Halifax faster payments - nearly there?

ToeKnee2007

I reported the problem to Halifax Customer support and the reply was:

I can confirm that the ability to send funds via the Faster Payments Service will be implemented during September. Until Faster Payments has been implemented payments will continue to take 3- 4 working days.

The Faster Payments Service is a major change to the way banks transfer money, which brings some real benefits to our customers. The phased roll-out across the industry means it will take a little time for all major banks to be up and running, but does mean we carefully manage the implementation to manage the risks to ourselves and consumers.

HBOS, like some other banks, have chosen to phase the rollout of Faster Payments by splitting inbound and outbound capability. We will also phase the rollout of outbound payments throughout August and September. Phasing the rollout is aimed at minimising risk to HBOS and its customers by ensuring a smooth transition to a new, world-leading payment system.


More information regarding how customers can send funds via the Faster Payment Service will be released nearer the time. Full information will be communicated via our Website and all the relevant channels, such as Telephone Banking and Branch colleagues, will also be provided with accurate and up to date information in order to assist with customer queries.

In a nutshell (reading between the waffle and excuses) - it will probably be implemented sometime in September but no one has a clue when.

My guess is it may be working by September 30, but I won't hold my breath.

moominyak

Lol, at least they were thorough! All I got was:

Thank you for your e-mail dated 29th August 2008.

At present I am unable to provide you with an exact date that the Faster Payment service will be released.

Further infomation will be provided on our Web Site closer to the release date.

I trust this information helps.

I submitted another query today, no doubt the response will be along the same lines. All I want is a definite date, even if that's October 1st! It's all this "closer to the release date" and "nearer the time" carp that I find frustrating. As there is only half of September left, how much ''nearer the time'' do they mean I wonder? :rolleyes:

globalds

It is slowing down my match betting ..
From HSBC ..it is as close to instant as you can get ..I send cash to halifax ,refresh the page and it is in .
To move it back ...about 3 days ..

Frimo

I have just attempted to make a payment from my halifax to natwest it would not let me select todays date it wanted tomorrows! i rang Halifax and was told "Thats the way it works" I stated "then you are NOT part of the faster payments service" to which they stated "Yes we are" I dont think so! being part of the faster payments service means a payment (aslong as the recipient can receive faster payments, which natwest can) then it should take upto 2 hours! chosing tomorrows date is way over 2 hours! so they are not abiding by the terms of the faster payments, surely there must be something we can do about this, I feel I have been lead astray and would not have chosen them if I had thought they would do this.

I strongly believe this is just an attempt to make interest off us! I work in the technology field and there is no way they have seperate scripts for everyones accounts! its all or none so what is going on?

alared

Has anyone got a link saying who`s doing "faster payments"
When I tried to transfer yesterday from Halifax,it gave today`s date before I could and also said it would take three working days.

Milarky

Frimo wrote: »

Surely there must be something we can do about this, I feel I have been lead astray and would not have chosen them if I had thought they would do this

Nothing you - or anyone - can do for the failure to make Faster Payments available to customers '24/7' [or at all] because the commitment was only by APACS to 'deliver' a payments system to which the banks can connect. They are not obliged to connect to it and - specifically - nothing in the undertakings given to the OFT in 2005 ensured that they would in any particular timescale.

Yes, it is a flawed arrangement indeed that didn't include the banks themselves - but no one spotted this at the time and just assumed that they would be pressing for this just as keenly as anyone else.

Short answer, they don't because they don't have to.

[Note to future government: do not set up to change industry practices/standards by putting said industry in charge of reforms]

rosy

alared wrote: »

Has anyone got a link saying who`s doing "faster payments"
When I tried to transfer yesterday from Halifax,it gave today`s date before I could and also said it would take three working days.

I would love to know this too - I was in my branch of the Halifax today and was told that it would probably be up and running fully by the end of September but they couldn't guarantee that. The staff in the branch said they had had all their training for it and the pilot was successful but currently the faster payments via the Halifax are only for payments coming in to them from elsewhere & for some standing orders, but still the three working days for payments going out.
Anyone know if Northern Rock does the faster payments system ( both into and out of their accounts ) yet?

Mikeyorks

Lots of earlier threads on Faster Payments - who's doing it / values etc. Just use the Search at the top of the forum?

APACS also have a Sort Code checker showing which codes accept FP currently.
http://www.apacs.org.uk/sortcodechecker/index.html

ToeKnee2007

I noticed that the "Watch out for Faster Payments" banner has been removed from their online banking login page.

Maybe they've finally implemented it after all of the hype?

No such luck!
When I tried it out I got the usual error message: "You have selected today's date. On this occasion we're unable to send this as an Immediate Faster Payment."

Maybe they have given up and are waiting for Lloyds TSB IT support to show them how?

Mullhon2

The Faster Payment System is still been implemented, it is just delayed. Halifax can receive faster payments, but sends as a external payment to leave account following day.
But when it is set up it may still take same four working days to be rceived!