HELP with bank account of a terminally ill parent

lr1277

About 4 years ago, we tried to do a CASS from RBS to NatWest for a joint account and it failed.  My mum and I went into branch and they still couldn't make the transfer, even though they are in the same group. Can't remember why. Things maybe different now, especially as suggested by other posters.

In terms of death notifications we told the important organisations like the government, banks etc.

Those organisations to which your parents pay money still want their money. Because my parents had joint accounts, they continued to be debited and the service(s) continued to be provided after dad died, even though he was the account holder on almost every service received. When things settled down we told the other organisations and they were fine about transferring ownership to my mum.

Looking on the internet it seems you can open joint current accounts online. Is that a possibility your parents are willing to go through? Then you manually transfer the direct debits and SO's over then they will continue after your father's passing. Having made that suggestion, it is possible smartphone(s) will be required and your parents will have to decide if they are comfortable with using smartphone technology to open and/or run the account.

thegreenone

My husband and I have had single accounts for years with Halifax so we got the Rewards money.  When hubby retired last year, I wanted to change my bank account (which held all the payees etc) to a joint one, should the worst happen.  We were summoned for a meeting (understandable, coersive control etc) and a review of all our banking habits.  No thanks.

We sat down together and opened a new joint account, online, with Halifax and I am transferring all the payees/DDs etc over.  

Is that possible for your Mum and Dad?

Apologies, just read the post above.      Another thought is to get all the utilities etc into joint names.

JJE239

In case anyone is following this thread - I was advised by Lloyds to open a joint account for them online. The chat agent told me I would then be able to move my Dad's account into the joint account. I'm aware you can do this when switching to another account. so I did this, but have now just ended up with 3 accounts - 2 individual and one joint, and they will not let me move everything across (including DDs and SOs) into the joint account. So we are no further forward. They just keep telling me that the only option is for them both to go into the branch - which is not an option for a bed-ridden 92 year old - and therefore I think entirely discriminatory. 

ProbateNewbie

Can you speak to the Banking Ombudsman?

Savvy_Sue

JJE239 said:

In case anyone is following this thread - I was advised by Lloyds to open a joint account for them online. The chat agent told me I would then be able to move my Dad's account into the joint account. I'm aware you can do this when switching to another account. so I did this, but have now just ended up with 3 accounts - 2 individual and one joint, and they will not let me move everything across (including DDs and SOs) into the joint account. So we are no further forward. They just keep telling me that the only option is for them both to go into the branch - which is not an option for a bed-ridden 92 year old - and therefore I think entirely discriminatory. 

Put in a formal complaint, because 

ProbateNewbie said:

Can you speak to the Banking Ombudsman?

You have to exhaust the bank's complaints process before you can go to the Ombudsman. 

Or consider talking to one of the finance columnists in the national press. 

user1977

JJE239 said:

they will not let me move everything across (including DDs and SOs) into the joint account. 

But do you need to? Presumably you/mum can contact the payees to set up replacement DDs for the joint account? Are there actually any SOs? I can see those would be a problem.