HSBC Changing all Bank accounts

GrammarGirl

I've been with HSBC since I was 16 and was very pleased with their service until July this year. I've moved from a normal current account to a student account to a graduate account without a problem. When I desperately needed to extend my overdraft the staff were understanding and so helpful and let me extend it, no worries. However, in July I applied for a credit card with HSBC. When I applied and did my 'digital signature' on the online T&Cs, the offer was advertised as 12 months interest free on purchases. HSBC then sent me a letter saying my income was unconfirmed and asking me to take a payslip into my local branch. It took me a few days to get this done and when I finally got into branch, the staff were very helpful. Only when I was asked to sign another set of (physical) T&Cs did I realise the offer had changed - 12 months interest free was now 3.

Although the staff in branch were very helpful and did everything they could, I didn't get the 12 months I originally signed for. Nor did my repeated calls to HSBC make any difference. They wouldn't even extend the offer to 6 months for me out of goodwill. I realise they don't HAVE to do anything, but surely as i SIGNED T&Cs stating the interest free period was 12 months, this is what I should get?!

Unfortunately, as a recent graduate with no real credit history, I was unable to get another card and had to accept the 3 month offer. The 3 months are up and despite paying off about £600 since July, I still have £250 on the card which I'm paying 16.9% interest on! Will never trust HSBC again!

ahai1

I am sure a lot of the undesireable customers don't have internet access.

Lokolo wrote: »

Internet banking tbh...

Lokolo

ahai1 wrote: »

I am sure a lot of the undesireable customers don't have internet access.

That is a lie and you know it. Most of the population have access to the internet and a lot of users use interent banking.

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=8

65% of the population has access to the internet.

---

GrammarGirl - thats why people don't get credit cards.....

scat

I've been with HSBC for 25 years. About 5 years ago we were given a months notice on the house we were renting. We never have any spare income so I went to my local branch and asked if they would give me a loan to cover the expense of moving. I was offered a coffee and came out with a loan for £8,000. On that I paid just over £1,500 interest and £1,700 loan protection. It was more money than I needed but I was told that it was at a better interest rate and I'ld be a fool to take less... they also talked me into having a credit card with a £9,000 limit. Well of course the repayments on the loan took up all of my spare income and when I'd spent the balance I then lived off the credit card. The only thing I can be thankful for is that I insisted that I pay the loan off over 5 years and not the 10 suggested.

Banks are not your friend. They are there to make money. They made a lot of money off me that day and I shall be paying for that move for some years to come. I think you live and learn but it wasn't responsible lending. I was too stressed at the time to care about anything other than getting the money to move house. The Bank only cared about making as much money out of me as possible.

I've learnt my lesson. I don't suppose any other bank would be any better.

Do I trust HSBC? Absolutely not. Do banks have customers interests at heart? NO! They are there to make money anyway that they can.

ahai1

If I understand my maths that means 100-65=35 so 35% don't have net access and they are likely to be on benefits or low income jobs. Now how of those 35% are undesired HSBC customers?

Lokolo wrote: »

That is a lie and you know it. Most of the population have access to the internet and a lot of users use interent banking.

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=8

65% of the population has access to the internet.

---

GrammarGirl - thats why people don't get credit cards.....

Inactive

ldavies wrote: »

I think we really need to agree to disagree on this one.. I know it can be fustrating to queue occasionally, I know sometimes it can be difficult to see someone from customer services, I know people love their chequebooks and the monthly statement and the 2p interest they are losing and everything else that may be changing but really, it isnt all that bad.. If banking stayed the way it was or reverted to how it used to be, there would be fewer branches... Which would you prefer? again, people would be / are upset either way! Yes, im sure it comes down to cost and again, another fact of life, no just HSBC

Not sure that I can understand that, Midland Bank had far more branches than exist with HSBC, they even had mobile banks that served the local villages on a weekly basis, they also employed far more staff giving a far better service than is the case now.

Now they cannot even send out a statement on a monthly basis to their less well off customers.

I don't call that progress for the customer, maybe for the greedy bosses.

The one thing that HSBC excel at is convincing their staff that what they are doing is in the best interest of customers...Yeah Right.

Now I call that brain washing, I stand by that.;)

ahai1

I totally agree with you about the brain washing.

Lokolo

ahai1 wrote: »

If I understand my maths that means 100-65=35 so 35% don't have net access and they are likely to be on benefits or low income jobs. Now how of those 35% are undesired HSBC customers?

35% of people don't have the interenet at home, doesn't mean they can't go elsewhere to get it.

-

Inactive

Lokolo wrote: »

35% of people don't have the interenet at home, doesn't mean they can't go elsewhere to get it.

I would think the majority of the people who don't have the internet are OAP's and therefore do not give a sh*t about statements because they can't read them

I find that remark extremely offensive.

mintedmatty

come on peeps!! lets keep this civilised,