aviva.co.uk

I first contacted Aviva on 3 December 2025 to close my late mother’s account. What should have been

I first contacted Aviva on 3 December 2025 to close my late mother’s account. What should have been a straightforward process turned into an unnecessarily prolonged and deeply frustrating three-month ordeal.
From the outset, communication was poor, disjointed, and heavily reliant on slow postal correspondence. This resulted in repeated document rejections, conflicting information, and constant delays. The advice provided by staff was often inadequate or simply incorrect, and I was repeatedly given assurances that were not honoured. At no point did it feel like this matter was being handled with any urgency, competence, or understanding of the circumstances.
Even after approval was eventually granted, I was informed of a further 14-day delay for payment processing—yet another example of the inefficiency that characterised this entire experience. The account was not closed and funds released until 19 March 2026.
While I received a token gesture of compensation, it does little to reflect the extent of the inconvenience, stress, and frustration caused—particularly given this involved a bereavement.
Frankly, the handling of this matter was unacceptable. What should have been managed efficiently and with a degree of care was instead marred by poor communication, lack of ownership, and apparent staff incompetence. This experience fell well below any reasonable expectation of service and reflects badly on the organisation as a whole.

Date of experience: Apr 05, 2026