Issue with changing last name

[JemmaS1996]

Posting here because I'm getting so fed up, I've been trying to change my last name with 3 with no success since I got married. They don't seem to understand that Polish last names come in male and female variants. I have managed to change my last name no issues everywhere else. But not with 3. I've sent every bit of proof I can, letters from my banks, council, utility bills, all showing my new last name, but because my husbands last name is "Szymborski" on the marriage certificate, which is the male version of the last name, 3 will only accept the male spelling and not the female one, ending with "a" instead of "i". Even though I've sent letters showing that my last name has been accepted everywhere else. It shouldn't be this difficult honestly! This isn't the only issue I've had with 3 recently in fact it only scratches the surface, I will be leaving when my contract expires, too much hassle. I've not had any issues with 3 until last year and I've been a customer for just over 10 years. But when issues started arising I'd already renewed my contract unfortunately 

[MichaelP]

Hi there @JemmaS1996,

I'm just checking in with you to see if you've made any progress on this after we sent you a PM to offer some extra support. Were you able to get some clarity on the name change?

Thanks,
Michael

[JemmaS1996]

Hi Michael,

The person who I spoke to about it on the Social Media Webchat said i'd need to get a voters authority certificate to get my last name approved. However, we are in the middle of moving home...And my point stands that everywhere else has accepted my Marriage Certificate, i'm not giving one company special treatment. I've also had issues with Three in the past, so I'm getting Ombudsman involved, hopefully then I can end my contract early with Three without having to pay fees, as Three has caused me a lot of stress in the last year or so. Like I said the the lady I spoke to....every other company has accepted my marriage certificate, and supporting ID, but Three is refusing, they have applied a policy that disproportionately affects me because of my gender (a woman) and my husbands cultural background. It's a blanket rule, it puts me at a disadvantage as a woman because of my husbands cultural background.....since in Polish law surnames change by gender.....it falls as indirect discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.

[JonathanB]

Hi @JemmaS1996,

Sorry to hear that getting your name updated has been such a difficult situation to resolve. That's definitely not the intention of our process. If you've already sent in the relevant documents, I'm sure we can get this sorted out.

I'll send you a PM to get you in touch with some more help with this.

To view your private messages on the community, click on your avatar image in the top right of any community page, then "Messages".

Thanks,
Jonathan

[Paddiewack]

I think you’re complaining unnecessarily! Surely it wouldn’t be impossible or unreasonable for you to provide your passport or driving licence showing YOUR married name then there’d be no room for doubt and this issue would be done and dusted. I sort of get your evident irritation and frustration but it seems to me there’s a very easy way to sort it. 

[JemmaS1996]

Sorry, ignore my last reply, I was very frustrated and it came across like a rant. It won't let me edit it now. (It wasn't aggressive or anything but it didn't state all the facts)

I can’t drive due to health reasons, so a driving licence isn’t an option. My passport still has my old surname, and since we’re in the process of moving to meet my health needs, I can’t afford to update it right now. But I shouldn’t have to pay for a brand new passport just because one company refuses to recognise my legal surname.

On my marriage application (which I also provided), I am listed as Szymborska,  the correct feminine form of my husband’s surname. His surname is shown on the certificate as Szymborski, the male form, because he is male. That is how Polish surnames work. A marriage certificate only records the bride’s maiden name, so when I took my husband’s surname it naturally became the feminine form, Szymborska. This is widely understood, which is why every other organisation has updated my name without issue.

I’ve already supplied my marriage certificate, along with bank, council, and utility documents in my correct surname, all of which have been accepted elsewhere. Why is Three the only company refusing to recognise my legal name?

Do you see why this is frustrating for me? And to be honest, it feels borderline discriminative that they fail to recognise this unlike everywhere else.

[Paddiewack]

I do get your frustration!

[PeteG]

Hello, Jem.

We're sad to hear you're having issues getting the details updates in the way you've described. It sounds like the team would be following the process of ensuring the name matches whatever is on the official documentation. If the Marriage Certificate says your name is Szymborski, that's what the team would put. If you don't want it with the i at the end, it would be best to provide one of the other forms of proof required. In this case, a copy of your passport, or a copy of your photographic drivers licence, plus a utility bill from the last 3 months, showing the name how you want it to be.

Pete

[JemmaS1996]

Also thought I'd add, but ironically enough, my direct debit no longer works with 3, safe to assume its because my last name on my bank card now dosn' match my account name...so now that's another thing I have to mess about with, I tried setting it up again but it doesn't work, so I have to login and do one off payments each time.

[JemmaS1996]

Sorry, ignore my last reply, I was very frustrated and it came across like a rant. It won't let me edit it now. (It wasn't aggressive or anything but it didn't state all the facts)

I can’t drive due to health reasons, so a driving licence isn’t an option. My passport still has my old surname, and since we’re in the process of moving to meet my health needs, I can’t afford to update it right now. But I shouldn’t have to pay for a brand new passport just because one company refuses to recognise my legal surname.

On my marriage application (which I also provided), I am listed as Szymborska,  the correct feminine form of my husband’s surname. His surname is shown on the certificate as Szymborski, the male form, because he is male. That is how Polish surnames work. A marriage certificate only records the bride’s maiden name, so when I took my husband’s surname it naturally became the feminine form, Szymborska. This is widely understood, which is why every other organisation has updated my name without issue.

I’ve already supplied my marriage certificate, along with bank, council, and utility documents in my correct surname, all of which have been accepted elsewhere. Why is Three the only company refusing to recognise my legal name?

Do you see why this is frustrating for me? And to be honest, it feels borderline discriminative that Three fails to understand this