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Original poster

Being Harassed by Santander Bank - Absolutely Disgusted

235 replies

NameChanger22 · 30/03/2019 21:11

A few weeks ago I started a thread on here about how Santander Bank kept repeatedly sending the mail of an ex-boyfriend to my address, even though we split up and he moved out 12 years ago, died 2 years ago and I have repeatedly sent mail back to them for 12 years and I have phoned them and made complaints about it twice. He owed them £1,200. He owed everyone money, he owed me a lot more than £1,200.

In the end I went into to my local branch and showed them my council tax bills for the last 6 years proving he hadn’t been living at my address for a long time as all the bills were addressed to me alone and I have the 25% single person discount.

A week ago I got a letter from Santander (addressed to me) saying I was wrong to complain but that they weren’t going to send anymore mail to my address.

Today I got a letter from Santander (addressed to The Personal Representative of the Late [ex boyfriend’s name]). First of all I’m not his representative, so that annoyed me. The letter went on to read:

“At this difficult time, customer care is obviously the main priority and I therefore wanted to advise you that we have referred the above mentioned account to our specialist probate partner, Phillips & Cohen Associates (UK) Ltd.

Until further notice, Phillips & Cohen Associates (UK) Ltd will be responsible for managing this account on our behalf, and where appropriate will take steps to come to an amicable arrangement for the repayment of the outstanding balance from any existing estate.

All future communications should be directed to Phillips & Cohen Associates (UK) Ltd in the first instance ….”

I cannot believe a bank can do this. They said a week ago they would stop sending post to my address and then this. I am extremely worried about this. Can they really get another company to come after me for the debt of a dead ex-boyfriend who hasn’t lived at my address for 12 years. I just don’t understand this at all. Please help and stop me from panicking, especially advise me if you have any real understanding of the law.

Thanks so much.

OP posts:
ShorelyKnot · 31/03/2019 07:55

The Financial Conduct Authority regulate how Santander deal with consumers. It doesn't matter that you are not the customer or the named person on any letters. They will be interested only in how Santander behaves and will investigate if they agree that Santander are harassing you.

Original poster
NameChanger22 · 31/03/2019 07:55

I like option 13.

OP posts:
Soontobe60 · 31/03/2019 07:55

No replies, why will she get compensation? There has only been 1 letter addressed to her apologising and saying they will not contact her again. They haven't. The letters have all been addressed to someone else. I'm not sure what level of comp she could get for having letters for someone else posted through her door!
Just bin the bloody things!

iano · 31/03/2019 07:57

Op- you write to Philips and Cohen saying your bf moved out in x and you are not his PR (the last bit is important) and don't know who his PR is.
That'll be the end. P&C don't go away without an answer. Give them one and move on. Hope that helps

Original poster
NameChanger22 · 31/03/2019 08:00

Thanks Iano.

OP posts:
12thofnever · 31/03/2019 08:02

To be honest, it is probably better that Santander have passed the debt on. If they are a reputable company as others have said, then they will soon see that this debt is unenforceable and write it off, and I would assume that you won’t get any more correspondence from Santander now they’ve passed it on.
If you receive any more post that isn’t specifically addressed to you then return it to sender/bin it and forget about it. Yes it’s annoying, but easier than engaging in a situation that is causing you stress

floribunda18 · 31/03/2019 08:04

What do they hope to achieve by harassing you? Either they are very stupid or highly incompetent. Why don't they contact his actual family, who may have the information they require?

Dillydallyalltheway · 31/03/2019 08:05

If you know who took care of his estate (if he had one) send all the correspondence to them and give the bank and solicitor their address. This must be really awful for you Flowers

CherryCheezcake · 31/03/2019 08:05

Sorry you've had to deal with this for so long, OP. I think of it was me, I would send Phillips and Cohen a copy of the letter you have from Santander accepting that Ex does and and did not live at your address, with a covering letter explaining briefly the steps you have already taken (returning mail to sender etc etc). And state that any letters from them addressed to Ex or Ex's representative sent to your address will be considered harassment and reported to the Police and their professional body (Law Society?).
Then if any more letters arrive addressed to Ex or Ex's representative, forward (or return) them to Phillips and Cohen, unopened, and write on the outside of the envelope that this person last lived at your address in 20?? and died in 20??, and had no connection with you since 20??

Original poster
NameChanger22 · 31/03/2019 08:07

I am not sure Phillips & Cohen are that reputable. I've just been reading online reviews of them - 1 out of 5 star ratings and lots of complaints made against them.

I don't think Santander have the address of his family, I don't have it either.

OP posts:
floribunda18 · 31/03/2019 08:08

They look at records showing he hasn't lived there for years. Then write to the same address again.

Insanity, or apparently also debt collection, is repeating the same action over and over again, expecting a different result

IAmNotAWitch · 31/03/2019 08:15

I don't think you should engage with the debt collectors directly.

You have a letter from Santander apologising and saying they would not contact you again.

Right now the debt collectors have no reason to contact you at all.

Rubberduckies · 31/03/2019 08:32

In the nicest possible way OP you are worrying about a very little problem.

Most people would just ignore post coming to their house for someone else. It's not your problem to deal with.

If you want the letters to stop forever, I suggest you contact Phillip and Co. When I lived in a flat which frequently got letters for previous debts, I would ignore them for a while and most would stop. If not I'd post back 'Not known at this address'. If that didn't work I'd phone them up and explain and usually they were very apologetic. On the very rare occasion a bailiff turned up I'd show them my ID and tell them the date I moved in. All of them were very polite and helpful actually!

As you are worried about it and you seem to have made yourself responsible for dealing with it (you're not) I'd suggest just phoning them and explain. He doesn't live at the address anymore, moved out 12 years ago, you don't know his most recent address, you don't know who the personal representative is. You can put this in writing if you prefer but you probably don't need to.

Do try to ask yourself OP, is this a big problem, or a little problem? What's the worse that could (realistically) happen even if they keep sending you his post? They cannot take the debt from you, as you are not the representative and have no access to his estate.

Tara336 · 31/03/2019 08:33

OP I bought a property 2 years ago that was empty, an old lady had lived there not sure if she rented or owned. I kept getting letters from SSE about a gas bill for her which I returned to sender. I then had a gas bill to the homeowner so I phoned SSE and explained I don’t have gas only electric and that I was aware the old lady had now passed away as I’d been getting letters addressed to the executor of old lady. SSE apologised and said they would remove the gas meter and clear the old lady’s bill.

Yesterday I got a letter from Phillips and Cohen about her debt (opened it by accident) saying SSE had passed it to them etc (ridiculous considering I’d already told them I knew she had died) I called them and explained the situation and they said they’d remove my address from their paperwork and confirm she was deceased. I’m hoping that’s the end of it! It may well be worth doing the same and giving them a call yourself.

Noloudnoises · 31/03/2019 08:38

I suspect some fuckwits at the bank have agreed you won't get contacted but some automated nonsense has forwarded your address to the bailiffs, it may be an admin error. However if it were me I would investigate just to make sure bailiffs won't turn up at your door which would give me huge worry.

Presumably you've tried:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Also group email every UK management team member with the same email format: firstname.surname@... try .com too.

www.santandercb.co.uk/management-team

AND include all the emails on here:
www.santander.co.uk/uk/about-santander-uk/media-centre/contacts

By including the media team you are subtly implying you might go to the press. So g be embarrassed to email all these people, someone will act, especially as they'll see everyone else copied into the email.

Keep the email non-emotive and factual and don't waffle. State the facts.

And I would quickly sign up for twitter and get at them that way - spam them! it's visible so they'll hopefully act quicker.

Noloudnoises · 31/03/2019 08:40

And if you can get ANY sort of last address for him, or his parents, include that.

LakieLady · 31/03/2019 08:40

Try Nationwide. It's still a building society and its bloody brilliant.

I've had a Nationwide a/c (among others) since the mid-80s and their service has always been excellent.

emelsie · 31/03/2019 08:45

Sorry to hear the trouble you been having, fwiw hearing the behaviour of Santander has finally given me the push I need to change banks , will be switching to first direct I think!

JuniperBeer · 31/03/2019 08:50

You say you’d get a lawyer and sue- sue for what exactly?

MorningRichie · 31/03/2019 08:57

I've worked in a. Directors Office before and only ever email CEOs now when I have a problem and things always get sorted (having sat on the other side of the fence, I know how to word things to get the resolution I need) and you definitely can email the CEO of banks - I've now got a direct number for someone in RBS Exec Team due to repeated idiocy from their staff.

I've done a bit of googling and CEOemail gives the same address PPs have given you, but I've also found [email protected]

Good luck!

mrsm43s · 31/03/2019 09:23

Don't open mail that isn't addressed to you.

You are neither the deceased, nor the deceased's representative. These letters are not addressed to you (apart from the one apology letter that was actually intended for you).

Either bin/shred the letters, or return to sender as addressee unknown (since you've done the latter for a considerable time, I'd do the former at this point).

This matter does not concern you. Do not worry about it.

I presume you have ongoing anxiety issues. You need to get some perspective on this - it's a bank admin error, or your ex not having changed his address before he died - nothing more. It is not your problem and you have no responsibility at all in this issue, so forget about it. Opening the post and reading it, contacting Santander, sending off angry letter is all making you feel worse. All you need to do is ignore. Not your problem.

Movinghouseatlast · 31/03/2019 09:39

No, they absolutely can't chase you for this. You have no financial association with him.

CheekyChappy710 · 31/03/2019 09:51

Mrsm43s has got it right. I think it would be best to bin the post and tackle your anxiety.

clarrylove · 31/03/2019 09:52

These letters are not for you. You shouldn't have opened them. They are for your ex BF's next of kin or executor.

Original poster
NameChanger22 · 31/03/2019 09:52

Well, obviously we were connected financially 12 years ago, shared bills etc, so I can't say no financial association. But we weren't married and we didn't share a mortgage. If you live with someone is that equivalent to being married?

OP posts:
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