Credit card on joint account in husbands name?

[vestastilly]

We have a joint account with HSBC which we opened many years ago when we married. At the time of opening the account we were offered a credit card linked to the account which we accepted to use in emergencies. When the card arrived it had my husbands name on it but not mine and I was never offered a card with my name on. Fast forward 10 years and I have now discovered that my husband has run up £17,000 of debt on this card that I have not had access to or benefitted from. The card statements are only addressed to him and the card does not appear on my online banking app although a small joint loan that we have does. Am I liable for this debt even though I do not have access to the card and would not be able to use it?

Credit cards aren't usually linked to current accounts. It sounds like this card is separate to the joint account and is your DHs alone, as is the debt.

If you get two credit cards on an account, there is a primary account holder, who is solely responsible, and an additional card holder, who has a card that they can use as they wish, but the liability for repaying what they spend, remains with the primary card holder.

What has he spent the money on? His own spends, or joint costs like groceries, household items, holidays etc? Why/how has he let the balance get so high and what are his plans for paying it back?

HSBC do not offer joint credit cards, this is the norm. Usually the credit card is in one person's name ie your DH & the other person is the secondary card holder. That means they have their own credit card with their name and access do make transactions, but they are nor responsible for the debt.

That's why you cannot see it on your credit file or internet banking as it's not your product. However it sounds like a misunderstanding or a mistake that you were not issues with a physical card as you believe you should have been