And elderly mum was swindled by Lloyds TSB, prompting his adult son to straighten things out – leading to a £200 payout that he promptly donated to charity.
92 year old Doris Turner’s introductory bonus interest rate on her saver expired this past summer, leading her son Neil, who holds Power of Attorney for his mother, to try to transfer her balance to an account with a more attractive rate. However, Lloyds TSB denied him the ability to alter his mother’s account over the phone, despite his legal right to do so.
Mr Turner was told that he was bared from opening the new account for his mother due to so-called ‘marketing restrictions’ and was told he needed to visit a branch in the UK – an impossibility for the Brit, as he is an expat currently living in Spain. Lloyds staff made the suggestion that 92 year old Doris – who had already been in frail physical condition and has since passed away – took a taxi, which would have not only been unduly stressful but would have cost her £25.
Disgusted by the demands of the personal and business bank account provider, Mr Turner finally arranged for an acquaintance to appear at a Kenilworth branch in order to take care of the business for him. After the bank’s behaviour was made public, it was subjected to media scrutiny and asked to explain itself, yet it could not.
The bank offered Mr Turner a £200 payment for lost interest and inconvenience, blaming branch staff confusion on what kinds of rights Power of Attorney grants customers. After his mother passed away due to heart failure, Mr Turner has decided to make a £200 donation to the British Heart Foundation on his mother’s behalf.