Hsbc Arrrhhhh!!!!!!!!!

Peridot1

Hi all I just need to rant about the appalling customer service I have received from the HSBC.

I have had a few financial issues for the past few months and as a result I was up to my overdraft limit. Unfortunately I had dd's go out throughout the months which took me over my overdraft. I understood that I would get charged but I was not expecting to get charged £150. As a result this took me further into debt and this has caused a vicious circle ever since to the point where I am getting these charges every month.
I decided to change my DD's to the first of the month which is when I get paid and I the called the bank last month to see if there is anyway I could pay the the overdraft off monthly by changing my account to a basic so that way there would be no chance of me getting overdrawn and I could pay off my overdraft. I was told no I could not do this but instead they offered my a managed loan and a pension!!!! Needless to say I turned this down as I couldn't how getting a manged loan was going to help my situation.

Monday: I get a call from the HSBC telling me I was £500 overdrawn, I apologised and said that I will pay it on the first as my partner will be transfering some of his wages into my account. I was told that they wanted the money in my account by tuesday, I said that this was not possible as I only get payed monthly. I was then spoken to like a child and told to manage my account better (yes I do know this!!) and to up my income, I explained that I can only work part time as I am an OU student but I have started to do some mystery shopping to help pay it off. I was then told that I should consider taking some time off from my degree and go back to full time work!!!! Well at this point I was getting angry, I explained that I phoned the bank last month and got offered a managed loan and a pension and his reply was to comsider it!!! I told him that I will pay on the first of the month and I was not prepared to take on more debt.

Tuesday: I get another call frome the HSBC asking when I was going to pay the overdraft, I explained that I already have had this converstaion and that I will be paying on the first of the month, I was told that I will be charged a £150 21 days form now. I explained that I could not afford this as I am trying to get my overdraft payed off and this will bring me back to square one. The lady said that if I had an issue with the charges then she will have to pass me on to someone else, well I was passed on to 3 different people, where I had to explain that if I get charged that amount I will be in trouble. After half an hour of being passed from pillar to post, I was getting angry, when I finally got though to someone I explained that I had anough of the rude and unhelpful staff and these charges are killing me, I also explained that on the first my partner will be paying my overdraft and I will be changing banks. She apologised and said that she agreed with me and as a good will gesture I will only have to pay £50 charge. I agreed to this and I got off the phone feeling a lot more positive.

Wenesday: Guess what? I get another call from the HSBC asking when I am going to get this overdraft sorted out and that I will be getting a £150 charge if it is not payed by the end of the week!!!!!!!!! Again I explained that I have all ready discussed this with the HSBC and have agreed to pay £50. I was then told that I need to get this sorted out and make sure I keep a better eye on my out goings (she was very rude).

Yesterday: I get another call from the HSBC and I lost it, I told them I have received calls everyday this week and this is starting to upset me, I also said that this is harrassment and I will be writting a letter of complaint and I thought the staff were rude, unhelpful and incompetent. I said I thought the lack of communication is disgusting and the fact they seem to want me to get into more debt and drop me degree so I could work full time was outragous. I explained that when I asked if I could pay off the overdraft monthly I was told no, so I my opinion they wanted my to be overdrawn so they could get £150 off me a month. I also said that I will be sorting my account out on the first of the month and I will be changing accounts. I man apologised and assured be that the phone calls will stop, which I replied that they better had or I will be seeking advice for this haressment from the bank. He assured me that I was 'a valued customer' and he could up my overdraft and allow me to pay £30 per month of my overdraft....why was I refused this last month!!!!!!!
I said that I just wanted to leave and that after 13 years of being with the bank i found the way they treated their customers was disgusting but I will discuss this with my partner.

I am still angry with the bank and I would not be surprised if they call me again today. Yes I have had some difficulties but I have done my best to sort this out...what else am I supposed to do?

Okay rant over.

Peridot.

pinkshoes

What you need to remember is that a bank is a business, and having a bank account is not a human right. They're not lending you money out of niceness!

They certainly shouldn't have been so rude to you, but given the current credit crunch, they'll be doing what they can to claw back money owed to them, like many businesses are trying to do, hence their suggestions to earn more money, or take a year out from your degree to earn.

Don't take it too personally; you owe them money and they want back what is theirs.

TighterThanTwoCoatsOfPain

To add, i assume you are getting these charges for being OVER your overdraft? If so, will they consider increasing the limit.

What the the rate of the personal loan? Depending on the amount, perhaps you SHOULD consider it as long as you are disiplined (sp) about not using the overdraft again? Note - this is not getting you into MORE debt, just moving around what you already have.

Have you considered trying to get a 0% Credit Card to clear the overdraft? Would obviously depend on your credit worthness but worth thinking about.

Peridot1

yes I know they want their money back thats fair enough and if you had read my message you will see that I have agreed to pay on the first, where do you expect me to find the money by today, the money tree in my back garden? are you suggesting that I disrupt my education? no chance I have 2 years in which to complete it as the degree in discontinued in 2011. if you have read my post you will see that I have been upping my income.

Yes I owe them money but that does not give them the right to hound me after I have made an agreement with them.

Daytona_nev

Peridot1 wrote: »

yes I know they want their money back thats fair enough and if you had read my message you will see that I have agreed to pay on the first, where do you expect me to find the money by today, the money tree in my back garden? are you suggesting that I disrupt my education? no chance I have 2 years in which to complete it as the degree in discontinued in 2011. if you have read my post you will see that I have been upping my income.

Yes I owe them money but that does not give them the right to hound me after I have made an agreement with them.

Does your partner work full time and could get a small loan? At the end of the day you owe this money whatever. An option may be to take a loan to pay off the overdraft and get the bank off your case. You'll owe no more by taking a small loan to cover it. If your partner can cover a loan for you and you pay them back say over a 12 month period.

This happened to me many years ago & it does teach you to watch finances more closely. Your biggest problem is having a bank on your case charging you ridiculous amounts of money so focus on getting them off your back, then the only stress you'll have is managing your finances without having to worry about harassment phone calls.

People explaining why the bank is doing it doesn't really help your situation. I think the above is a practical solution if its feasible.

pinkshoes

Peridot1 wrote: »

yes I know they want their money back thats fair enough and if you had read my message you will see that I have agreed to pay on the first, where do you expect me to find the money by today, the money tree in my back garden? are you suggesting that I disrupt my education? no chance I have 2 years in which to complete it as the degree in discontinued in 2011. if you have read my post you will see that I have been upping my income.

Yes I owe them money but that does not give them the right to hound me after I have made an agreement with them.

Actually I took a year out of my degree to work, and it was the best decision I ever made. You didn't mention that your course was ending in 2011.

There was no need to be rude. I DID read your post, and as I said before, due to the credit crunch, many financial institutions are trying to claw back money owed, and obviously by continually phoning and asking.

Do you have nothing of value that you could sell to pay off your debt? Have you been into your local branch to actually talk face to face with someone rather than the stupid people that work in their call centres?

Peridot1

I have no problem with having to pay off the overdraft as I mentioned this is getting sorted on Wednesday what I do have a problem with is rude HSBC staff and being hounded every day this week which I why I posted on this board.

Pinkshoes I am sorry for being rude but your reply suggested that I had an issue with paying off my overdraft, I don't. However I do have an issue with the charges which have made me go overdrawn. So essentially its bank who are getting me in the sh*t not me over spending.

I did go in the branch when I first started getting into trouble with my overdraft but they seemed at a loss as what to do. I was offered a managed loan then as well as my credit rating was poor ( I was not on the electoral register at that point). I am sorry but I was not prepared to do that, its just dragging out the debt.

My partner can afford to pay this off for me on Wednesday, that way I can go and open a basic bank account.

I will never get another overdraft again, they are evil!!

Thanks your advice everyone I am off to do a mystery shop!

Peridot.