Friday 6 December 2013

In which I take agin Bank of Scotland AND HSBC

I should have known that my uncharacteristic flurry of grown up ness and efficiency would come back to bite me.

I shan't bother putting in a Middle Aged Woman alert, I am fairly certain none of you need a rantie auntie warning, that's what you come here for, to embrace my middle aged ness and my grumpy old womanish ness, although in my defence, I still don't have a Per Una cardie, when that happens even I will accept I am a fully fledged grumpy old woman as apposed to the apprentice G O W I am presently.

I am forever moaning about having to change my name to Mrs Adventures because it is such a pain and it needs loads of forms and visits to banks and certificates and all sorts of stuff that takes me away from my sofa, mumsnet and iced top mince pies. Mr Adventures has been hugely keen to have me being Mrs Adventures, which I understand as I didn't revert to my maiden name after my divorce, I totally get that he doesn't want me to have the same name as my ex husband. My only objection to changing was the ball ache of the admin involved.

So to recap, I had to inform M&S so they could make me Mrs Adventures on my MasterCard, I have 2 accounts with Bank of Scotland and 1 with HSBC, all requiring Mrs Adventuring.

M&S sent my marriage certificate to someone else.

Bank of Scotland still haven't send me my new cards, when chasing this up I found out that when they photocopied my marriage certificate they didn't stamp it and certify it. So it went to Leeds and sat there for a bit, then someone at Leeds contacted the Market Harborough branch and was still waiting for them to get back to them . The M H branch had neither contacted me or Leeds. I spent an hour on the phone finding all this out. I had to make another visit to the branch with all documentation so the whole process could start again. The person who dealt with me the first time was actually the branch manager. Go figure.

HSBC also still haven't managed to get my card to me either. This was because they sent it to the branch for security reasons, my old branch, where I used to live. No one bothered to tell me it was there.

So HSBC take the prize for the number of visits and time required to tell them I am married and have moved house. In total by the time I go in to collect my card it will be 4 visits. The main visit where I had to take in my documentation took ages and asked me all sorts of questions about savings, mortgages, wills, insurance and what colour my pants were.

M& S take the prize for worry caused.

Bank of Scotland take the prize for general numptyness.

So as I have been massively annoyed, stressed and generally inconvenienced in all of this, someone should buy me a new handbag, I'm not fussed which of them do it but I do think I deserve a nice present. If you are so inclined I am after THIS but I really would prefer the Cavenham bag, which I can't link to but is properly lovely, navy blue and £169.

That would make me a cheerful auntie again, cheap at the price really.

12 comments:

Gigi said...

Honestly; after all that I'd say you deserve even more than a bag! Like maybe a whole wardrobe AND an all expenses paid vacation!

The sheer incompetence is mind boggling.

AGuidingLife said...

I had to go into HSBC Harborough to record my signature for a guiding account. There's 2 hours of my life that I'll never get back. I totally feel for you. Should I ever divorce, I'm changing my name to Norgay and never ever changing it again even f I marry Liz Taylor number of times.

Saz said...

omfg...l have just looked at the time and ive realised i have been reading your blog for over an hour and a half... and still cannot figure out how i missed certain crucial happenings

like marriage and kids all grown up...
though i have been pretty self absorbed with my drama's, one marriage, not mine, two births not mine, one death, mums and babies fleeing my nest et al..

jeez,,,,i;m suitably impressed and inspired...now to fill the bed beside me...chortle,,

belated congrats!!
saz x

Nota Bene said...

Has Mr Adventures thought of becoming Mr Gwen? That would solve all problems in one fell swoop...

Curry Queen said...

that's a very nice bag with a very nice lining....hint hint Mr A....

Trish said...

I think all these companies should group together to buy you a new bag. On second thoughts, if they are as incompetent as you say, chipping into the Auntie Gwen kitty is probably beyond them.

Looking for Blue Sky said...

I notice that Mr Adventures has not responded to the request for the handbag? Though really it should be a joint effort from M&S and the banks. Perhaps a handbag from M&S filled with money from the banks? Sounds fair to me xx

Jay said...

I'd put a request in writing to both m & s and the bank - a little compensation should be offered, at the very least a handbag!

Kim Chandler said...

Just popped over to catch up and say hello as I have been a very absent blogger recently - just reading all that was very exhausting - good luck with the bag hehe - and Merry Christmas !

Kim Chandler said...

Good luck with that bag, and Merry Christmas from snowy Canada :)

Yorkshire Pudding said...

I can never understand why divorced women often hang on to the surnames of the husbands they have divorced. Okay there's all the hassle you have alluded to but in the end why would you want to be tainted by the name of someone you previously needed to break away from? Well done for displaying the determination needed to navigate the banking & M&S mazes! You have passed "Go", collect £200!

Helena said...

I do kind of agree with YP, but I would have been reverting back to Smith as a maiden name, so hung on to my married name until hubby number two came along.

Here's hoping things settle soon!