Money "eaten up" by Halifax Bank - and no idea when it'll come back!!!

daisythecat_2

Hi
I had problems with the Halifax when i closed my fixed rate web saver account early, they short changed me with interest they paid me , click on the link and read all about!!!
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1179337&highlight=how+to+calculate+interest+rates

Although it was sorted out, they did pay out in the end, but took along time and alot of phone calls.

opinions4u

hwfan wrote: »

Just to nitpick but here are the features on the HSBC system that I like vs. Halifax/HBOS:

i) ability to raise a query on the internet banking system, no need to call 0845 rip-off numbers

ii) ability to resolve issues and very efficient new-account set up procedures online

iii) new accounts show up automatically when they're open, no need to manually input details onto the damn system

iv) clearly set out options (transfers/bank payments)

v) same-day payments out into Halifax (but Halifax needs 3 working days to send payments back to HSBC)


Any recommendations on where I should go? I'm not looking for the absolute best interest but I would like something better than HSBC with similarly advanced computer systems and more importantly, low likelihoods of going belly-up! Cheers.

Hope they've resolved this. It sounds technical - and your Icelandic experience won't be making you feel comfortable! Keep ringing, speaking to supervisors, etc etc.

(i) I prefer dealing with companies by phone when I have a complaint, but this is a preference. 0845 numbers aren't massively expensive. I always ask companies to call me straight back and those who don't have the facility to do this lose my business.

(ii) I've always found the Halifax online system superb - I used to have 20+ Web Savers which worked wonderfully for me. Shame the rates deteriorated, or I'd still have the best money management system I've ever used.

(iii) The ability to hide an account from Mrs Opinions4u by it not automatically appearing on the screen is much appreciated. Especially if it's hidden because it has the funds for her birthday pressie in it!

(iv) Halifax made transferring money changes a few months ago which took me time to get used to. In fairness, the new look is far more logical than the old look.

(v) Halifax do now do Faster Payments, although at present they only seem to work on smaller amounts. I assume they are testing their systems and ensuring they are fraud proof.

slopemaster

Had a couple of similar experiences recently when we tried to open accounts and banks turned one of us down after ID checks - but took the money or cashed the cheques anyway!
Waiting for 3600 from PO ISA. And a larger sum from B&B - who won't answer my partners e-mails, nor speak to me as I am not him, nor give him a number to call on that works from abroad.
I suspect it gets harder to "pass" the ID checks at times when they have just withdrawn a product too.... I suspect quotas

Lansdowne

I'm a bit concerned by an online system that, apparently, debited HWfan's account although the transaction was not correctly completed. Any ordinary online purchase usually ends with about three screens to the effect of "Your account will now be debited with the sum of £24.99. Press Continue to confirm". Surely the same should happen for a debit of £12000.00, even if it's within the same bank.

hwfan

Lansdowne wrote: »

I'm a bit concerned by an online system that, apparently, debited HWfan's account although the transaction was not correctly completed. Any ordinary online purchase usually ends with about three screens to the effect of "Your account will now be debited with the sum of £24.99. Press Continue to confirm". Surely the same should happen for a debit of £12000.00, even if it's within the same bank.

Spoke to them friday evening, had to repeat my case a 5th time, apparently there's no such thing as a case log on their system! Confirmed this with the poor lady who had to bear the brunt of my complains - know it's not their (online helpdesk personnel) fault per se but the person who's in charge of online banking/customer service needs to bear some responsibility for this!!! This just shows very poor systems and internal computer controls being in place!

Asked for an email so I could have confirmation of that my money was safe and in the process of being recovered, but was told they don't do that as they might "give confidential information away" so was offered a letter from the resolutions team or something... the lady was going to put through (yet another request) to sort it out, but guaranteed that the money was still in the halifax, just in limbo somewhere.. not much comfort given it was all just said over the phone, but i did take her name down.

This just confirms the terrible and rather worrying practices the Halifax gets up to and the fact that slopemaster had bad experiences from B&B and PO just reinforces my suspicion that the halifax are up to something dodgy. 12k from one person may not be a lot but a bit here and there can add up to quite a fair bit of missing money...

I've really had it with them - they are really prompt in debiting my account with interest even if I go £10 overdrawn, but they don't seem anywhere near as efficient when they're due to cough up some interest due to their customers!

noh

Raise a formal complaint with customer relations.
http://www.halifax.co.uk/contactus/howtocomplain.asp
In my experience this is the quickest way to resolve problems that the CS reps seem unable to deal with.

Edit:- YorkshireBoy suggested this 5 days ago have you called them yet?
Nigel

hwfan

noh wrote: »

Raise a formal complaint with customer relations.
http://www.halifax.co.uk/contactus/howtocomplain.asp
In my experience this is the quickest way to resolve problems that the CS reps seem unable to deal with.

Edit:- YorkshireBoy suggested this 5 days ago have you called them yet?
Nigel

Thanks for the reminder, but I'm currently giving it another week to see if I'm going to get some sort of letter/update, before I escalate this to the complains department. Ideally I would like to see my money back before I scold them because it might just complicate matters further if I raise multiple complains..

opinions4u

Don't be a victim of incompetence when you don't have to be.

Get it escalated.

It should take somebody who knows what they're doing 30 minutes to locate your money, 10 minutes to type a letter reassuring you and get it out first class tonight and probably resolve the whole issue today.

Ask for compensation while you're at it.

foofi22

Don't call them - get them to call you!

http://www.halifax.co.uk/savings/savingscallback.asp

I had a similar problem - when my fixed rate web saver ended I had closed the variable rate account it was due to be held in. Gave them a ring (well they rang me after using the above link) and as expected my money was held in holding account. Nominated a new account and told to expect it back within 2 days, ended up receiving it later that day. I would happily recommend their online service.

hwfan

Thanks for the feedback and advice everyone. I did call their complaints line on the 4th and was told that the reason why my money disappeared was because my money was indeed transferred to a new account, which apparently "held a different address from the one on my records".

This was confirmed by a letter (happily sent 2nd class just like the type of service they provide, and received just yesterday) saying "However, this Fixed Web Saver holds a different address from the one on your records. Our records show your address as London. Therefore you will be unable to add this account to your profile".

This is ABSOLUTE AND TOTAL TOSS!!!!!! Simply because when I applied, my address was shown automatically on screen and I merely had to confirm the address(which is the only one I have and the correct one). HOW COULD THERE POSSIBLY BE A DIFFERENT ADDRESS ON THIS ACCOUNT WHEN I NEVER EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO MIS-TYPE MY ADDRESS??!!?!

SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO DO I HAVE HAD IT WITH THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THEY NEED TO ANSWER FOR THEIR ABSOLUTE INCOMPETENCE, 12k MISSING FOR 2 WEEKS IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!!

Please advise what sort of compensation and recourse I should seek, 6 phone calls repeating my issue OVER AND OVER AND OVER again with absolutely NO PROGRESS WHATSOEVER and merely a VAGUE AND INCOMPREHENSIBLE EXCUSE is SIMPLY BAD, BAD, BADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD service!