Abbey National's army of small shareholders have been given an easier route to selling shares in the company's proposed new Spanish owner.
Santander Central Hispano (SCH) said it would allow Abbey investors with 2,000 or fewer shares and who live in the UK to use its free share dealing facility without the need to complete the Spanish tax form 210.
The move comes ahead of Thursday's vote by Abbey National shareholders on SCH's £9bn cash-and-shares take-over of the UK bank.
Abbey National has about 1.7 million small shareholders who received windfall shares when it converted from a building society in 1989.
Members received up to 100 free shares if they held savings with the group and up to 100 if they had a mortgage with it, giving a maximum of 200 shares per person.
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