halifax incompetent in helping elderly customer

judithray

I thought I was doing my mother a favour getting her to ring halifax and ask for an account that would pay her a better rate of interest. She is partially sighted and has poor health. They insisted on asking her questions about her account that she could not see - so asked me to read for her - they said that as I was clearly helping her they could not take her answers - and they had to do this to protect he from fraud. She got so frustrated with them I should have given up then. However we eventually convinced them by memorising the information and she passed the security test and got the account upgraded - however they failed to tell her that the £80 a month annuity from her husbands pension would not reach her new account and did not tell her she needed to do anything about it - so of course it wasnt until later I realised I had lost her more money than I gained - the prudential whose annuity it is refused to take the details of her new account because they dont pay it into spouses accounts anymore so I am now livid that I have caused so much trouble all to try and get £100 a year extra interest which I thought my mother deserved to get, when obviously the halifax was hoping she would not notice what a poor savings rate she was getting before - shame on you Halifax for your terrible customer service - I tried to complain about how difficult they had made it before i realised she had lost the money being paid in - they were 100% unapologetic and said I should get power of attorney in other words they wanted to take any independence away from her. Does anyone else have a similarly bad experience - my father will have to ask the prudential to pay the annuity to him and I will have to remind him each month he wanted her to have the money.

G_M

Sounds terrible. I recently changed my mother's accounts with Santander for similar reasons. She is hard of hearing so hates the phone. They couldn't have been more helpful. They asked my mum to confirm her dob, mother's maiden name etc and had no problem with me listening in and repeating the questions so my mum could answer

Once security was passed an my mum had verbally confirmed she was happy for me to speak to them, they dealt with me direct. We opened a new account, closed one and transferred the balance and they pointed out a 3rd, poor-paying account she had forgotton! we also discussed a standing order she receives each month and they gave me the new sort code/account number to get it re-directed.

If I were you I would check their formal complaints procedure and complain in writing, demanding compensation for all the losses + for confusing/upsetting your mother.

I'd also look at rates available from other institutions!

And at setting up a standing order from her husband's account to hers a few days after he receives the pension.

Or your father could give them 'his' new account details - and provide the sort code/account number of your mother's account.....The IT systems banks use for transfers doesn't check names, just directs the money by sort code/account number.

sheslookinhot

I remember my father saying that you only find out good a supplier is, be they banks, insurance companies, building societies, garages etc is when you have a problem for them to solve. When they take your money and don't hear from you then they great. Otherwise then you will really find out how good they are.

I was ready to transfer my sons fixed rate ISA from one account to another with Halifax. On hearing your treatment now I will move it to another provider.

Lokolo

I find it easier going into branch than telephone.

Although saying that, I have a 15 year old Halifax account in my old surname which I can't close as I don't have ID for it! (its not in my birth name) *sigh* I still get statements, got 6p in there at the moment.

authentic

I have banked with several banks/BSs previously and can confirm that the worst for customer service and errors were Halifax and NatWest. The best experience was with Co-op and Nationwide.

rb10

So the first issue here is that your mother found the telephone security difficult to use. Unfortunately, with telephone banking, as they can't see the customer, there is a lot that has to happen with regards to identification etc, and as they have to be so careful that you are the correct customer, all banks will operate in the same way.

For the new savings account, it will have been clear that it was a new account opened, with a new sort code and account number. Your mother will have had a letter through the post telling her all of this, along with a form for her to sign and return.

So it doesn't really seem to be Halifax's fault that she forgot about this payment that was still going into the old (now closed) account, does it?

sheslookinhot wrote: »

I was ready to transfer my sons fixed rate ISA from one account to another with Halifax. On hearing your treatment now I will move it to another provider.

If you choose not to open an account with Halifax simply because one person has had what they feel is a bad experience with them, then presumably the same 'logic' will hold for other banks as well - you'll only open an account at a bank that has never had a single dissatisfied customer ... and I really don't know where you'll find that!

judithray

To RB 10 who obviously does not have elderly parents that ever get confused or need support from the modern complicated world. I dont think you quite get it - the bank knows that getting a better rate means them creating a whole new account - instead of just giving you a better rate - they make it hard just to get a good rate - and then they dont tell you that any payments you have into that account will cease - if that is because we are undereducated or thoughtless it makes them no less responsible for trying to make sure a 79 year old partially sighted woman does not lose out - even if it because her naive 44 year old daughter thought that it would be simple to get her an extra £100 a year and ended up losing her £80 a month until her 81 year old father now has to tell the prudential his bank account details because they no longer pay into spouses accounts. Halifax were employing people with limited desire to care - no empathy no personality - I wonder why you defend them so eagerly

dunstonh

To RB 10 who obviously does not have elderly parents that ever get confused or need support from the modern complicated world.

If he does, he probably doesn't put them in products or with providers using methods that the parents do not understand.

the bank knows that getting a better rate means them creating a whole new account - instead of just giving you a better rate - they make it hard just to get a good rate

True but not unusual. However banks have increased the rates available on direct/internet products to reduce the lower costs. They tend to be consistent (i.e. you don't find a version 2 in a years time).

and then they dont tell you that any payments you have into that account will cease

And why should they? What makes you think the bank knows what payments are coming in to the bank account in future?

if that is because we are undereducated or thoughtless it makes them no less responsible for trying to make sure a 79 year old partially sighted woman does not lose out

She shouldn't lose out but there is no point putting her on a service that requires telephone or internet access.

even if it because her naive 44 year old daughter thought that it would be simple to get her an extra £100 a year and ended up losing her £80 a month until her 81 year old father now has to tell the prudential his bank account details because they no longer pay into spouses accounts.

That is the crux of the issue. You thought you were being helpful and thats nice but you created the problem.

Halifax were employing people with limited desire to care - no empathy no personality

Modern world for you. People want more for less. Cost cutting means you don't get the service you used to get.

I wonder why you defend them so eagerly

I don't know why but probably its because of common sense. There are plenty of things to have a go at the banks about. However, it is not their fault when you push your parents on to a product that is not suitable for them and its not their fault if you didn't take into account the incoming payments.

A power of attorney does seem to make sense then you can deal with these things which is what you are trying to do anyway.

Sceptic001

Surely the key question that this thread raises is why most banks are quite happy to deal with a relative on the phone after a few basic security checks with the account holder, but a few flatly refuse and practically accuse you of fraud if you try to prompt a floundering elderly relative to read reams of information from a statement.

Does anyone know if there are any rules on this (like money laundering regulations) or do the banks set their own security policies?

opinions4u

Banks will set their own security policies, with particular care applied to fraud prevention and the Data Protection Act (or whatever the latest legislation is called).

I never had a problem dealing with Halifax savings accounts on behalf of my Grandmother.

I would dial, press the buttons, negotiate the hold music and introduce myself as a relative. I'd then put Granny on the phone to negotiate security before the phone was passed back to me to clarify the required transaction.

The POA suggestion is excellent by the way. A POA can be drawn up now, but doesn't have to be used until needed. It doesn't need to infringe on an individual's independence until that person wants it to.

judithray wrote: »

... it makes them no less responsible for trying to make sure a 79 year old partially sighted woman does not lose out

Ask them about their large print service for the partially sighted. It's excellent.

even if it because her naive 44 year old daughter thought that it would be simple to get her an extra £100 a year and ended up losing her £80 a month until her 81 year old father now has to tell the prudential his bank account details because they no longer pay into spouses accounts. Halifax were employing people with limited desire to care - no empathy no personality

I understand your point, but most credits of that type go in to current accounts. For them to go into a savings account would be the exception and not the rule. As such, it wouldn't be something that a savings operative would be that likely to pick up on.

judithray

the halifax were relying on the inability of a partially sighted elderly woman to get a better rate of interest - how is asking for the best savers account an unsuitable product