Mrs OFSO is having to deal with the financial affairs of a relative, Mrs X.

Goes into Mrs X's bank, "no, no possibility of accessing the Mrs X's account. However" (continues the nerd behind the counter) "you could open a new account in her name and put yourself down as secondary account holder, then we'll trransfer the funds over to the new account. I'll get the papers"......"OK, Mrs X's name goes here, your name goes there, and you sign the papers with Mrs X's christian and surname here. "

No "pp" or "authorised to sign for", but a bank-nerd-approved falsification of the main account holder's signature.

Shouldn't complain, it saved lots of time.....but slightly below the standards of security one would expect from the Bank.

Barclay's presumeably?

It happened in England? How unusual, it sounds like the pragmatic solution.

I get the feeling this guy was in a strictly lose/lose situation. Had he been less helpful this thread would probably be about an obnoxious, unhelpful jobsworth. Even so, he's still been classified as a "nerd".

Yes indeed, I'm afraid that even in Catalan el nerdo means the nerd. Mind you though, time was when being called a nerd implied knowledge and brilliance.
Remember when being a boffin was rather a term of respect? What the Mighty Mekon did for eggheads the state education system has done for free thought and the achievement of individual excellence.

Seems to have had some sort of powers to know Mrs X is a Christian, unless the banks ask such questions on opening accounts these days?:p

BB

education system has done for free thought and the achievement of individual excellence

As with Golf Minor: she attended state primary and comprehensive schools. Bit idle, but a bag of GCSEs, 2 A level and a degree in Physics from Liverpool. Been earning over £40k since she left uni in '07, now at £55k. She's a good average in my view. (Academically, otherwise a perfect 10- she is my daughter, after all.)

I have no complaints about the standards of state education such as I encounter them. The vast majority of parents agree that standards are falling in state schools. The vast majority of those same parents don't think THEIR child's school is in that bracket!

Sorry for the drift- rant off.

CG

she attended state primary and comprehensive schools. Bit idle, but a bag of GCSEs, 2 A level and a degree in Physics from Liverpool. Been earning over £40k since she left uni in '07, now at £55k. Ah yes, but just think where she might be if she'd done Cheltenham Ladies College and Oxford. ;)

'er Dad knows 'is playce, Mr Sheep. (And his daughter! She would NEVER have worked that hard for something without shoes and fake tan at the end of it!)

CG

so, what bank was it? and how do I get a list of their customers?

(tongue in cheek, obviously)

There's something nasty (to paraphrase the late great Ray Bradbury) at the Ecuadoran embassy in London that might help.

so, what bank was it?

I think it's the one which just paid millions in bonus & pension top-ups to the CEO.......oh, hang on, that's all of them.......

so, what bank was it? At least they gave you a work-around. Many banks, especially in the era of 1939-1945, would have simply considered such accounts to be "closed", all positive credit balances going into their own coffers, and disappearing forever.

Swiss banker: "Yes madame, I hear you correctly, you're enquiring about the account of M. XXX, previously resident in Poland (could be France) though. You say he's dead? Please send us a copy of the death certificate. You said he was cremated, in which case the crematorium should be able to supply the necessary certificate. May I inquire from where you're calling please? Ahhhh so, you're calling from the town of Austwitch. Please be assured that you will have our response within the next few days. Auf Wiedersehen...

Relative not dead, just incapable of managing own affairs. Rather like the investment departments of most UK banks, come to think of it !

In the UK you should be able to operate such an account if granted Power of Attorney by the account holder.

Do you know how long it takes to be granted a Lasting Power of Attorney ? Three months minimum. Five is more like it counting how long it takes the certificate provider(s) to get their backsides in gear if they work for the NHS. And do not even mention the costs.....

Three months minimum.

Having recently done it on behalf of my late mother the costs were not particularly high at £130 for each of the LPAs (Health and Welfare/Property and Financial Affairs) and registration takes six weeks from presentation of the application forms to register the LPA.

Assumming relative in UK then
CIFAS - ID Protection (http://www.cifas.org.uk/pr)

Gets a flag for additional checks in event of someone gaining their paperwork and attempting to use to take out credit. Spoke to a friend tonight and she has done for her mum who she think is early Alzheimers.

Rules must have changed since I took over the affairs of my MiL.
Enduring Power of Attorney form signed and witnessed and accepted by bank.
No lawyers involved. No delay. No fee. No problems.
I effectively became my MiL (Yeah, hold the humour) for all dealings.
Only required lawyer once because North Ayrshire Council Legal Department did not seem to take a layman seriously. One letter from solicitor and all fixed.

Yes, the have changed, I think 2008 ? I was surprised at how complex the UK is, in Spain/Germany, the two countries I lived in, any Notary could do a POA in ten minutes and it was accepted anywhere.

OFSO,
Aah, that'll be why the new UK PoA form I noticed a few months ago has appeared - and, IIRC, it cost a bit to have it confirmed (or whatever it's called).

Mrs C has recently become POA for her mother who is in a care home with Altzheimers. She has been accepted as such by her mothers banks/credit card suppliers etc, but has met obstruction, obfuscation and just plain bloody minded refusal to do anything by all concerned initially, and latterly by only one. I'm not afraid to name and shame. Mother in law could not make the proper payments on her credit cards because the care home has taken all of her income save the statutory amount she is allowed to keep for purchase of personal items, round about 22 quid a week, so a lesser amount needed to be negotiated.

Bank of Scotland and MBNA Europe were initially very unhelpful and put obstacles in the way of every move to actually do something and get some sort of payments going again despite being in possession of properly witnessed true copies of POA. Only recently have they admitted that Mrs C actually IS her mother as far as operating these accounts is concerned. But not until they had piled up a stack of late payment charges, many letters to her mother's old address threatening court action/sending the boys round etc. They have at last agreed to waive all the charges and accept an offer of payment (which Mrs C has been trying to do since last October) but strangely still write to her mother at her old address.

Then there is Barclays! You will probably not be surprised to know that they are the worst of the lot and we are still fighting with them. We sent a POA by Recorded Delivery. We waited for them to reply. Mrs C rang them. Despite the Post Office insisting it had been signed for, Barclays insisted they had not received it. They said best she go to the nearest Barclays branch and get them to fax it to them. Naturally they wouldn't so we posted another one which although they happily admitted they had received, had been lost so Mrs C still couldn't act for her Mum. They helpfully suggested that Mrs C go to the nearest branch of Bastards Bank and get them to fax it, whereupon (quite reasonably I feel) Mrs C lost it and went off into the deep end! After some discussion, Barclays Partner Finance agreed to phone the local branch and get them to agree to fax said POA. Doc C duly dispatched to town with POA as Mrs C now ready to commit crime against the next Barclays person she comes across. Well, keeping in mind that someone from BPF has phoned the local Barclays and they agreed to fax this document, the performance was unreal. "Well, were not really the same company"..But you ARE all part of Barclays? "Yes in name, but in reality we are a different company and it will cost us etc etc" By this time the red mist was beginning to form and I advised them that if they didn't do it etc etc etc. That worked.

Mrs C then rang BPF again and had it confirmed that they had received it. Give it a couple of days to get on the system and ring back and we will be able to sort this out. Couple of days, ring back, can't seem to find the fcuking thing!!!!! Mrs C once more dives into deep water and advises them that someone in their organisation has THREE copies of this document and that a person called (insert name here) had confirmed receipt so someone find ONE of them and ring her back or else (insert varied dire threats, both legal and otherwise).

As of this date, Barclays are still writing to Mrs C's Mum at her old address.

I wish the very best of luck to anyone who is contemplating accepting Power of Attourney on behalf of anyone. I certainly will never do so!

A grumpy Doc C