Santander froze my account

Chick_Fill_A

After a long and bitter divorce, I finally got a lump sum from my house sale. I immediately started to repay the family members I have had to borrow from, then I tried to transfer some money into an ISA. Santander thought this was suspicious so they froze my account. They refuse to give any timescales for unfreezing it. Despite using my fingerprint to unlock their app and passing all security checks over the phone, they want me to go to a branch with ID. I said I can't do that because I live overseas now. 

As part of the divorce, by order of the Courts, I have to pay the ex some money within 14 days but I can't pay anyone anything until they unfreeze my account.

Can I hold Santander liable for court costs, damages to being in contempt of court, interest on credit cards I cannot pay off and dividend and capital growth foregone from investments I can't make?

Does anyone have suggestions for what to do? 

grumbler

AML

I don't think you can do anything unless they keep dragging their heels for many months. The stupid law gives them carte blanch, but if they do this far too long you can complain to FOS (first to Santander itself).

Some recent thread -  Revolut account frozen, one of dozens.

daveyjp

Its not a 'stupid law' based on the facts.

If you are living abroad and its a UK account you have broken the account terms and conditions.

By breaking this term you are open to accounts being frozen and closed.

Ayr_Rage

Having read the Santander Ts and Cs, moving abroad DOES NOT currently preclude you keeping the account, but there are some limits as to what changes you can make, see the website.

You can keep your ISA, but adding further funds is only permitted in the tax year you leave the UK as far as I can see, so please check the HMRC rules on that too.

Trying to subscribe to an ISA when logged in from a foreign IP address may have triggered a warning.

As above, Anti Money Laundering checks are now likely to be being made, therefore you will have to comply with any identity checks Santander may require.

It is highly unlikely you'll be able to make any claim against Santander as they will throw back "AML" and/or "suspicious activity" and your inability to prove your identity in person.

flaneurs_lobster

Chick_Fill_A said:

Despite using my fingerprint to unlock their app and passing all security checks over the phone, they want me to go to a branch with ID. I said I can't do that because I live overseas now. 

.....

Does anyone have suggestions for what to do? 

Don't suppose you are now domiciled in one of the dozen countries that Santander has branches in?

eDicky

daveyjp said

If you are living abroad and its a UK account you have broken the account terms and conditions.

Isn't Santander one of several UK banks that allow retention of accounts when the holder moves to certain countries overseas..?

MattMattMattUK

flaneurs_lobster said:

Chick_Fill_A said:

Despite using my fingerprint to unlock their app and passing all security checks over the phone, they want me to go to a branch with ID. I said I can't do that because I live overseas now. 

.....

Does anyone have suggestions for what to do? 

Don't suppose you are now domiciled in one of the dozen countries that Santander has branches in?

I would be fairly sure that as the different countries operate as different legal entities one probably cannot complete verification for another?

Ayr_Rage

eDicky said:

daveyjp said

If you are living abroad and its a UK account you have broken the account terms and conditions.

Isn't Santander one of several UK banks that allow retention of accounts when the holder moves to certain countries overseas..?

Yes, with certain restrictions, it's all on their website as I posted earlier.

Astria

Chick_Fill_A said:

 they want me to go to a branch with ID. I said I can't do that because I live overseas now. 

Does anyone have suggestions for what to do? 

If you have moved overseas, then surely you told Santander that you were moving overseas so they could mark the account as an overseas account, or are you simply visiting overseas and plan on returning anytime soon?

If it's a UK account and someone is trying to perform lots of payments and transfers from abroad, I can understand why they'd freeze the account for suspicious activity. I'd certain want them to do it if it was my account, regardless of whether or not they passed all the security checks.

born_again

Chick_Fill_A said:

After a long and bitter divorce, I finally got a lump sum from my house sale. I immediately started to repay the family members I have had to borrow from, then I tried to transfer some money into an ISA. Santander thought this was suspicious so they froze my account. They refuse to give any timescales for unfreezing it. Despite using my fingerprint to unlock their app and passing all security checks over the phone, they want me to go to a branch with ID. I said I can't do that because I live overseas now. 

As part of the divorce, by order of the Courts, I have to pay the ex some money within 14 days but I can't pay anyone anything until they unfreeze my account.

Can I hold Santander liable for court costs, damages to being in contempt of court, interest on credit cards I cannot pay off and dividend and capital growth foregone from investments I can't make?

Does anyone have suggestions for what to do? 

>>If you open an Individual Savings Account ( ISA ) in the UK then move abroad, you cannot put money into it after the tax year that you move (unless you're a Crown employee working overseas or their spouse or civil partner). You must tell your ISA provider as soon as you stop being a UK resident.<<

No you can't hold Santander liable for doing exactly what banks are expected to do within the FCA remit. You may yet find that they issue a closure notice if you have not updated all your details.

Sadly perhaps the best option would have to have paid the Ex 1st.

phillw

Chick_Fill_A said:

Does anyone have suggestions for what to do? 

Ask the family members to borrow the money back again, or get on a plane to the UK? (or both?)

When did you move abroad? If it was before last April, then you can't contribute to an ISA anyway. Is it a country that recognizes UK ISA? As many don't and you become liable for income tax in your new country.