TSB banking dilemma
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diamond_dave
Posts: 812 Forumite
I recently opened an account with TSB for my elderly/sick fil. Everything seemed ok, but he couldnt log on(with my help) and he contacted TSB. He was told that despite have been sent a debit card and an activation code, he had to provide "secondary identification" by visiting the " local" branch. He is 92,( has all his marbles) lives in an upstairs flat and walks with difficulty using equipment, the "local" branch is 15 miles away, and located in a pedestrian area with cobbles and uneven pavements.The cs person says there is NO other way around he not visiting the branch, but the ironic thing is they do not need photo id, just a council tax bill and a state pension letter!! he cannot send them by post nor can I or his daughter take them in for him. Take about Catch 22 he needs an online account as he finds it difficult mobility wise but cannot get one unless he visits the bank.How can this be right? Can anyone offer advice? He recently opened an account with the post office with now problems whatsoever.!!!
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Hi,
If it were me, I would probably ring them up and make an official complaint on the grounds that your father is being discriminated against because of his disability. Service providers must make 'reasonable adjustments' to allow a disabled person to use their services. If they don't do this, they must be able to show that their failure to do so is reasonable. Request that they accept signed scanned copies of the documents by post or electronically.
I work within the voluntary sector, supporting vulnerable people to rebuild their lives.
I love my job
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Does he have any funds in the TSB account? Just wondering if he might be best off opening an account with Starling*, who have a partnership with the post office, or if possible starting a switch from TSB to Starling.
*If he has access to a tablet or smartphone for the app0 -
Take a photo of FiL with him holding a copy of the proofs of ID in one hand, and a copy of todays issue of <newspaper of choice>.
Visit the branch the same day armed with the proofs of ID, and the photo.
If you've got photo id for FiL, take that as well.
They then have no excuse for not accepting the proof of ID, as that gives them:
Proof of name
Proof of address
Proof that he's alive (the photo)
If they refuse after this, ask them "What provision can you make to allow FiL to access your services?"
The answer will probably be "None"
Next question is "Given that the Equality Act 2010 requires reasonable provision to be made to allow disabled people to access services, what provision can you make to allow FiL to access your services?"
The answer will probably be "mumble mumble mumble" or just plain BS.
Your response is "I tell you what, Why don't you take a copy of the information I have given you, have a word with your manager, and come back to me with an answer before the day's out, to save me having to make a formal complaint".0 -
pochisoldi wrote: »Take a photo of FiL with him holding a copy of the proofs of ID in one hand, and a copy of todays issue of <newspaper of choice>.
Visit the branch the same day armed with the proofs of ID, and the photo.
If you've got photo id for FiL, take that as well.
They then have no excuse for not accepting the proof of ID, as that gives them:
Proof of name
Proof of address
Proof that he's alive (the photo)
If they refuse after this, ask them "What provision can you make to allow FiL to access your services?"
The answer will probably be "None"
Next question is "Given that the Equality Act 2010 requires reasonable provision to be made to allow disabled people to access services, what provision can you make to allow FiL to access your services?"
The answer will probably be "mumble mumble mumble" or just plain BS.
Your response is "I tell you what, Why don't you take a copy of the information I have given you, have a word with your manager, and come back to me with an answer before the day's out, to save me having to make a formal complaint".
Or better still, open a bank account with another provider and don't interact with TSB from this point on. They are a bunch of fools.0 -
johnsmith1890 wrote: »Or better still, open a bank account with another provider and don't interact with TSB from this point on. They are a bunch of fools.
"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."
Going to another bank may easily result in the same problem.
The effort expended in getting TSB to play ball will probably be less than that required to start from scratch elsewhere.
Besides, everyone gets a little bit of pleasure when they apply the metaphorical "clue by four" to the head of an idiot. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/clue-by-four0 -
He is 92,( has all his marbles) lives in an upstairs flat and walks with difficulty using equipment, the "local" branch is 15 miles away, and located in a pedestrian area with cobbles and uneven pavements.
Assuming that FIL wants to keep the account and that you can drive, how about organising a day out with FIL?
It is possible to hire a wheelchair for a day.
Get the chair, meet FIL and drive to town.
Take FIL to the branch and present the ID.
Take FIL out to lunch.
Take FIL home.
Return chair to hirer and go home with a warm glow?0 -
Assuming that FIL wants to keep the account and that you can drive, how about organising a day out with FIL?
It is possible to hire a wheelchair for a day.
Get the chair, meet FIL and drive to town.
Take FIL to the branch and present the ID.
Take FIL out to lunch.
Thinking more about this - has the bank really said that he has to visit in person with so-called "secondary identification" but not what might be called "primary identification"? I don't doubt what the OP is saying, but such a requirement is the height of stupidity.
Take FIL home.
Return chair to hirer and go home with a warm glow?
That's some day out! "Hello FiL, how about I take you for a day out to be scrutinised by the bank?" Still, I suppose the lunch might make up for it.
I wonder how the bank idiots will deal with this sort of thing when all the branches have been closed?0 -
On a thread in a parallel forum somewhere in the universe, someone is complaining at this very minute that their elderly parent was conned out of money when someone they trusted set up a new account they (the trusted person) had access to and transferred their life savings into the con-person's account. And the very worst bit of it all is the bank waived the usual requirement for ID to be presented in branch because the con-person misquoted the Equality Act 2010 and had forced the elderly parent to hold up a copy of their ID along with a copy of that day's paper and taken a photo of them as proof they were consenting to the con-person's involvement in their financial affairs.
The bank is a disgrace. :mad:
Obviously that isn't what the OP is doing. But how do the bank staff know that?
Unless pre-arranged with the bank I think that would only increase any concerns the bank staff might have, and perhaps result in a 'welfare' visit from the local police.pochisoldi wrote: »Take a photo of FiL with him holding a copy of the proofs of ID in one hand, and a copy of todays issue of <newspaper of choice>.
They are entitled to ask for ID to be presented on the terms they specify. They don't need an 'excuse' to refuse to accept it in other circumstances.They then have no excuse for not accepting the proof of ID, as that gives them:
The Equality Act 2010 actually imposes a duty to make reasonable "adjustment". It doesn't automatically override other legal requirements such as the AML Regulations.Next question is "Given that the Equality Act 2010 requires reasonable provision to be made to allow disabled people to access services, what provision can you make to allow FiL to access your services?"
The answer will probably be "mumble mumble mumble" or just plain BS.
A bank should have no difficulty in showing that it was un"reasonable" to expect them to waive the usual requirements to present ID at a branch in person to allow the bank to verify that the customer was who they said they were, that the account was being set up for their benefit (only), and that the customer was not being forced or coerced into opening/operating the account.
There is a very good reason for that. (See above)pochisoldi wrote: »Going to another bank may easily result in the same problem.0 -
Assuming what you write is correct and he still wants to use the said account:-
1. Make a formal complaint with the bank. You may need to take it to the Financial Ombudsman.
2. Contact the BBC "Money Box" program with the details. Then wait for the "Money Box Effect" to occur. I am sure he will soon get to use the account.
If he has a mobile phone, he could think of starting a bank account with one of the new challenger banks:-
https://www.finder.com/uk/challenger-banks
https://www.bankingtech.com/2018/05/uk-challenger-banks-whos-who-and-whats-their-tech/0 -
Just wondering why at 92 he suddenly needs these new bank accounst. Couldn't he just continue using his existing banking arrangements and forget about TSB?0
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