What to do when you separate from a partner

If you hold a joint HSBC current account, you and your former partner may be happy with continuing to operate the account as normal until you both decide to close the account and separate your finances.

However, where a separation is less amicable there may be concerns about access to the money in a joint account. To assist either of you in these circumstances, one account holder may decide to tell us to freeze the account so that payments out and withdrawals can only be made if both account holders agree. It’s important to note that if we’re advised there is a dispute between joint account holders, we would freeze the account unless all account holders agree otherwise, in accordance with our Personal Banking Terms and Conditions and Charges (PDF, 1,5KB).

If a joint account is frozen, please bear in mind the following:

• HSBC will require instruction from both account holders to make Bill Payments, Telegraphic Transfers or International Payments on the account.
• Debit cards for both account holders will be deactivated.
• No further cheques should be written if you or your former partner has a cheque book, as cheques will not be paid.
• Both account holders will be required to provide us with their agreement if any Direct Debits or standing orders payments need to be paid from the account.
• Online Banking will be suspended for both account holders for the particular joint account.
• We will also freeze access to joint savings accounts for both account holders.
• Both account holders are required to agree on the closure of the joint account.
• If you or your former partner, decide to continue to use your account, we’ll need instruction from both account holders agreeing to un-freeze it.

Once you and your former partner have agreed to separate your finances, you’ll both need to consider the following:

• If you hold another HSBC account in your own individual name and want to move any Direct Debits or standing orders from your joint account to that sole account, you can do this via Online Banking, Telephone Banking or by visiting a local branch, providing your joint account has not been frozen by you or your former partner.
• If you do not have a sole HSBC account in your own individual name, please contact us via Telephone Banking or visit us in branch and we’ll assist you in opening an account.
• Before you decide to close your joint account, please get in touch with one of our team to find out the best options available to you. You can contact us on 03457 404 404 (lines are open 8:00 to 22:00 every day) or for HSBC Premier 03457 70 70 70 (lines are open 24/7). Please note that if your joint account is frozen, we’ll need instructions from you and your former partner to close the account.
• If you wish to close your HSBC joint account and open an account with another bank or building society in individual names, then you won’t be able to use the Current Account Switching Service (CASS) to transfer your regular payments from a joint account to a sole account. For more information please visit www.simplerworld.co.uk.
• If you jointly hold either a HSBC Premier or HSBC Advance account which you’ve decided to close, you’ll need to individually meet the eligibility criteria if you choose to open one of these accounts in your own name. Any accounts or credit facilities will be reassessed on your individual income and outgoings at the time of applying. What this means is that you may lose some of the benefits or features you had that were associated with the HSBC Premier or Advance account. To find out more on the eligibility criteria and the benefits please visit:

1. HSBC Premier
2. HSBC Advance

If your former partner is an additional card holder on your credit card account you can choose to remove them. Please note, until they are removed, you will be liable for whatever they spend using the card (as well as your own spending). If you do decide to remove them, you should let them know as they may rely on the card for day-to-day spending.

If you are an additional card holder on your former partner’s account and you have been removed, and you don’t already own a HSBC credit card, you may be able to apply for your own card. Whether you can obtain your own card will be subject to status at the time of applying. HSBC Credit cards.

If you have a HSBC mortgage in joint names, you will both remain equally responsible for meeting the monthly payments (it is not the case that each of you is only responsible for paying half, even if one of you has moved out of the property).

If you have both agreed that only one of you will continue to be responsible for repaying your mortgage, you will need to contact us to discuss the options available to you.

To ask about changing the owner and/or borrower named on your mortgage, please call us on 0800 169 6333 (lines are open 08:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday, and 09:00 to 17:00 Saturday and Sunday).

If you have a joint HSBC loan, both account holders are liable for the full payments, even if the relationship between you ends. It is not the case that you are each responsible for half of the repayments. If you want to know more about the options available to you, please contact us. HSBC Contact and support.

If you hold a joint savings account and you and your former partner have agreed on how to distribute the funds, you may choose to operate the account as normal until you both decide to close the account.

The information in the joint current accounts above about the freezing of joint accounts also applies to joint savings accounts, except regarding cheque books, Direct Debits and standing orders, which are not applicable to savings accounts.

Joint fixed rate saver accounts

If you have a joint fixed rate saver account then you and your former partner will need to consider the following:

• If you and your former partner instruct us to close the fixed rate saver before maturity, additional charges may apply. Please see our Personal Banking Terms and Conditions and Charges (PDF, 1,5KB) for details.
• If you and your former partner decide to keep the fixed rate saver up to maturity and your joint current or savings account was used to transfer the funds into the fixed rate saver, you won’t be able to close your joint current or savings account until the fixed rate saver has matured and the funds have been transferred back into it.

If you have a joint home insurance policy or you want to amend your life insurance policy, including any existing trust arrangement, you can contact us to make any changes or cancel the policy.

• For existing home insurance policies you can contact us by visiting https://www.hsbc.co.uk/insurance/products/home/support
• For existing life insurance policies you can contact us on 0345 745 6125 (lines are open 8:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays).

You'll need to inform us if you have changed your address, or any other personal details such as your contact details or name. In a world that’s more connected than ever, there’s an even greater need for security. Our global systems are best able to provide you with world-class protection against financial crime when we have your most up-to-date information.

• You can update your address and contact details via Online Banking, Telephone Banking or by visiting a local branch.
• To update your title or name please visit a local branch. You’ll need to bring the relevant documentation; ie a Divorce Decree Absolute.