Removing someone from a bank account - in which order?

[Pleasebeafleabite]

Hoping someone might have experience of this.

I am getting divorced and have a joint account for household bills with my STBXH. I am staying in the house and will be taking on the bank account and all the bills so they are in in my sole name.

Some of the bills eg utilities are in joint names and some are in his name.

Do we change the account to a sole name account first then tell all the dd providers that the utility accounts should become solely my name? Will the bank allow dds to stay in place that are in his name on the account till we change these over?

Or should it be the other way around?

Thanks in advance!

I had this issue. Some companies will not let you take over the bills as you are not on the account. It actually worked better for me to set up my own accounts with those providers as l got "new customer" discounts

For the ones you are jointly on, should be able to remove his name

I wouldn't touch the bank account until the DD and SO are sorted. Unless you are concerned that he is going to cause you problems by still being on the account

Yeah I agree but just check there's no fee if you are on a contract eg. BT, sky etc. They might charge the remainder of the contract to leave ☓

I had problems with BT as still in contract till 2019 and was going to be ££££ to leave so currently have stayed joint on that.

Utilities were coming to an end anyway so l switched to another provider in my name as cheaper.

Council tax went on single person discount asap.

House insurance l found my own that was cheaper with better cover

Sky - set up new account and got discount

Water was reduced as less people in house

Thank you both

You have made me realise I probably do have an issue as yes with bt we are mid contract in his name. So may have to hold off on taking him off the account

I will change over the other ones though

myboys my water bill has just been reviewed and it has halved. All those 10 minute showers did add up after all

Can you remove a (non-dead) person from a joint account?
HSBC wouldn't allow us to change a joint account to some name even with both of us consenting. We had to close it and open some new ones.
My late-DH had the same with Barclays.

Apparently First Direct is the same.... or STBXH could have been lying....never know these days