DEAR JOHN

Calling all citizens of nowhere: a building society not near you is about to give you the flick.   

It's that time of year when you start thinking about your next tax return and if you are a British person living in an EU country, beware.  If you have accounts with a UK building society and have been honest about where you live, you may have already received your Dear John letter:

"Dear Mrs X

Thank you for saving with the Teapot Building Society.  At the end of 2020 the UK left the EU."    As if we needed reminding.

 "Therefore we have taken the difficult decision...."

I am given 60 days in which to close my accounts and make alternative arrangements. I call the building society's customer services and ask them to give me a technical explanation of why this change has been necessary.  They can't because the agent is struck dumb by my question.  I rationalise that it's about the loss of financial passporting arrangements between the EU and the UK.  Clearly the UK Brexit negotiating team didn't think this arrangement was important enough to retain as it clearly smacked of continuity of single market arrangements and therefore continued stranglehold by EU red tape.

I am assured by the customer service agent that someone will call me back and explain in more detail why this "difficult decision" had to be taken. No one calls.  So I email them and ask for a written explanation of why this "difficult decision" was necessary.  A week later I get exactly the same letter using the same wording only this time it's from the Contract Centre Assistant and not the Chief Commercial Officer.  It's a demotion.

I am no longer a customer and therefore don't merit an honest technical explanation for the change.  My partner, who continues to use a UK address of convenience, has received no such letter and will not be asked to close his accounts.  Make of that what you will.  In current circumstances honesty is not smart behaviour.

                                            Mill Road bridge, Cambridge, March 2020

It has long been known that one of the many unpleasant side effects of Brexit is UK passport holders resident in the EU losing the right to savings facilities.   My problem is the lazy and glib way this change has been communicated.  I suspect that to continue servicing accounts like mine will cost the building society money and accounts like mine are no longer profitable.  But they are unable to say this.  They can't be bothered.