in_exile

My wife sometimes uses my surname and sometimes uses her maiden name.  When ordering stuff over the internet she usually (but not always) uses my name even though she uses a card in her maiden name.  So far as I know it has never* caused any confusion to anybody else, although it does sometimes confuse me.  (Took me a while to work out why my mum was having stuff delivered to our address - particularly as she'd been dead for 20 years.)

So no - it's got nothing to do with your wife's name.  She simply has to give authorisation for you to act on her behalf whenever she wishes you to do so - whether she has the same name or a different name makes no difference.  (I'm surprised you think it would.  Are retailers telling you that the differing names is the problem?  Who are these stone-age retailers?)

*Nearly caused some problems when she was booking some 'plane tickets.  Had to remind her to use her "passport" name and not mine - for her ticket.