Halifax - Why is it soooo difficult to open an account!

mbailey

I've been trying for 4 weeks to get a weekend appointment at my local Halifax branch to open new Regular Savings accounts for the children but it is just impossible.

They are constantly booked up solid. For some reason which I don't understand you have to have a 1hr appointment (and yes it really does take that long apparently!) to open an account.

Previously you could apply and do it all online but now they seem to have changed it all to branch only which is a nightmare.

Even as an existing customer for 4 years due to their computer switch over in September I have to run through full security checks again for myself and my children and they didn't transfer them across into the new computer system!

I just don't understand how and why a company can have such a business model that almost makes it impossible for customers to open accounts with them. Crazy.....

Sorry, rant over, I just wondered if others have experienced the same issue with Halifax?

Caroline73_2

I opened an online savings account with Halifax this week. I've never had any problems with just walking in to my branch to do something. The longest I've ever waited was 10 minutes.

mbailey

Caroline73 wrote: »

I opened an online savings account with Halifax this week. I've never had any problems with just walking in to my branch to do something. The longest I've ever waited was 10 minutes.

Rather annoyingly the childrens accounts are all branch only and you can't do anything online or on the telephone. When I called the telephone savings line they did some investigations and just came back saying, sorry you have to goto the branch we can't help you!

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

I have had similar problems with this, I rang round 3 branches before I could get an appointment, that was after I went through the account opening rigmarole over the phone as it wouldnt accept online applications, only to be told a few days later that the application had got lost!
Finally did it though and sorted but what a performance!

pmjenkins

I had a similar problem opening a regular saver at Lloyds. Despite being able to open other accounts on-line I was told I had to make an appointment to open the regular saver account because of money laundering / financial advice "regulations". No way around it but it's just an excuse to gather information about you and promote other products.

I deliberately made myself sound financially unappealing (unemployed, no savings, etc.) and the financial advisor quickly got the message and just opened the account I wanted.

Robert_Hopkins

One good childrens account provider is Northern Rock. You can apply online and operate the account by post. They check the trustee electronically but then ask for the childs id by post. No need for a appointment. Same no fuss with adult accounts as well.

mbailey

Robert_Hopkins wrote: »

One good childrens account provider is Northern Rock. You can apply online and operate the account by post. They check the trustee electronically but then ask for the childs id by post. No need for a appointment. Same no fuss with adult accounts as well.

May be they have changed, but we opened the Northern Rock Little rock children's accounts a fews back and I had to goto the branch to open the account, it couldn't be opened online or on the phone. Now it is open I can transfer money into the account online with out visiting the branch.

My cunning plans was to have a children's Regular saver with Halifax paying 6%, and then at the end of each year transfer into the Northern Rock Little rock account paying 3%.

That seems to be the best option for children's accounts at the moment.

rb10

mbailey wrote: »

My cunning plans was to have a children's Regular saver with Halifax paying 6%, and then at the end of each year transfer into the Northern Rock Little rock account paying 3%.

That seems to be the best option for children's accounts at the moment.

If you won't be needing access to it, then you could put it in a fixed rate bond, e.g. http://www.halifax.co.uk/savings/accounts/fixed-saver/

Or there's 90 days' notice at 3.05% from Nationwide at http://www.nationwide.co.uk/savings/childrens/90dayloyaltysmartsaver/introduction.htm (need another NBS account).

ses6jwg

rb10 wrote: »

If you won't be needing access to it, then you could put it in a fixed rate bond, e.g. http://www.halifax.co.uk/savings/accounts/fixed-saver/

Or there's 90 days' notice at 3.05% from Nationwide at http://www.nationwide.co.uk/savings/childrens/90dayloyaltysmartsaver/introduction.htm (need another NBS account).

There is also the Lloyds TSB Young Saver paying 3% easy access

http://www.lloydstsb.com/savings/young_savers_account.asp

Amigo34

We are also having problems with opening accounts with Halifax.
We (my wife and myself) each applied on line for an 'Online saver account' (late October 2011)

We both received letters dated 28 October saying 'pleased to tell you your account xxxxx etc is now up and running.'

Attached were a form that looks like they were asking for a specimen signature.

We are still waiting for the 'unique user ID' which they said they will send within the next 5 working days.

Since then we have phoned them twice. They were pleasant enough; They were not sure whether we had to retun the 'specimen signature forms' but we said we will send them.
My wife asked for a Inland Revenue form R85 which we received by post the next day. But STILL NO UNIQUE ID

So they have opened an account but we cannot use it.
Still nothing saved/invested.
We certainly are not willing to put money in an account when we cannot made a withdrawal.

We are wondering whether we should just put £1 each.
May that will wake them up or kick start the process.

Any thoughts ?

rb10

I'd phone the online helpdesk (08456 02 00 00), since your primary issue relates to the lack of username, rather than a problem with the account (which the savings line would be able to sort). They might even be able to give you your online username over the phone.