Exiled down South - problem paying into BoS account

interbear

Hi all,

I've had a BoS account for over 20 years, now a BoS Reward account. I live down south and until recently was able to pay cheques into my BoS account via either any Halifax agency or main branch. Which is logical given that Halifax BoS are the same entity.

Recently however I've been advised by the local Halifax agency, which offers counter services, that they will no longer be able to transact payments into a BoS account. Reason given was a change in HQ policy. I called Halifax customer service and BoS customer service, who both advised that this was nonsense and I could pay into my BoS Reward account via a Halifax agency, and that they would call the agency to advise them of this. The agency however remain adamant that they are not able to do this and they continue to quote HQ policy as the reason.

My only option - to travel 20 miles to a Halifax main branch! No thanks, I may very well switch my account altogether.

Anyone else had similar experience with Halifax / BoS?

onlypaddy

cant you just request some pre addressed envelopes and post cheques with a pay in slip?

crispy_chris

BoS and Halifax accounts run on exactly the same system, if you can see one type you can see the other. So I can see no reason why they would be able to pay into one type of account and not the other.

Have you tried speaking to the agency manager?

NEH

I got something through the post this morning about my BoS account and how they are changing with regards to depositing cheques etc in a Halifax branch. Apprently now you can't use the machines to make deposits so maybe this staff member has got confused with that. Only other thing you can ask is to speak to the manager of the agency.

MarkFromCornwall

interbear wrote: »

Anyone else had similar experience with Halifax / BoS?

Yes, the Helston (Cornwall) agency accepted cheque payments into my BoS current account for a short time but they stopped this a long time ago. Strange but true. If I have to pay in a cheque I pay it into accounts with other institutions and use FP to transfer funds to my BoS current account. I used to have a BoS savings account too and the agency did accept cheque payments into that account. Sorry if this doesn't help but you aren't alone.

Mark

pmduk

Would they convert it into a Halifax account?

interbear

NEH wrote: »

I got something through the post this morning about my BoS account and how they are changing with regards to depositing cheques etc in a Halifax branch. Apprently now you can't use the machines to make deposits so maybe this staff member has got confused with that. Only other thing you can ask is to speak to the manager of the agency.

Thanks, I did talk to the agency manager - got nowhere. Seems kind of daft to me ie. they do Halifax counter transactions but won't let me pay in a BoS cheque.

I've been generally happy with my BoS account over the years but I'm getting very contradictory advice from them on this particular issue.

interbear

pmduk wrote: »

Would they convert it into a Halifax account?

I did ask that.....but it's not apparently as simple as changing it to a Halifax account, despite being the same entity as BoS, it would effectively be the same as switching to a completely different bank, transferring DDs etc. But yes, a possibility.

System

The people to clarify this aren't the agency but BOS.
They are one's who should be telling the agency to accept/ not accept you.
I would suggest you direct it to Customer Relations.

In any case, is there a Lloyds TSB branch closer?
BOS could send you a paying in book, and you should be able to deposit cheques / cash free of charge.

interbear wrote: »

I did ask that.....but it's not apparently as simple as changing it to a Halifax account, despite being the same entity as BoS, it would effectively be the same as switching to a completely different bank, transferring DDs etc. But yes, a possibility.

pmduk

I agree you should be asking the bank to solve this not the agency. In my very distant experience agency staff are not particularly knowledgeable.

MoneySavingUser

As mentioned Halifax and BOS use the same system so it should make no difference which account you have!