Help with complaint to Halifax

Scaredy_Cat_3

Please advise me. I opened 2 children's regular saver accounts with the Halifax online on 15th April. I received 2 emails the next day confirming they had all the info required and would send confirmation in the post.

I thought I would just ring and ask when this would be coming as I want to get the s/o set up when I do my finances later this week. I was kept on for 20 minutes only to be told they have no record of these accounts. No-one will take ownership, no-one will ring me back. All they suggest is that I ring in and apply AGAIN over the phone. The whole point of applying online was that it was free (ie included in my monthly internet bill) and easier.

I have these emails confirming receipt of my info., so I am not happy that they have lost everything. Any thoughts on what I can do? I mean, apart from put in a written complaint?

Lokolo

Go into branch? Kick up a fuss and they'll do it for you there and then.

Telephone banking - worst thing ever 'invented'.

naijapower

Lokolo wrote: »

Go into branch? Kick up a fuss and they'll do it for you there and then.

Telephone banking - worst thing ever 'invented'.

Very true.

Scaredy_Cat_3

I don't really want to go into the branch if I can avoid it. I've found them pretty useless (although friendly) when I had a problem in the past.

I don't know where I can go from here. I don't want to open another account online because I've done it online already and it must still be somewhere in the ether???? Might mess things up if I open another one.

Plus, if I'm honest, what really wound me up was the attitude of the staff. I spoke to a supervisor and even she was useless. All she could suggest was that I apply again over the phone. Surely, if they have sent out emails confirming receipt, they MUST have the applications somewhere in their system?

Scaredy_Cat_3

Just a minute... the Children's regular saver is showing an interest rate of 6%. When I applied on 15th April it was 8%, I'm sure.

What are they playing at?

Lokolo

Scaredy_Cat wrote: »

Just a minute... the Children's regular saver is showing an interest rate of 6%. When I applied on 15th April it was 8%, I'm sure.

What are they playing at?

Well rates can change...

Scaredy_Cat_3

Lokolo wrote: »

Well rates can change...

Yes, but it was 8% FIXED!!!! If I apply now (as they are suggesting), I'll get the new rate.:mad:

Scaredy_Cat_3

I can't seem to find the link for previous interest rates for this account (every other account, but not this one!) on the Halifax website. Can anyone help me to see the previous rate? Or indeed just confirm to me that it was 8% as I believe (and I'm not just going crazy!)

steveksullivan

I'm fed up with banks and building societies taking liberties with our money at our expense!

Last year during Nationwides fiasco with ISA account openings, my account took so long to open and I was losing so much interest that I made several phone calls totalling literally hours!! (being put on hold for 20mins or so at a time)

In the end I goy the Chief executives email address (from here on MSE I think) and after several email exchanges with his department in the end got a compensation cheque for £100.00 which nicely supplemented the interest on the ISA!

you need to have your facts straight and be firm. In your case if you have the email responses to your applications you should be in a good position.

Hope you get something - you should at least be able to argue for the difference between the interest rate you will now get and what you would have got if the accounts were opened when they should have been !! (but I would add something for the inconvenience and time taken in phone calls as I did )

Good luck!

just found this hope it helps!!
Halifax Bank of ScotlandAndy Hornby, Chief Executive[EMAIL="andyhornby@hbosplc.com"]andyhornby@hbosplc.com[/EMAIL]http://www.hbosplc.comHBOS.L5 Feb

10_66

Scaredy_Cat wrote: »

I can't seem to find the link for previous interest rates for this account (every other account, but not this one!) on the Halifax website. Can anyone help me to see the previous rate? Or indeed just confirm to me that it was 8% as I believe (and I'm not just going crazy!)

Halifax are good at removing previous account details from their website. I can't find any mention of it on their website, but have found it mentioned HERE, if that's of any help.

Scaredy_Cat_3

That's excellent - thank you!

I decided to ring customer relations before (maybe instead of) the stroppy letter. Spoke to a really nice lady who says she has an answer for me already. She has left a message on my answerphone while I popped out to meet the kids from school. I am just trying to ring her back but her line is busy at the mo.

EDIT: She has spoken to the online team who say there is a backlog but I should receive confirmation soon. She can't confirm that my specific applications have been received (obviously the backlog will have to be cleared and the account actually opened before they can see the details), but she says the fact that I have confirmation emails should be enough proof if anything goes wrong.

I asked (cheekily) for compensation because the person I spoke to before really upset me (so much so that rather than open the account again as she suggested, I was prepared to close my existing account and take the children's savers accounts elsewhere). However, she said she won't give compensation because there was no financial loss (apart from the 20 minutes on the phone!!!).

Anyway, I don't know what to do now. The customer relations woman was really nice and helpful (as you would expect), which makes me think I should leave it at that. But I am upset at the way the other woman handled it and still wonder if I should put in a complaint about her upsetting me so much, and giving me the wrong info (telling me to open the account again). What do you think?