HolyCow...Halifax credit card

MrsHammy

I have a halifax credit card which I have had for about 8 years.
I took it out when I split from my first husband, I was working part time, and the limit was £700.
The limit has now reached £13,850!
It's been no problem over the years, I've always paid the bills, no isues, even paid it off completely at one point(about 10 grand) when new hubby and I had a lump sum of money.
Alongside, I also had a couple of smaller cards, and over the past year Halifax have been sending me good transfer offers by email, and as this card had been paid off, I transferred, 1 at a time, 3 other balances at promo rates.
So, still plodding along making my payments, about 6 weeks ago, I somehow managed to make a late payment and ended up, due to the charges they added to my account, £17 over my credit limit.....now, due to this error on my part, they have removed the promo rates and are now charging me between 25 and 30%
I almost died of heart failure when my bill arrived last month, hopped straight on the phone to a nice man in their call centre who assured me that as long as I paid the minimum amount asap, all would be well.
Well, Mr Nice Man was either full of it, or, had no idea what he talking about as, had I believed him and paid only the minimum amount, I would still be overlimit, and, as I found out today, even tho I am now well underlimit, it's tough, the interest rates will not go back to the promo rates and I am stuck with a HUGE balance and 25- 30% interest rates.
1/ I feel pretty furious that they would treat me so badly after being what I would consider a bloody good customer for many years.
2/ Why do the call centre staff give out such enormous misinformation?
Any ideas?

stella2009

MrsHammy wrote: »

I have a halifax credit card which I have had for about 8 years.
I took it out when I split from my first husband, I was working part time, and the limit was £700.
The limit has now reached £13,850!
It's been no problem over the years, I've always paid the bills, no isues, even paid it off completely at one point(about 10 grand) when new hubby and I had a lump sum of money.
Alongside, I also had a couple of smaller cards, and over the past year Halifax have been sending me good transfer offers by email, and as this card had been paid off, I transferred, 1 at a time, 3 other balances at promo rates.
So, still plodding along making my payments, about 6 weeks ago, I somehow managed to make a late payment and ended up, due to the charges they added to my account, £17 over my credit limit.....now, due to this error on my part, they have removed the promo rates and are now charging me between 25 and 30%
I almost died of heart failure when my bill arrived last month, hopped straight on the phone to a nice man in their call centre who assured me that as long as I paid the minimum amount asap, all would be well.
Well, Mr Nice Man was either full of it, or, had no idea what he talking about as, had I believed him and paid only the minimum amount, I would still be overlimit, and, as I found out today, even tho I am now well underlimit, it's tough, the interest rates will not go back to the promo rates and I am stuck with a HUGE balance and 25- 30% interest rates.
1/ I feel pretty furious that they would treat me so badly after being what I would consider a bloody good customer for many years.
2/ Why do the call centre staff give out such enormous misinformation?
Any ideas?

Generally they won't care in this situation.

In fact you have done something that has played straight into their hands. They give you a promo rate as you are not using the card so much. You take them up on the offer and then breach the Ts and Cs to enable them to start earning the cash from you!!

Just beg them to put it right going on your relationship with them. I doubt it will work unless you go high up the chain though!

Good luck.

MrsHammy

I am composing a letter of complaint, well, a letter of disbelief to be more accurate, as we speak.
If I get no joy, I will just transfer the balance to other cards, and never use the Halifax's services ever again, and will also take any and every given opportunity to tell anyone who will listen exactly what I think of the company.
Thank you for your reply and advice.

stella2009

MrsHammy wrote: »

I am composing a letter of complaint, well, a letter of disbelief to be more accurate, as we speak.
If I get no joy, I will just transfer the balance to other cards, and never use the Halifax's services ever again, and will also take any and every given opportunity to tell anyone who will listen exactly what I think of the company.
Thank you for your reply and advice.

It will only work / have the desired effect if it lands in the right persons / departments hands!

Your standard CS Agent who is paid peanuts to answer your query isn't going to care what you do with your future business.

Others will have a far greater interest!!

MrsHammy

stella2009 wrote: »

It will only work / have the desired effect if it lands in the right persons / departments hands!

Your standard CS Agent who is paid peanuts to answer your query isn't going to care what you do with your future business.

Others will have a far greater interest!!

So, how do I know who is the right person/ which is the right department? Who are the "others"?
All suggestions gratefully received!

Loopy_Girl

MrsHammy wrote: »

and never use the Halifax's services ever again, and will also take any and every given opportunity to tell anyone who will listen exactly what I think of the company.

And whilst you are doing that, also remind them to pay their card on time and then they won't be in the same situation;)

The T&C's are clear and the banks are baying for ways to make money these days...why should you be any different to any other customer that finds themselves in exactly the same situation but say, had only been a bank customer for a year?

You were late...they put what would have been clearly in the T&C's into practice...I fail to see why you are so indignant.

Perhaps a letter of apology and putting your case forward in a sensible manner may get you further than a 'letter of disbelief'.

stella2009

Get it to the 'Customer Relations' or moreso the 'CEO' office and they will actually want to resolve it trust me.

Although it's going a bit far I know, I normally go straight to this level if I have a complaint and to date I have not been let down. I am really hard to please and pick at the smallest things, I admit it. As I say this route has 'to date' completely satisfied me.

I also work for a large organisation (not TOTALLY related financially), but closely with the CEO office of that organisation. They will always read and investigate everything you include in your letter and the CEO will sign the final response (maybe not read it, but will check it will satisfy the customer).

Try it and see if you get the right response!! ;-)

MrsHammy

thanks Stella2009, you've been really helpful. I appreciate it.

stella2009

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

You were late...they put what would have been clearly in the T&C's into practice...I fail to see why you are so indignant.

Perhaps a letter of apology and putting your case forward in a sensible manner may get you further than a 'letter of disbelief'.

Agreed, but people do make 'genuine' mistakes. I believe that human intervention at the right level instead of strict 'policy' at normal level will work as you have suggested.

Loopy_Girl

stella2009 wrote: »

Agreed, but people do make 'genuine' mistakes. I believe that human intervention at the right level instead of strict 'policy' at normal level will work as you have suggested.

I agree with you - people do.

Am just struggling why someone would write a letter of complaint/disbelief when they are the reason the issue occured. I could completely empathise if it was a banking fault that caused the issue and would be telling the OP to go in gung ho!!!

You sign the agreement and you stick to the rules or it's clear what happens. No one - particularly in this current climate - should assume that 1 phone call will get everything sorted as 'they are a good customer'.

I still would firmly advise that a letter of apology and then a request for everything to be reversed for the reasons that the OP has stated. I feel a letter of complaint will get someone's heckles up and she risks getting a short curt letter of rejection but including a T&C leaflet;)

opinions4u

MrsHammy wrote: »

So, how do I know who is the right person/ which is the right department? Who are the "others"?
All suggestions gratefully received!

Halifax is part of Lloyds Banking Group.

This link gives you the email address of their Chief Executive, Eric Daniels.

You could go in all guns blazing saying how horrible they are and threatening this, that and the other. Ultimately YOU chose to build up the debts so close to your credit limit and YOU failed to manage your account in an appropriate way. They stuck to the terms and conditions, you didn't.

Phrases that make you more likely to get your cheaper rate reinstated will include:

"Sorry"

"One-off error on my part"

"Customer for a gazillions years"

"Longstanding, deep customer relationship with an organisation I trust to do the right thing"

"Please"

"Thank you for taking the time to consider this"

If I get no joy, I will just transfer the balance to other cards, and never use the Halifax's services ever again

One of the joys of the Credit Crunch is that many banks would be quite delighted if you did this. The cost of wholesale and retail funding is high so it might actually be commercially beneficial to them if you take your business elsewhere, rather than reinstating a lower interest rate for you.

and will also take any and every given opportunity to tell anyone who will listen exactly what I think of the company.

Which is one of the joys of freedom of expression. But some of them may wander away thinking "why the hell didn't she manage her money better?" without freely expressing those thoughts to your face.