Banks 'make it hard for relatives to use power of attorney'

ALMOST a third of people given power of attorney have had difficulty dealing with banks, says Which?.

- Emily Braeger

The consumer group questioned people who had been appointed "attorneys" to manage the affairs of another person, known as a "donor".

Some 29% said it was somewhat or very difficult handling a donor's bank, against 23% for building societies.

Which? found it can take up to 15 working days for some banks to register power-of-attorney documents.

Waiting for face-to-face appointments can add to delays, not helped by branch closures.

One attorney said: "I have found it almost impossible to deal with the banks and this is despite me having a 40-year career in finance.

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