Problems With Santander

[kriskwery]

My 86 year old, frail step-father is a resident in a nursing home and I have been managing his affairs with him perfectly well for some months. However, his current account has had a temporary block put on it. "Fraud Operations" understandably want to protect the interest of their customer and won't entertain a conversation with me about it ("data protection act", etc). He has been unable to fully complete a telephone security questionnaire to their satisfaction. The bank suggested to the nursing home manager that my step-father goes to his local branch to verify his identity. This will need some organising, as he is not mobile and I live 100+ miles away and need to book suitable transport. I've spoken to a counter clerk about ID required and it seems he cannot supply what they need. He hasn't driven for a few years and not longer holds a driving licence, hasn't held a passport for a number of years, has never had a credit card, his only "bit of plastic" is for the current account which doesn't court, a bus pass with his photo is not acceptable.

We are in a Catch 22 situation here. It will take an absolute minimum of 12 weeks to set up Power of Attorney (probably significantly longer, especially with the forthcoming Bank Hols) and in the meantime he needs to pay his nursing home fees of nearly £100 per day. If they are unpaid, initially he will be charged interest and then he will be given notice. I am beside myself trying to sort this out and don't know where to turn. It's like bashing your head on the proverbial brick wall. Can anybody offer some advice?

[kriskwery]

I love you, Themas! Santander think they are protecting their customer's best interests but, on this occasion they are doing anything but. My stepfather is eighty six years old, for goodness sake, physically challenged and is under threat of being thrown out of a nursing home and tohave no bills paid (he still owns a property) nor access to cash for months. He's upset at not being able to answer 100% of their security questions and I'm really struggling to stay calm and coherent. Heartless. And the bank holidays aren't helping. You cheered me up, ta.

[whiskeryron]

I'm sorry that I cannot give any more advice than has already been offered however I am 88 years old & have recently changed my bank account to Nationwide. I can honestly say I have never before known any bank or B/S to be so helpful, they have sorted all transfer details without me lifting a finger other than to give my permission ( I didn't even have to notify the pension authorities who pay into my account monthly, Nationwide covered simply everything) I would therefore advise that you see your local N/W manager,open a joint account & leave it up to them.

WR.

[bednobs]

unfortunately i have had lots of experience lately with having to sort out financial abuse/jiggery-pokery.
kris hasn't said what has caused a block to be put on the account in the first place, (indeed, she may not even know, and the bank are probably refusing to discuss it with her) but if the bank has put it there because they suspect some sort of underhand goings-on, or they are suspicious and then the account holder can't verify himself either by ID or by security questions, it should start ringing alarm bells. I am by no means suggesting there is anything underhand going on at all, because on the face of it, of course there isn't

[boxtops]

WR, I agree with you entirely - I have accounts with a couple of banks for different purposes, and Nationwide are so much more cooperative than the other one.

[kriskwery]

Thank you all for your support and responses. A single individual at Santander finally appreciated the human problems here and went out of her way to sort this out, despite a brief absence for sickness. It was arranged for my stepfather and myself to present at his branch, quite a logistics exercise in itself (grrr, to booked transport which doesn't arrive & taxis which overcharge). We'd previously agreed acceptable forms of ID for him (eg. recent doc from DWP), with me showing the standard passport and driving licence. Then all was required was for the manager to witness him using his pin number, a signature from each of us and, hey presto, I'm now a joint signatory on his account. Perseverance pays and your comments and the warmth of the Ombudsman's staff were a great help in my hour of need. Thanks.