Acting as power of attorney for UK resident from overseas

Andrew711

We are resident outside the United Kingdom. My wife has lasting power of attorney for her mother and with her permission, we are "triggering" the PoA. Two banks of which my mother-in-law is a customer, have so far refused to provide online access to her accounts as "they do not permit access from overseas".

First, if my mother-in-law were on holiday with us, I'm sure she could access her bank account from our home; second, I can access our UK bank account from our home; third, I'm sure we are not the only non-UK residents acting as agents for a UK resident.

Does anyone have advice on how to approach this issue and insist on the banks' co-operation? This is particularly annoying given that one of the banks (a major High Street bank) has failed to respond to two specific customer service requests to my mother-in-law in the last 6 months.

Thanks

buddy9

Some banks do not allow online access for UK residents with a POA.

Andrew711

buddy9 said:

Some banks do not allow online access for UK residents with a POA.

And that's OK? Any suggestions? It is going to be difficult to move her bank accounts any time soon, and difficult to coach her through using a different bank at this stage.

user1977

If you've already found more than one reason to ditch her current bank then I would be inclined to find another one with more flexible policies. Have you pursued their complaints process about the issues so far?

Andrew711

user1977 said:

If you've already found more than one reason to ditch her current bank then I would be inclined to find another one with more flexible policies. Have you pursued their complaints process about the issues so far?

Yes, they are just completely unresponsive and the staff in the local branch are clueless.

elsien

It may help if you identify the banks as other people might have different experiences with those banks and can offer suggestions.

BooJewels

It's not necessarily any easier if you're actually in the UK. 

I'm Attorney for my elderly, hospitalised aunt at the moment and Barclays have been tedious beyond words to deal with - it's been that way for about 18 months since I started the process.  I rang a few days ago to query why something hadn't been done that I'd requested twice and the woman who was clearly working from home was so distracted by her mewling baby that she managed to change some setting and has now locked me out of the account.  Someone else was able to figure out what she'd done and reversed it, but I now can't get access to the account until all new details come in the post.  I keep getting emails and phone messages telling me that I can sort it out in the app - but Attorneys aren't allowed to use the app.  The only thing that works is the debit card, so I'm having to use that to pay everything I need to.  But that's also slightly problematic in that my name appears as "Mrs X X Bloggs POA".   I then get things addressed to Mrs Poa - or told that my name doesn't match!

I've said many times that having an LPA in place allows you to do things - but it certainly doesn't make it easy - not helped by staff themselves often not knowing much about it to start with.  When I did the same with my Dad and he was with Santander, they were fabulous - both as an Attorney and later as an Executor.  They took about the same amount of hours to sort things out as Barclays have taken weeks.

Keep_pedalling

BooJewels said:

It's not necessarily any easier if you're actually in the UK. 

I'm Attorney for my elderly, hospitalised aunt at the moment and Barclays have been tedious beyond words to deal with - it's been that way for about 18 months since I started the process.  I rang a few days ago to query why something hadn't been done that I'd requested twice and the woman who was clearly working from home was so distracted by her mewling baby that she managed to change some setting and has now locked me out of the account.  Someone else was able to figure out what she'd done and reversed it, but I now can't get access to the account until all new details come in the post.  I keep getting emails and phone messages telling me that I can sort it out in the app - but Attorneys aren't allowed to use the app.  The only thing that works is the debit card, so I'm having to use that to pay everything I need to.  But that's also slightly problematic in that my name appears as "Mrs X X Bloggs POA".   I then get things addressed to Mrs Poa - or told that my name doesn't match!

I've said many times that having an LPA in place allows you to do things - but it certainly doesn't make it easy - not helped by staff themselves often not knowing much about it to start with.  When I did the same with my Dad and he was with Santander, they were fabulous - both as an Attorney and later as an Executor.  They took about the same amount of hours to sort things out as Barclays have taken weeks.

Interesting my mum banked with Barclay’s when I was her attorney and I had zero problems. We did however initially go into a branch when we first set it up so I could have a card on her account, and I also went into my local branch to arrange for me to have sole access after she went into care. On both occasions it was by appointment rather than just turning up.

I did not use the app but did have full internet access to her accounts.

BooJewels

My problems started with the initial appointment - it was changed by them twice, delaying over 7 weeks, then they made us wait over an hour to see the girl, who had clearly got one on her that day and she just didn't like any of the orgy of proof of address documents etc., I had with me - she read every letter in full (variously from HMRC, DWP etc) and found something in the content of each one to cause her to reject it - rejecting one because it was addressed to 'Mrs XX Bloggs' who 'might be my sister-in-law who lives with me' - one was rejected because it was a day older than 3 months - which it wouldn't have been if she hadn't changed the appointment twice.  Absolutely nothing with them has gone smoothly since.   So it took around 12 weeks just to register the LPA with them.

I did have access to their web banking (until locked out last week) but can't set up transfers etc - in fact all I can do is look at the balance and download statements.  I ordered one of their PIN Sentry machines which would enable setting up payees apparently, but having done that twice through the web form (which was acknowledged each time), none have arrived - hence my need to ring.  She advised that none had been ordered, so I'd clearly done it wrong.  They've made me look a right chump with the Donor and other Attorney.

Andrew711

elsien said:

It may help if you identify the banks as other people might have different experiences with those banks and can offer suggestions.

My issues are with NatWest and Skipton Building Society. In my view, NatWest has removed staff from branches but failed to replace them with adequate online / phone support and Skipton only employ people who can respond with the scripted answer and not actually try to help with a specific question.... 

Keep_pedalling

BooJewels said:

My problems started with the initial appointment - it was changed by them twice, delaying over 7 weeks, then they made us wait over an hour to see the girl, who had clearly got one on her that day and she just didn't like any of the orgy of proof of address documents etc., I had with me - she read every letter in full (variously from HMRC, DWP etc) and found something in the content of each one to cause her to reject it - rejecting one because it was addressed to 'Mrs XX Bloggs' who 'might be my sister-in-law who lives with me' - one was rejected because it was a day older than 3 months - which it wouldn't have been if she hadn't changed the appointment twice.  Absolutely nothing with them has gone smoothly since.   So it took around 12 weeks just to register the LPA with them.

I did have access to their web banking (until locked out last week) but can't set up transfers etc - in fact all I can do is look at the balance and download statements.  I ordered one of their PIN Sentry machines which would enable setting up payees apparently, but having done that twice through the web form (which was acknowledged each time), none have arrived - hence my need to ring.  She advised that none had been ordered, so I'd clearly done it wrong.  They've made me look a right chump with the Donor and other Attorney.

Try using a card reader from your own bank, they are interchangeable.