Wife's loan application being linked to husband

[Dan]

My wife has applied for a loan from a financial institution in her own name. She already has a smaller loan with them which is almost paid off and the repayments on the new loan would be the same amount just for a longer period. Her financial record is 100% clear.

The financial institution asked her to provide my bank statements which she did, I agreed without giving it any thought.

They then contacted her and discussed my bank statements and asked her some very specific questions about my financial affairs and requested her to provide additional information about my financial affairs. She has declined to answer any of the questions. My financial history is not perfect. I am not a customer of the institution concerned.

Our questions are:

1. Does the financial institution have the right to request my financial data from my wife and to discuss same with her and to ask her to obtain more information about me?

2. Does my wife have the right to be treated as an individual separate from me and to apply for financial services in her own name and to be judged on her own ability to repay etc.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Gerry Canning]

1. They do not have any right to request anyone elses info.
2. She of course should be treated on her own merits.

Given that she has good form with lender , if declined she can appeal and see what response.

As I see it , lender (if declined) has effectively said she ain,t creditworthy for sum asked for and you ain,t any help !
You and her can rightly claim, Mr Lender has created (family) hassle !by trying to tie you in.

At best poor practise.
If she gets loan , suggest let it go .

 

[Dan]

The loan was declined because she refused to provide further details about my financial affairs. She applied to a different institution for the required loan today and it was approved immediately based on her own merits.

Do I have sufficient reason to complain based on Data Protection?

Does my wife have reason to complain based on unfair treatment?

 

[huskerdu]

I don't see that you have any valid complaint about data protection.

The financial institution asked for the spouses bank statement. It was clear that they did this as part of assessing a loan application. They analysed the statements and asked for more. Your wife declined which was her right.

They told her they wanted to see the bank statements in order to assess her loan application and this is exactly what they used the data for. I cant see what they did wrong.

Are banks allowed have lending policies where they only lend to married people after assessing the financial situation of both of the couple? Probably. I dont think this is illegal and they didnt make a secret of it.

 

[Dan]

My only concern is that they asked an individual to provide the financial data of another individual, who happens to be her husband, but is a separate legal person. They then asked very detailed questions about that financial data and requested further data but never once spoke to the person that the data relates to. Surely, that is not right?

 

[amtc]

My mother back in the 1980s complained when BOI looked for my dad's details. They had no joint account nor did he have an account there. Surprised still going on.