Joint bank accounts that don't address letters only to the man...

[Thecazelets]

Can't think where else to post this for advice, but can anyone recommend a bank that will address letters to both joint account holders? DH and I have both held individual First Direct bank accounts for over 20 years, and we also have a shared joint account in both our names for household expenses. They insist on sending all correspondence on the joint account ( and new bank cards) only to DH. His name is after mine in the alphabet and on the cheque books, so it's not a 'computer says no' situation. He never even uses the account as I'm the one who organises all our bill payments etc. Recently they even sent a cheque back to him which was made out to my name and paid in by me to the account.

It's really getting me down, and I have complained to no avail. I've only asked them to put both our names on letters etc so that I can at least legally open post about our shared money, but they've refused. The letter I got back was distinctly sneery and implied I was making a fuss about nothing, but surely this leaves the non-addressed partner open to financial abuse?

So - can anyone recommend a bank that doesn't do this? All I want is a bank that'll put both of our names on correspondence. I don't need a separate statement, or my bank card arriving in a separate envelope, just an acknowledgement that it's my money too...

Our NatWest comes addressed to both of us, just initials no Mr/mrs

First Direct are a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC, yes.

HSBC do

@Myusernameisnotmyusernameno

HSBC do

Not in my experience, and we've banked with them for about 15 years!

I have been with FD since they very first appeared as a telephone bank back in the 80s, I think it was. I have never had a problem that hasn't been sorted out with a quick phone call. You have been very unlucky OP.
OTOH, friends and family have had loads of issues with Barclays, Santander, Natwest.
It might be worth another phone call just to see if speaking to another person could help.

Halifax were always excellent at this. NatWest are good too I think.

Totally not the point, but why do you still have a cheque book and what in earth do you use it for?

First direct are excellent in my experience (as a bank generally).

For the joint account hung though, as others have said, Barclays. We get separate letters addressed to us individually. Might not be best for the environment by they treat us as individuals as opposed to two halves of a whole or me as a subsidiary of him, so I like it.

When I had a joint account with First Direct they also addressed the correspondence to him, despite my name coming first alphabetically etc. I actually can't complain too much about their service? They are pretty great to deal with and talk to. But this isn't just you.

They also paid a large amount of my money into his bank account (long) after we had split up and got separate accounts. They eventually gave it back to me, but it was a huge saga and has caused me no end of personal and logistical problems. I still can't understand how it could ever have happened tbh.

If you transfer your account to nationwide, they are currently giving £125 cash back.
They definitely address everything in joint names and send cards separately.

Sorry, correction, it’s £100 unless you already have accounts with them.

We are with Barclays and as others have said, no problem with this.
I also have a PhD and used Dr on credit cards when I first graduated as it seemed to make acceptance more likely. But I gave up as they kept printing it DOCTOR A SPOUSE on cards and letters and calling me up and saying "Good afternoon Doctor".

We are with First Direct and now you mention it both cards came to me rather than DH.

We are very happy with FD however I would suggest Nationwide as an alternative.

DC have accounts with Nationwide, Santander and Monza and Nationwide are the most friendly. DM swears by them too.

My Lloyds joint addresses both account holders. Surely they are automatically generated and should pull both/all names through?

This happened to me too OP.
Both cards for our joint account sent to DH.
DH stacks up all of his post and ignores it for weeks. In the meantime I tell FD that my joint account card hasn't arrived.
Later found in DH's pile.
I complained but they just said it was because DH's name is first on the account - which I can understand in a way because DH banked with them first but it doesn't excuse the fact that they sent my card to him.
What if he was financially abusive?
They were not at all apologetic and it took another month to get a new card - sent to me this time.

Natwest. We get one statement addressed to us both but all other letters we each get an individual one.

Also with first direct and get letters addressed to us both.

Is the account definitely a joint account and not an account that is in your DH name?
I can only imagine they would send everything to DH if it wasn't a true joint account.

Interesting. We have had a joint account with First Direct for over 25 years and they have always treated us as individuals. Our bank statements come in one envelope addressed to X and Y Smith (no Mr/Mrs). I just recently got a new debit card a couple of months before DH got his.

I wonder why they are treating you so oddly? Possibly because it's a whole lot more difficult to administrate than it sounds?

banks only adressing initals + surmame can also cause havoc in families.
me, my siblings and mother have the same initial and surname.
when then bank sent out new cards (6 of them) 12 enveloves addressed to j. smith arrived one day.

Our joint account is with Nationwide. No issues with incorrect letter addressing. I am the primary account holder - it was my personal account before we married, I added my husband and it is the main account we use for us both now.

Our new bank cards definitely came separately for our FD accounts, my two for my individual and joint accounts came on the same day and his two came on the same day about a week later. Do you have personal accounts as well as the joint account?

To add - we usually get everything in joint names, it is just this one time (the switch from visa to MasterCard debit cards) that both cards have been sent in the same envelope and only addressed to DH.
Usually our cards come separately.

FD send us both separate bank statements etc.
There's probably a flag on your account which says you don't want to receive paper copies (I work for a bank).. I think that they legally have to send both parties to an account a separate statement every so often (once a year maybe).

We might be similar because our new debit cards were sent to dh while we usually get a statement addressed to both of us and he never deals with this account.

Given that they have told you to go to the ombudsman I would do that. They will have to pay a fee when you do which would at least make you feel like you got a bit of petty revenge.