Well done to...

[SueEllen]

Santander!



https://www.theguardian.com/money/20...h-on-a-trolley

My father had a stroke earlier this year and is bedbound and needs 24-hour care. Last month, two online payments from his Santander account were blocked. He was told to call the helpline and asked various security questions.
When he was unable to name a recent transaction, his account was locked and he was told he would have to go into the branch for his identity to be verified. He explained his situation but the agent was uninterested.

Staff at the branch told me their hands were tied and referred me back to the helpline, which, again, confirmed a branch visit was the only solution. It refused our suggestions that his solicitor verify him, that a video call be set up, or that bank staff visit his home.

I will therefore have to book a private ambulance and a carer, which will cost £395. A nurse assessment concluded a wheelchair would be too risky, so we will have to wheel him on a hospital trolley through the pedestrian precinct to the bank.

He is unable to access money to pay his care fees, or even buy his dog’s food.

[Paddy]

We are sorry you feel that way.

[hobnob]

Santander have obviously handled that badly, but this part was interesting:

My first question to you was whether you held lasting power of attorney (LPA) for your father and so could manage the account on his behalf. You do, and you say you had repeatedly mentioned this to bank staff, but were unaware that the LPA documents have to be registered individually with individual organisations.
l..]
The impasse was resolved when you registered your LPA, although it took another two weeks before online banking was fully restored.

According to the gov.uk website, it can take up to 20 weeks to put an LPA in place:
Make, register or end a lasting power of attorney: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
I assume that it's a lot easier if you do this before it becomes necessary, i.e. while the person involved still has mental capacity.

So, this is a reminder that I need to have this conversation with some elderly relatives. Maybe I should even put it in place for myself.

[Paddy]

Santander have obviously handled that badly, but this part was interesting:



According to the gov.uk website, it can take up to 20 weeks to put an LPA in place:
Make, register or end a lasting power of attorney: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
I assume that it's a lot easier if you do this before it becomes necessary, i.e. while the person involved still has mental capacity.

So, this is a reminder that I need to have this conversation with some elderly relatives. Maybe I should even put it in place for myself.

It's virtually impossible to get an LPA if metal capacity is lost. At that stage matter goes to the CoP (Court of Protection) Social Services or the Official Solicitor could take control of the person with lack of capacity. ie out of the control of relatives. The CoP can even change the Will.
BEWARE!

[NigelJK]

Paddy is 100% correct. I does sound like the patient still has capacity, they are just debilitated. LPA does not kick in until they don't have capacity.

[rootsnall]

Paddy is 100% correct. I does sound like the patient still has capacity, they are just debilitated. LPA does not kick in until they don't have capacity.

I have just successfully applied for Property and Financial Affairs LPAs for my parents, it probably did take the best part of 20 weeks but was easy to do. They become effective immediately and I guess would have been the correct LPA to sort out the Santander issue. The Health and Welfare LPA is the one that only kicks in once someone is deemed unable to make their own decisions. I wish I'd got both in one hit now but......

[ladymuck]

Paddy is 100% correct. I does sound like the patient still has capacity, they are just debilitated. LPA does not kick in until they don't have capacity.

That's not strictly true.

The LPA allows you to represent the donor at any point. The scenario described in the OP is the perfect example of when you should use the LPA.

I have finance and health LPAs in place for my Mum - my brother uses the health one because she has a habit of ignoring medical appointments and I use the finance one to make sure her savings are earning the most interest and that all her bills are paid.

Using the LPA isn't difficult and the person making the complaint should have read the materials they were sent to understand how to use it. They can always phone and ask for guidance too.

[vetran]

sorry for your situation.

Ask the bank to make reasonable adjustments for his disability.

Suggest they send a member of staff to visit your father because of the risks inherent in moving him. Ignore the helpline and call head office ask to talk to their equalities team. Practice your daily mail sad face, postulate how such a reputable company as Santandar would look if a story about them helping customers in need (even specsavers do house calls).


https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/la...sabled-people/

Get the LPA in place as soon as in case he gets a second stroke.

I suspect if he clearly and verifiably expresses a preference the courts would respect that rather than treat it as a ward of court etc.


Good luck and hope he gets better.