Halifax Online Service Down?

Botany

I have been trying to log onto my Halifax accounts. I can indeed log on, and I can see the balances, but when I click onto mini-statement, full statement or make a payment it tells me that the service is temporarily unavailable and can I please try later.

The thing is that I have been 'trying later' since yesterday.


I cannot find any post here related to this problem so I was wondering whether this was just me or is anyone else experiencing this too?

Mrs_Arcanum

No problem at all for me.

You may need to clear temporary files/cookies as it seems like you are picking up old info from the cache.

Botany

Hmmmm...... that is easier said than done

where's my techno-wiz husband when I need him???

jen245

No problems here either

Botany

I have contacted the hubby and deleted cookies etc but still no joy. I log in, am able to see the account balances/names/numbers you know, basically the normal page that appears once you log in. However if I click on any account name (those which are clickable, that is) or try to see a mini statement I get this message:


Account information unavailable

This service is currently unavailable.

Unfortunately we are unable to provide account information by telephone at this time.

We are sorry for any inconvenience. We are working hard to restore the service as quickly as possible.

Please try again later.

Information on closed accounts is not available online at anytime.


What is even worse now I notice that my 2 savings account are not clickable at all and the writing "Action required" appears next to them.
If I click on action required I get this page:


AWAITING DETAILS
(Account name and sort code here)

Thank you for opening a Variable Web Saver, before we can activate your new account we are required by law to confirm your identity. To do this simply call into any Halifax or Bank of Scotland branch with original documents from this list, and we'll be happy to help.

Alternatively you can provide us with original documents from this list by post, to the following address:

Halifax
PO Box 548
LEEDS
LS1 1WU

I have not applied for a variable web saver nor for a Regular saver (which is my other savings account 'requiring action') These are accounts which I've opened a long time ago (prolly 2 years if not more), have postive balances and I use those quite regularly so I'm totally confused.

I last logged onto Halifax yesterday around lunchtime and everything was fine and dandy. This problem and began when I tried to log again (soon after lunch yesterday) to make a payment and was unable to do anything due to the issues outlined above.

Any other suggestions appreciated (I know I should call the Halifax but I'm not keen on being charged a premium phonecall for the privilege of waiting and waiting and probably not much of an explanation from their call centre staff, so I'm still hoping this is a general and known problem so I just have to sit it out....)

Botany

Ok, I could not wait and decided to give them a call after all.

Looks like they have put a block on my account yesterday afternoon. They refused to tell me why and told me I need to go to branch with 2 forms of identification then ask the branch to call customer services to have it removed.

Looks like it's going to be a real pain in the behind....

Going to branch now to see what justification they have for parting me with my own money with no explanation :mad:

Botany

The plot thickens.

I went in branch with the 2 id documents they asked for. The lady at the desk was very nice and sweet and called headquarters on my behalf as I asked her, after checking my ID. What follows is a long conversation on the phone between this Halifax employee and various people from the Bank's customer services. They were passing her from one person to the other, so it means this doesn't just happen to us mere mortal-customers but also to their staff. At the end of all this the manager on the other side of the phone asked the nice lady to speak directly to me.

Two things emerged:
1) the problem (block on my account) cannot be removed because the ID I have brought to the branch wasn't sufficient. Apparently they need not '2 id documents' as I was told on the phone but 1 id document, 1 utility bill in my name, and they also want to see my payslips and/or other proof of income. Because one of the accounts in question is in joint name, they want the same documents for my husband also, and they want him present in branch.
This is fine, but they could have told me this earlier over the phone to spare me a wasted afternoon in branch (a visit to the branch is also annoying because of the parking charges involved when going to that area).

2) When I asked why they needed proof of income things got surreal. It turns out my transactions are suspicious because I make many small deposits to the account and then take out many small amounts. They wanted to know why. I wasn't happy to tell them but nonetheless I complied because I thought let's just be done with this. So I explain that I am a very sad an meticulous person who has many accounts, each with a function eg a pot for presents, a pot for groceries, a pot for car costs etc etc. So for example just yesterday I bought some B'Day cards for a total of £8.75. I paid with a debit card which is linked to my 'grocery' account because that is what I had with me at the time so when I got home I moved £8.75 from my 'presents and birthdays' account to my grocery account to reconcile the balances. This was done yesterday online via Halifax and was the "last straw" evidently because they blocked my account right after.

I asked (ironically) whether they had changed their T&Cs to say that they don't want their customers to be meticulous with their finances or that they no longer allow small transactions. He said no of course you can make all the small transactions you want. I then asked what is the problem. He said that 'you know for example if you move £8.75 form account A to B it looks to us like account B is richer by £8.75, as if that is new income, although it isn't because it's just money transferred. Aaaaaand? I ask? If Halifax offers a Transfer option to their online customers then surely they must allow customers to use it. Yes, he said, but the problem is I make so many small transactions that I end up looking 'richer' so that were I to apply for credit to the Halifax, they would give me more than am entitled to because they think I'm richer.

I pointed out how absurd what he just said was.

First, I have not applied (ever) for ANY credit from the Halifax. In fact, THEY bombard me with offers for credit cards, loans, mortgages, overdrafts etc, which I promptly bin and have no intention whatsoever to apply for any of those products. So in effect he is 'punishing me' (parting me with MY money in MY accounts) for an hypothetical which hasn't happened.

Second, he himself has pointed out that many of these transactions which inflate the turnover on my accounts are internal transfers from one account to the other and not new income. In other words, Halifax knows already that is not new income/new deposits. So, were I for whatever reason to apply for a product with them, they know from their own statements exactly which percentage of this turnover derives from internal transfers. In short, even if I wanted to lie and pretend this turnover was all new income, I couldn't. The statements are clear and show that these transactions are internal transfers.

He agreed with me on this point but still he would not budge. Said the accounts will be blocked until I return in branch with the utility bills, proof of income and my husband present (because one of the accounts is joint with him) and of course id, utility bills and proof of income for my husband too for good measure. I said my husband often on call at the weekend and he only just took some time off, what if he can't come to the branch for, say, another month? Then your accounts will be blocked for a month, he said. I asked can we at least unblock the accounts in my name only? he said no.

At this point I felt I could be losing my cool. I was upset and felt like crying. the Halifax employee by my side even went and fetched some water for me as she could see how upset I was. I ended the conversation on the phone and the employee in branch, who had followed the conversation and was looking at my statements said that she could not see anything strange with my statements or transactions and that she had never heard of accounts being blocked for the reason I was given.

I left the bank saying that I would return with my husband asap and all of the documents they wanted but that would be it. Either another visit and further documentation is enough, or I will just close the accounts and bring my custom to a bank who does not mind me making all the small internal transfer I wish without trowing a hissy fit.


Then I got home.... cup of tea.... keep thinking about that discussion with the Halifax man on the phone. It is all rather odd, strange and suspicious.
The man himself admitted that the story of the turnover increase created via internal transfers does not really stand because he admitted that they can see that these are internal transfers between my accounts and now 'new money'. So why bring that up at all? Especially, why bring that up given that I have never even applied for any form of credit with them?

So it strikes me that there is only one possible explanation. Halifax must be going round sampling the statements of customers who have a Reward Account. They mustn't like the fact that there are many people (most of them on this forum, I imagine!) who move money in and out for the free £5 so they are sample-cheking and grilling those customers who make a lot of internal transfers. To be fair, I do actually get a use out of these Halifax accounts, and I don't have them only for the free £5. As I said, these accounts represent small pots of money which I keep and save up for specific purposes like saving up for birthday presents etc. This said, the balances on these accounts are small and it would make sense if the Halifax decided they they've had enough of giving free money to people who either play the system downright or to people like me who actually use the accounts but keep very little in them.

I'm too good a bank customer to be a good customer for the banks, if that makes sense. I have no debts, no overdrafts, no credit card balances to pay.... I don't make them any money in short. I'm not at all surprised to think they don't like customers like me.

What I am surprised about is that they would suddenly block an account without telling in advance or give a full explanation.

Apologies for the very long rant but, if my suspicions are right, I think many people in this forums should pay attention because these Reward accounts are very popular with MSEers so the heads-up may be useful.

jen245

Have a look at this thread, very similar to your situation https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2773826

Lokolo

http://www.halifax.co.uk/contactus/howtocomplain.asp

Write to to the address here explaining the situation.

But try and make it a little shorter than your post.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I logged onto my account on X date to find a lot of my accounts blocked. I rang the telephone service on X about this and they replied I would need to come into branch with 2 IDs which were stated on the phone as A and B.

Later that day I arrived in branch with these 2 documents, after X hours the situation still wasn't resolved. I was then told the identification documents I have provided weren't good enough, even though I had been told otherwise.

I wish for this situation to be resolved as quickly as possible and do not want to have to visit the branch on numerous occasions, costing me money.

Thanks in advance,

Jen

rb10

Lokolo wrote: »

http://www.halifax.co.uk/contactus/howtocomplain.asp

Write to to the address here explaining the situation.

But try and make it a little shorter than your post.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I logged onto my account on X date to find a lot of my accounts blocked. I rang the telephone service on X about this and they replied I would need to come into branch with 2 IDs which were stated on the phone as A and B.

Later that day I arrived in branch with these 2 documents, after X hours the situation still wasn't resolved. I was then told the identification documents I have provided weren't good enough, even though I had been told otherwise.

I wish for this situation to be resolved as quickly as possible and do not want to have to visit the branch on numerous occasions, costing me money.

Thanks in advance,

Jen

This won't be the slightest bit of use in this situation.

Unfortunately, whilst I realise that your reasons for running your accounts in this way (i.e. large numbers of low value transactions), this is a classic way of starting money-laundering. The bank has a legal obligation to prevent its' customers from doing money-laundering through their accounts, and so they had no choice but to block your account.

I realise that it's inconvenient, but that's the way the law works.

Any other bank would be the same; they all have to follow the same laws. We just have to go along with it.

Lokolo

rb10 wrote: »

This won't be the slightest bit of use in this situation.

Unfortunately, whilst I realise that your reasons for running your accounts in this way (i.e. large numbers of low value transactions), this is a classic way of starting money-laundering. The bank has a legal obligation to prevent its' customers from doing money-laundering through their accounts, and so they had no choice but to block your account.

I realise that it's inconvenient, but that's the way the law works.

Any other bank would be the same; they all have to follow the same laws. We just have to go along with it.

Sorry the complaint was more aimed at the "having to go down to branch again because of wrong ID even though was told it would be sufficient" rather than "account being blocked for fraud" which I think would be quite useful in this situation.