The Halifax

Loobeylou

With regard to my original post stating how long it was taking for a cheque to clear with the Halifax, it finally cleared on the Monday - seven working days. What an absolute disgrace!

Regarding some of the comments above, I also requested paperwork to open a monthly saver account on one of my visits to the Halifax, at which point I was advised (at two branches) that I could not take the paperwork away with me to fill in - I would have to make an appointment with someone.

I refused point blank, stating that it was extremely inconvenient, and there was absolutely no need for me to take yet more time out to discuss opening this particular account. In other words, I made a bit of a fuss.

They gave me the paperwork, I took it home, I filled it in, I dropped it in the next time I went to the Halifax and left it with them for processing.

I had my account up and running in no time!

IvanOpinion

If the Halifax T&C small print is in any way similar to the Nationwide then it does clearly state that a cheque can take up to 6 working days to clear. The cynics amongst us would state that it always seems to take the full 6 working days and isn't it convneient that they get to hold onto our money for a full week.

As far as making appointments is concerned this is just another example of us 'reaping what we sow'. I have been informed that one of the reasons for forcing people to make appointments is to ensure, in the first instance, that they are getting the correct advice from a trained financial advisor to ensure that the account is correct ofr their purposes and, in the second instance, to ensure that the forms are completed correctly. The claimed reasoning behind this is to cut down on the number of 'mis-selling' complaints and errors in the form completion. Again the cynics amongst us might suggest that this is seen more as a sales opportunity thinly disguised as financial advice.

Ivan

Loobeylou

Yes OK - I hear what you are saying IvanOpinion and I do not disagree on what the T&C state.

The point I take issue with is that in this day and age of high technology and what-have-you, there is absolutely no need whatsoever for an institution to hold on to your or my money for a full week while they reap the rewards.

Seven working days ... they really are taking the whatsit!!

Outtathaway

I've been with Halifax most of my life (my parents oppened an account with them when I was young) and I thought they were excellent until last year.

I (was being bloody stupid, but I'm a student and thats what we do ) took my debit card to Reading Festival last year and lost it. As soon as I knew I had lost it I phones up and got it cancelled. Well the first thing that bugged my was when I told them the card was lost and it was cancelled, the guy on the phone actually asked 'WOuld you like a new card?' seriously. And he told me that the pin number would be reset for security reasons

So after about a week I got my new card but no pin. So I waited a few more days before I went into a branch and told them. They said that they would cancel that pin and send a new one. Fine I thought, til I went to pay for something on my debit card. They'd only gone and cancelled the !!!!!! card too. So I went back and complained and was told there wasn't anything they could do now.

So I waited again and got a new card but once again no pun number so I complained again and they said that would send out another pin to me. So I waited and nothing. But after this I didn't have the time to chase them as I was moving to London for Uni. So I had to survive my first few weeks there without using cash machines and going to supermarkets for cashback (and being called stupid on a number of occasions for not knowing my pin so being unable to use chip & pin.) So I went to the London Halifax branch and they said they would order a new pin number and have it delivered to the branch so I could pick it up. Perfect I thought, til I got a call from my parents saying it had been delivered back home.

rushnowt

spidermanalf wrote:

they have just upped my limit from 5k to 10200k! I find them so infuriating!

I'm available to help you spend it if ya need any help :j lol

moomintroll_3

The Halifax are just really really bad.

They've messed me about with my mortgage something rotten in the last few months, at one point they stopped taking the payment for 4 months then hit me with penalties which I managed to get rescinded...

So, I decided to move my current account somewhere else as a first step to them losing all my business (current acct, ISA, savings, insurance, mortgage etc). Been with the Halifax since I was a teenager...

Chose first direct and couldn't be happier with them...

Just to rub salt in the wound, the Halifax cancelled the new direct debit for my mortgage then denied all knowledge that they'd received the new details.. To resolve this, I faxed them a copy of their own letter!

This meant my mortgage payment was going to be late so, instead of being concilatory, they asked me to go into a branch with cash to put against the mortgage. I said I wasn't happy with that (I didn't see why I should spend time out of my day to stand in a branch to resolve their mistake), they said I'd almost certainly get penalties against the account if I didn't pay on time... I said I certainly wasn't happy with that as it was their fault and she said that if I got a letter I could call and they might be able to reverse the charge against the mortgage but no guarantees...

By this time, I'm absolutely furious.

I wait 'til I calm down and call first direct to explain the situation. They said "Tell you what, we'll arrange a same day transfer for you - the money will hit the Halifax's account by EOB today. No charge."

Now THAT is real customer care.

I am now looking to move all my accounts from the Halifax ASAP. Only issue I have is my mortgage deal doesn't end until Sept '06 BUT it isn't a good deal any more anyway (half the mortgage is on variable rate and half is on .75% discount) so I may just pay the penalty to be rid of them and their crappy administration...

G

D.A.

My wife had exactly the same problem as has been described here. She was opening a Regular Saver account (which they wouldn't do in the branch, or online, so she had to phone up). She has never used telephone banking, so of course when they asked her for her phone banking password, she didn't know it. So she had to go through the whole rimarole of being put through to security (THREE TIMES!).

Eventually the account was set up, with a standing order to make the payments.

A few days later, a standing order mandate arrives. So we filled it in and sent it back, thinking it was just for confirmation.

Checked internet banking this morning - 2 identical standing orders have been set up. Idiots.

spidermanalf

But I am trying hard not to spend the money myself!

The Visa card is at this moment at the bottom of the freezer under the a pile of food.

Makes it a pain the behind to get it out and spend it, plus if i do get it out and try and use it in a shop it won't work!

I also have put a nail throught the chip to stop it working as well.

Does not stop internet shopping though. Thats why I have a 'Rachel' she is one of those new 'female' things that stops you buying things off the internet with a patented 'scowl of doom' or a 'do you need that' stare.

And the all encompassing and crippling ' lovin' refual manouvere'!!

Turning_into_scrooge

That credit limit is frightening.

royston_2

I used to work for the Halifax. I had to leave as I have ethics which are apparently undesirable if you work there.

Perhaps their practices are no worse than anywhere else but it felt worse. With regards the argument that people have to make an appointment to make sure forms are filled out correctly etc. this isn't the case. People are forced to make appointments so that the branch get the credit for the sale and so that a cross sale can be made.

The policy for the branch I worked in was that you should try to sell something to everyone through the door. Also people would quite happily sell a current account when a savings account was more appropriate because cc's went towards bonus targets and savings didn't.

Some of the individuals in the branch were lovely and very professional but the policies as a whole were immoral!! And don't get me started on the charges for going over ovd limit etc.!