Halifax Faster Payment LIES!

malc_b

If there is one thing I can't stand that is people lying to me as though I'm too stoopid to realise it.

Halifax faster payment system has hidden limits and trip wires that usually trip up customers. Halifax's solution to the problem is to LIE to their customers.

At one Halifax would allow 3 faster payments of £1000, then faster payments would stop working. That was up from £500 it was before. On Sunday I only managed 2 x £1000 and then it stopped. Monday faster payments still won't work. So I phone up to check if there is a problem and what do I get?

"It must be the receiving bank that is the problem, Halifax faster payments are working perfectly" - LIE.

I've tested this today thus:
Halifax -> Tesco £1.00 = NO FP.
Nationwide -> Tesco £1.00 = YES FP.
Halifax -> Tesco £1.00 = NO FP.

QED. There is nothing wrong with Tesco FP. And I wouldn't have expect there to be. In my experience Tesco FP works 24/7 and every time so >90% reliable.

I don't mind if a bank has a limit although I prefer if be up to the FP limit. What I do object to is there being a hidden limit and then LYING to cover it up. At least Nationwide is open about the limits if you look

http://www.nationwide.co.uk/faster_payments/default.htm

I mean how am I supposed to know I'm tripping a limit if the limits are secret? Why do I get punished for doing this (as my FP aren't working today either)? I suppose they might work tomorrow. Perhaps Halifax secret limit is an average of 1 FP, max £1000 per day?

Halifax hide behind the fact that FP are not guaranteed. But not guaranteed is rather different to deliberately stopped for a specific customer. Every system has down time, which is what not guaranteed is meant to cover, not as a get out for punishing customers who break hidden limits.

:mad:

Lokolo

Well I transferred FPS today from Halifax to HSBC.....

My £6,999 didn't go through to Egg but I can't log in to Halifax today as I cannot remember my password so not sure if it has been sent, or if it's gone by BACS.

MarkFromCornwall

malc_b wrote: »

Halifax hide behind the fact that FP are not guaranteed. But not guaranteed is rather different to deliberately stopped for a specific customer. Every system has down time, which is what not guaranteed is meant to cover, not as a get out for punishing customers who break hidden limits.

:mad:

I broadly agree with your complaints, although you shouldn't take it personally. There are so many factors that affect whether a Halifax / Bank of Scotland Faster Payment will work that it is difficult for any individual to work it out. As well as the factors you've mentioned, I suspect that time of day and week may affect it, with FP most likely to work on weedays during the working day. Also, it may not be a good idea to try a big amount and then if it doesn't work to try a small amount. I suspect that, for example, they might let you do a £1k payment, but if you try a £5k payment and it's rejected they will sometimes not allow you to make a £1 payment.

The conclusion is that it's better to use Tesco because their Faster Payments always seem to work.

The most important conclusion is not to try to discuss this with customer services people because it will do your head in. They think that FP is a big favour that is granted to selected customers occasionally.

Just my opinion,
Mark.

jambosans

Personally, I've never had issue sending FP from Bank of Scotland to Tesco. However it's widely documented on MSE that HBOS have a temperamental FPS implementation. I agree with MarkFromMullion, don't take it personally, staff are probably none the wiser. I would also stop wasting your time trying to find flaw, pattern, or logic in the system by sending test payments (for all you know Halifax flag small "test" amounts as suspicious, thus disabling FPS). If you're not getting the service you require, make a formal complaint, and take your business elsewhere.

PS. if you think Tesco offer a much better FPS then consider moving to RBS (or NatWest) - despite being bought out, the still provide the back end for Tesco Bank.

HappyMJ

I thought the FP send limit with Halifax was £2,500. At least it was last time I did it. Failed or aborted FP's count towards the limit. Luckily for me I have 4 current accounts with Halifax so just moved the money to another account and did it again from that account.

System

No point getting annoyed with the people in branch or phone, they haven't got a clue.

Halifax / Bank of Scotland just hide behind security as a reason not to tell youthe limits.

BOS tried to get me to open a reward account today and I said that I needed an account that I could rely on. The £5 wouldn't cover a bounced payment charge due to their Faster Payment systems taking a fit.

Try RBS-NatWest / Barclays or HSBC for a bank that works.

LongTermLurker

Never had a problem with Hx faster payments - I bounce £1000 in, round and out of my 3 reward accounts every month within a 5 minute period.

malc_b

HappyMJ wrote: »

I thought the FP send limit with Halifax was £2,500. At least it was last time I did it. Failed or aborted FP's count towards the limit. Luckily for me I have 4 current accounts with Halifax so just moved the money to another account and did it again from that account.

I can confirm it is at least £2000. That went through FP today. Then I tried another and it refused FP on that. I suspect that you are right, if you back out of a payment it either automatically refuses FP afterwards or they count towards the limit. I too have more than one current account so I tried setting up a bill payment on that but even though this was a new account it would let me do it. Unless of course there is a waiting period before FP are active. That could be another hidden rule.

BTW I'm not angry with the person on the other end of the phone, although I did find her attitude very insulting. You ought to at least listen to what the customer is saying and consider the facts rather than parrot like repeat it isn't Halifax that is doing it. Rather I find Halifax's corporate policy of treat customer's like idiots annoying. The people on the desks only parrot what they have been told, although listening would not go amiss.