Order of our names changed on joint bank account

[Maresmaid]

Many years ago my husband and I opened 2 joint bank accounts. One was set up in joint names with his name first and the other in joint names with my name first so that we could easily identify which account was which. The account with his name first received our salaries and transferred a regular amount to the account with my name first which then paid out all the various household dd’s. I recently needed to set up a new standing order to the account with my name first and discovered that the names have been switched round by the bank without our knowledge so both accounts now show my husbands name first.

I am fully aware that this makes no difference to my legal claim to the money in the account and it’s just really an admin issue, but it’s made me feel like making a fuss and insisting they change it back. I deal with the family finances, I use the mobile and banking app, when something needs paying husband asks me to log on and do it, so technically I am the primary user and i feel like making a stand about the sexism of automatically showing husbands name before wife’s.

Am I being unreasonable if I complain to the bank?

Yes they absolutely do because they inherit the sexism of their programmers. @Maresmaid there was a similar thread a wile ago and a very knowledgeable poster explained this was due to old legacy systems that were designed to do this and then systems are built on systems and this is endemic.

They did this on my mortgage. I found them, I hired them. I had all the meetings with them and my husbands name goes first. Winds me right up

As a side note, our joint account - when paying in or giving my details for others to pay in, I never include both names. Certainly on ours, the way it works as that either name can be provided and will be paid in accordingly. So I don't have give the account name as DH Name and Surname My Name and Surname. Just FYI if that's helpful or relevant at all.

I'm ex HSBC staff (from the Midland Bank days and through to mid 90s).
My name is second on our bank accounts (I still bank with them), despite being alphabetically first and the ex staff member (who had the staff benefits like cheap mortgages).its an old fashioned convention.
It will be arranged that way so that they can see your accounts profile in full. If the names don't match by title then they can't see all your accounts in one place.

For salaries etc it doesn't matter what names are on the account, (as payments are made to account number ending 123 for example. The names just support those numbers).

A bank wouldn’t use Christian names, they’d use first and last name. Not everyone has a Christian name

Who doesn't have a Christian name?

Sting.
Bono.

On my banking app there is an option to change the nickname on your account so you can easily identify your accounts.

Non-Christians.

First Name and Last Name is the commonly used description now.

Someone who isn’t a Christian. They have a first name. Do you know where a Christian name comes from?

Blow me down.
I've just looked at my First Direct statements online (I don't receive them in print or download them usually) and there is my husband's name first, bold as brass.
I originally had a First Direct account and created the joint account over 20 years ago. My name used to appear first on printed items including cheque books, and now they have switched them round.
I suspect this is someone's giant cockup, because banks cannot be unaware that this is politically incorrect, to say the least.
HSBC and First Direct are the same outfit of course, I wonder if anyone has had this with a different bank?

But the bank will still know the account as Mr Importantperson and Mrs Whatsherface.

During the 1980s in the United Kingdom, a major systemic inequality arose regarding the distribution of free windfall shares and cash bonuses due to the interaction of banking conventions and the Building Societies Act 1986.

Essentially this act meant only the first named on the account received the "windfall", which was invariably the man, ie Mr and Mrs Smith or Mr Smith and Ms Jones.

The law changed after this caused considerable upset amongst women but I'd still insist the bank change the names back.

Likely automatic following the Mr and Mrs format … this sounds like a very minor issue!

It is very very simple.

There is a legal and regulatory obligation on the bank to ensure it's record keeping reflects the express wishes of it's customers - in particular to managing joint and corporate accounts.

If they cannot discharge that obligation, then you are entitled to report them to the regulatory authorities, if not seek redress and/or move your custom elsewhere.

Obviously it is highly unlikely that the regulators will accept "but we cant' do that" from the bank, if it were to get that far.

All of that could cost a few hundred pounds to the bank, just so you are aware.

I'm a hypocrite because when sales people won't leave. I use the "oh I don't know, my husband deals all that" as a brush off. However when they come and ask to speak to my husband or the man of the house I lose it ha.

Last year I sold my house. I owned my house in my name only, my husband (then partner) moved in with me and we never put him on the mortgage. When selling my house we had so many issues with the solicitors because no matter how many times I put it was just in my name someone would add my husband then the next stage would fall apart somewhere as he wasn't on the mortgage etc. despite me handling my sale and our joint purchases everything was addressed to him. Everyone rang for him. Anytime I said I was handling it I had to justify this is someway.

This is AIBU 😀

I have no explanation or advice, but i just wanted to reassure you that you're not "fussing" or that "life is too short" etc.
Women have had to go through this forever, and when we highlight subtle sexism like this, we're made to feel like we're overreacting. You're not. Its wrong. And would never happen to a man.
You're doing the right thing pointing this out, it's what we should all be doing, men and women! So thank you! Dont let anyone make you feel like you shouldn't be challenging this 👍

I understand men - born with privilege - trying to minimise this and pat heads going "don't worry yourself darling".

But when women do it, I just think very rude words about them.

🤣🤣🤣 is this really an issue? I presumed it was because it's always Mr & Mrs not Mrs & Mr. Not that I care!

It’s not a minor issue. It is reflective of the very real endemic sexism that women still fight everyday.

It’s not a minor issue. It is reflective of the very real endemic sexism that women still fight everyday. You should care.

Seriously, in relation to this … I don’t!

It’s really not … it relates to Mr and Mrs, a non issue tbh.

My bank doesn’t. I’ve always been the higher earner and my name has never been first.

That would royally piss me off OP and I would insist they change in back as a point of principle.