Appointing a person to carry out limited transactions on another’s bank account

greenshoes

Due to physical impairment an elderly parent wants to give me the ability to carry out limited in bank transactions on their behalf. A friend in same position as me was given this authority for their parent’s account in a west of Ireland Boi branch in last couple of months.

I would love to know why the customer care in my parent’s BOI branch tells us this is not possible! Also, called the Vulnerable Customer helpline, to be told by the operative that’s it’s actually not a VC helpline but just the general customer helpline and that no one in the VCUnit will actually speak to a customer directly! As she was a customer care operative I explained again the request by my parent to be told our only option was to give me power of attorney, a complete overkill in the situation, or to write a letter signed by the parent each time I would go into the branch to perform a transaction. Bit of a nuisance.

i was told by both customer care helpline and the in branch customer care assistants that there was no form BoI had to cover this situation and yet my friend and their parent had been given BOI forms to fill in and sign to achieve what my parent wants to achieve!!

please advise!!

wildwillow

Without knowing what transactions are involved it hard to advise.

My elderly father and I had a joint account requiring one signature for everyday spending, some of which was done by me. Even though he was over ninety, he could manage internet banking to transfer funds from his own account to the joint one.

This was important to me, as he was in charge of how much money was joint and I wanted the minimum amount there.

Depending on your mutual trust, could you help your parent do most transactions online. I haven't been in a branch for ages.

By the way having an Enduring Power of Attorney in place is good planning for the future. I did one in my mid sixties when I made a will and it will be used when, or if, I am no longer competent.

Bank of Ireland Reps

Good morning,

Thank you for getting in touch with us.

If you are looking to have Power of Attorney on the account please get in touch with your solicitor to follow the process and then present the documents to branch. Please see here for more information on this.

If you need any further advice please get back in touch with us here by sending us a private message on boards and we can link in with our vulnerable customer unit and the branch for you.

Thanks,

Declan

greenshoes

Thank you for replying, I’m glad you found a way to work through it. The bank refuses to allow me to help my parent with online banking/phone banking. They have provided one solution to my in-laws in one branch and don’t know anything about it in another branch. We both wanted to find an above board solution!

greenshoes

I specifically stated we aren’t interested in putting in a wide ranging power granted through power of attorney! Why do you give a solution in one branch and the staff in another and in customer support unaware such a solution exists!