HBOS ARE A DISGRACE. Please read this item, as we all can learn from the experience.

ShelfStacker_3

Monday lunch-time we find ourselves at a Halifax Branch talking with a Customer Representative and providing that member of staff with documents and our passports. There were some queries about a specific transaction on our account and the bank suspected we "were up to no good"

If that happened as you say it did, it's "tipping off" a suspect of money laundering, and punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Worrying.

JoeBloggs001

Yes, the screen wasn't hidden from us and we saw the text "Suspect Fraud" on our account.

I pointed it out to the Customer Representative and basically said "Well let's get this sorted out then".

There was a long relationship with the bank, we told the bank that we can provide details for our main company

for the last year, advised them to go onto Companies House for the Company accounts, said that we would give

them permission to speak with our Business Bankers ( HSBC ) - our Business Manager and finally, that our

Chartered Accountants would be able to provide any information that was deemed to be required. We could do

all of this there and then at the Branch. We also explained that we fully appreciated that they had to ensure

that the account wasn't being used Fraudently.

So you see, a lot of transparency and a lot of professionalism from us.

The result was that the lock was removed from the account, some documents ( such as our passport ) were

photocopied and faxed up to Head Office.

But we later discovered that it was a particular transaction that the Bank wished to see information about and because

the transaction is so recent, we do not have any documentation for it.

That's fine, we'll ask HSBC to provide us with suitable documentation to covers the transaction and we'll do that first

thing tomorrow morning. The annoyance is that 90% of the funds that go into our Halifax account comes from our

Business Account and that a simple check by the Halifax would have confirmed the origin of the money electronic

transfer.

HBOS could have dealt with the issue the first time we were at the branch. Instead they failed to provide us with

information about what they needed to clarify and then, to make the matter even worse, treated us as criminals.

It should not happen but it did.

peachyprice

JoeBloggs001 wrote: »

Baby is running around nappy-less. Not much we can do about that other
than accept the situation :-)

Make sure you send HBOS the bill for cleaning the carpets

What a truly awful experience.

JoeBloggs001

Thanks. We are feeling a little better now that we have it off our chests.

To think that we all will be paying for this bank to continue it's failed business

for decades to come.

opinions4u

You fell victim of the organisation's legal requirements with regards to money laundering and regulatory requirements with regards to potential fraud.

Unfortunately, the branch didn't handle it cleverly and their communication with their central departments was awful. Leaving you between a rock and a hard place. Look up "complaints" on their web site and pursue it. You might actually find that they make an effort to try and build bridges.

To think that we all will be paying for this bank to continue it's failed business
for decades to come.

The retail business (the bit you and me trade with) hasn't failed. It made a £1.4bn profit in 2008.

noah271007

The way Halifax has handled your bank account is nothing short of a disgrace! Have you written to the Head Office to make a formal complaint?

You can take it further to the FOS if you are not satisfied with Halifax's response to your complaint.

Although i detest compensation culture, there are certainly grounds here for compensation for sheer negligence and incompetency and i would recommend you go for it. Kick them where it hurts!

turbobob

ShelfStacker wrote: »

If that happened as you say it did, it's "tipping off" a suspect of money laundering, and punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Worrying.

Definitely. It sounds like some of them at that branch urgently need to do their money laundering prevention training...

JoeBloggs001

We got the impression as we left the Branch that the Branch Manager wasn't particularly happy about the Head Office's decision. She looked pretty concerned. It's worth noting that the Branch Manager, after a rocky start, was on our side. There was a lot of documentation taken into the office and it was clear to see that there wasn't an issue. The lock remains simply because Head Office wants to see the source of 1 particular transaction.

Our focus is on getting the lock off the account and re-gaining access to the cash. We are not going to close the account immediately.

We applied for an account online last night and we'll open another account tomorrow morning with the HSBC, who have the business accounts. We'll wait for these to be set up first and then drop HBOS. Also, we'll withdraw cash from a business account tomorrow so that we can get the things we need.

Quite likely that some DD's have failed or will fail whilst the matter is sorted. We'll definitely be presenting the Halifax with that bill.

We are considering making a formal complaint. We appreciate all the replies as it's helping us get our head's straight and think about our response.

We'll let everyone know what happens tomorrow and more importantly how quickly the account is re-activated.

Biggest difficulty tomorrow will be that of trying to keep our composures. Really tempted to treat them back the same way we have been treated but that's not going to get us anywhere ;-)


Opinions4u: Shooting from the hip with the failed business remark. We accept your point about the Retail Banking arm of the Company. Some fraustration :-)

hieveryone

Surely if you are earning 200k a year and have business then you have busines or personal credit cards that you can buy nappies on? Or some of your friends could loan the £20 quid or however much to buy a few packs.

storminbalder

Your solution is quite simple.

You need to find a new bank, and, as someone above has already stated, this time a proper bank!

Every bank has to carry out anti-fraud measures, as it would seem that this is what you have fallen foul of.

The difference is how that bank carries out these measures. You appear to think that all banks are the same, well all banks are not the same, and it would appear that you have chosen one of the worst. things may improve in the long term now that they are owned by Lloyds, but I fear they will not do so quickly enough to satisfy you.

As you are earning £200,000 per year, it somewhat surpises me that you have not previously given your choice of bank greater consideration.

My suggestion? Avoid those ex buliding societies that need to give inducments to encourage customers to open accounts with them.