Halifax one - a warning

wesd

Hi,

If anyone is considering transferring a balance to the Halifax One card - a word of warning.

In all of Halifax's literature - web site terms & conditions and printed booklets from branches - the halifax one card is clearly listed as having a 2% transfer fee with a minimum £2 and maximum £50. I was transferring a high enough balance for the £50 fee to be well under a months interest on my existing card so I decided it was still a good deal.

When I got my first statement, I discovered that Halifax had charged me the full 2% fee (way more than £50). I have had no joy at all from their customer relations department - they just keep repeating that the agreement I signed made no mention of a £50 limit. I can't dispute this but their advertising is misleading, if not downright dishonest!

Does anyone know whether complaints about financial advertising should be made to the fsa or to my local trading standards (in which case, is the trader's address that of a local halifax branch or is it halifax's head office).

Definitely a card to avoid! It'll be cut up and returned the as soon as the interest free period ends!

jitsuguy

It sounds you should mention it to the trading standards office as for whether its the branch or head office why not both. Head office for the misleading on the website and the branch for the misleading in the branch advertising (if there was any mention of it).

YorkshireBoy

The T&C's on your signed credit agreement are those that apply to your account - not those on the website or other advertising material.

How long have you had the card? Because the Halifax One 'offer' was changed in mid-November last year when it went from 12 months 0% on purchases and BT's (with a 2% uncapped fee) to 3 months 0% on purchases and 12 months 0% on BT's with a 2% max £50 BT fee.

wesd

YorkshireBoy wrote:

The T&C's on your signed credit agreement are those that apply to your account - not those on the website or other advertising material.

How long have you had the card? Because the Halifax One 'offer' was changed in mid-November last year when it went from 12 months 0% on purchases and BT's (with a 2% uncapped fee) to 3 months 0% on purchases and 12 months 0% on BT's with a 2% max £50 BT fee.

The transfer was applied on 17th November. I know I don't have a leg to stand on legally since they have a signed agreement but I'm cheesed off at their misleading advertising. I had checked out the T&Cs before I applied for the card and it specifically stated a £50 maximum.

zeddy_2

Hi,

It is worth having a good moan in a letter to their head office. You have nothing to lose as you say 'you don't have a leg to stand on legally', but sometimes they will give you something as a one off as a sorry. Some companies have done this for me in the past when I felt I had been mis-sold things.

Galstonian

Write to them and complain. Keep it short, to the point and suggest remidial action on their part.