NatWest wants me to sort out debts racked up by my ex
WHEN I separated from my husband we had a NatWest account with a large overdraft. It was a joint account, but had only ever been used by him.
NatWest refused to separate our financial affairs unless I had a written undertaking from my ex-husband.
After 18 months I finally obtained one stating that he takes responsibility for the account and would sign paperwork to remove my name from it. After eight weeks of referral between departments and discussions with their legal team, NatWest has said I cannot be removed until the overdraft balance is cleared.
After this we may both have to start the process again.
However, following threats requiring police help there cannot now be any contact between my husband and I.
NatWest says I must not only contact him to re-do the paperwork when the debt is cleared but that despite the court order I remain jointly liable for the debt, so he could stop paying it and force me to do so instead.
I am stunned that having got this court order on the advice of NatWest, I find I have wasted two years and a lot of money. Name and address supplied. You first contacted me in 2016 when NatWest gave all appearances of trying to be helpful.
The joint account was opened because your husband needed an account for his wages to be paid into, but did not have a high enough credit rating to open his own.
It was used solely by him, but after you separated he ran up a large overdraft for which you were held jointly responsible.
In all, when he left you there were around £40,000 in loans and credit card debts. You were working three jobs to pay them.
NatWest told you and me at the time that if he took over the account you would be relieved of responsibility for it.
So I was appalled when, despite all your hard work and the threat you have lived under, their legal department was uncooperative.
Leaving aside the fact that they suggested you take this course in the first place, they should also have considered your vulnerable position. I contacted the press office making it clear just how badly it would reflect on the bank if they continued to adopt such an intransigent position.
I am pleased to say wiser heads at the bank have now prevailed over the legal numpties. You will be removed from this account and will no longer carry the burden of debt that was not generated by you.
A NatWest spokesman says: ‘We didn’t get this right first time. Having looked at it again we realise we should have done more to help and have since met our customer’s wishes and removed her from the account.’ OVER the past two years, I have called Thames Water many times as we have a leak between the meter and internal valve.
Initially, engineers who came to fix it didn’t have the tools to dig up our front garden. Next, Thames sent an engineer to change our water meter because they said the existing one may be faulty. That engineer said we did in fact still have a leak.
The last call I made to Thames Water was on April 30. I was passed between four people.
No one seems willing to take responsibility as it is ‘not their department’ or I have been put through to ‘the wrong person’.
This is an absolute nightmare. We are paying a £100 per month water bill for a household of two people. M. L., by email. THAmeS Water apologises for taking so long to sort this out. An area manager has now met you to make the arrangements for the repair.
The leak is on your private supply pipe, not on its network, but it does meet its criteria for a free repair, as have two other leaks which it has previously fixed free of charge.
A spokesman told me: ‘The recent hold-up was down to our repair team not being able to complete their work at the first attempt due to a safety concern.
‘The customer’s bill will be adjusted so he is not charged for the leaked water and a refund will be arranged.’
Thames Water and other water companies have information on their websites on procedures for leaks that are on a customer’s property. In Thames’s case, the option is generally to repair the leak themselves or find your own plumber if you don’t want Thames to do the work or are unhappy with the timescale for the repair. WHEN my husband died seven years ago, his share of our flat was valued at £290,000, so no inheritance tax was payable. The flat’s value has since increased a lot. On my death, will my family qualify for the £650,000 allowance given to married couples or just my tax-free allowance of £325,000? V. L., London. If Your husband left his entire estate and his share of the flat to you in his will when he died, his estate would not have attracted any inheritance tax liability. If that is the case, then his unused £325,000 tax-free allowance can be added to yours on your death, to take the total to £650,000.
But bear in mind that if you leave the flat to your family, the personal threshold for both you and your husband could rise to £450,000. This is because, under rules introduced last year, you get an extra allowance for your main home. That would take the total to £900,000.
It could be even higher by the time your estate is being distributed because the main home allowance is rising.
for more information on inheritance tax, call HmrC on 0345 300 3900.