I have absolutely HAD IT with Santander!

JP2019

I am a Santander customer who already has my own issues with the bank... But that’s for another thread.

My grandfather has been unwell for quite some time now and is now under hospice care (not from home, he is in an actual hospice) and looking to get his affairs in order, he is completely deaf and has no mobility whatsoever.

He has an old savings account with Santander that has around 110k in it and he asked us to get this account closed and have the funds transferred to his main Lloyds current account - No bother, I contacted Santander who naturally told me that in order to do that he would need to register for online banking and close the account from there - No bother.

We signed him up for online banking only to find that we could not transfer any money out from the savings or close the account, I assumed that maybe you are unable to make a payment from a savings account to another bank so with my grandfathers permission we opened a Current account in online banking with the aim to transfer the funds there and then pay them out. Application made and accepted instantly, account opened... Still could not transfer any money out from the savings so we contacted Santander who told us that their was a dormancy block on the account and he would need to send in his ID and proof of address, so we thought ok no problem let’s do that.

We sent in his ID and proof of address and also his wife’s death certificate (we did not realise he had never done this) and around a week later we got an acknowledgment letter that said they are now making the account a sole account and offer their condolences, but no mention of his ID documents.

Suddenly his online banking was locked for security reasons and that we should contact the help desk so we phoned and was told that sending in the ID wasn’t enough and my grandfather needs to attend a branch in person and do it.

Now this is completely out of the question, he is a dying man, we have tried our very best to make Santander understand the situation, even getting my grandfather to speak on the phone using the relay service (much to his distress) and they won’t budge.

I am at my wits end, they are asking the impossible, how can the fact we sent in his identification, his proof of address, his wife’s death certificate (which they accepted), opened a new current account NOT BE ENOUGH FOR THEM?

We are tearing our hair out a little because it is not a small sum of money and unfortunately it is distressing my grandad big time and right now he really does not need this at the end of his life... I can’t say I blame him, he put that money away in the hope that he would be able to access it at any time.

I guess I am looking for some advice on how we proceed? What do we do? Sent Santander a picture of him hooked up to an IV drip? Will that be proof enough?

Any advice appreciated. Thanks guys 

ranciduk

Sorry I can’t offer any advice but I hope you get this sorted out for him very soon

unfortunately we live in a world where criminals are routinely hacking people’s accounts and stealing their money- so the banks have no choice but to be very very security conscious

that’s a great thing of course - but sometimes, like in your case , maybe they go a little over the top

 

herebeme

Try one of the paper consumer help columnists. This sounds like something Anna Tims at the Observer might pick up on - email at top of page. I can guess the bank is doing this to avoid the risk of an elderly person being scammed (which is good in some respects, just not so helpful for you in this case) https://www.theguardian.com/money/series/yourproblems 

side note, too late now, but getting Lasting Power of Attorney for finances set up is best way to avoid this sort of thing. 

xylophone

I think that you should phone
https://www.santander.co.uk/personal/support/customer-support/how-to-complain
and explain that your grandfather (while compos mentis) is on end of life care in a hospice and that a branch visit is out of the question.

If he is well enough, can a  Zoom call be set up?

eskbanker

If the money is needed for his care then Santander may be able to willing to support a direct debit for hospice fees?  I know there's the whole "but it's HIS money" argument but in the absence of properly formalised arrangements for others to assist him it's going to be difficult to persuade Santander to support access without a branch visit....

colsten

I completely understand why Santander won't just let you withdraw your grandfather's money. Anyone could pose as the next of kin of a terminally ill person. Unfortunately, as you don't appear to have Power Of Attorney, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to get at his money. Your grandfather could try to speak to the Supported Banking team and ask them for advice : https://www.santander.co.uk/personal/support/supported-banking

unkle

If you don't have Power of Attorney or similar they have probably done the right thing I'm afraid.

As suggested try supported banking, if he needs the money for his care almost certainly they will pay this from that account on receipt of an invoice. Sadly as already mentioned Banks are rightly aware of the potential fraud in this arena and are sometimes overly cautious, bit of a no win situation for them.
If he doesn't need the money for his care I'd be inclined to just leave it where it is, can't see any substantial benefit to moving it.

pbartlett

i symathise with you and your grandfather it must be difficult.

however, santander are right. you have no rights over the account, the only person who can do anything is the account holder. Santander should not even speak to you about it - at all.

Unless, of course, you have poa.

Get poa - then you are in business. Or leave it alone.

JP2019

colsten said:

I completely understand why Santander won't just let you withdraw your grandfather's money. Anyone could pose as the next of kin of a terminally ill person. Unfortunately, as you don't appear to have Power Of Attorney, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to get at his money. Your grandfather could try to speak to the Supported Banking team and ask them for advice : https://www.santander.co.uk/personal/support/supported-banking

Read it again. Grandad has spoken with them himself and they are still not budging

pbartlett

they have spoken and requested he go to a branch. obviously he cannot. the funds will thus remain where they are.

colsten

JP2019 said:

colsten said:

I completely understand why Santander won't just let you withdraw your grandfather's money. Anyone could pose as the next of kin of a terminally ill person. Unfortunately, as you don't appear to have Power Of Attorney, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to get at his money. Your grandfather could try to speak to the Supported Banking team and ask them for advice : https://www.santander.co.uk/personal/support/supported-banking

Read it again. Grandad has spoken with them himself and they are still not budging

How can Santander be certain that they spoke to your Grandad? 

Has your Grandad spoken to Supported Banking, or just to normal CS?

What it the urgency for the money - does he need it to pay for his care? If so, as suggested, I am sure Santander would pay it directly to the care home on receipt of an appropriate invoice.