Halifax £100 lure was a complete & utter waste of time for me

nicstar

Hi,

I read the details and the terms and conditions and thought yeah it sounds like I will get the £100 lure straight away upon switching a current account to them.

So I applied online to the Halifax website part of the questioning within was how many current accounts do you have to which I answered 3.

I bet that it was this answer that forced them to not process the application online and instead I get a letter from Halifax today pretending that there has been an error in the process and they are unable to proceed unless I call my local branch and book an appointment to go in and open the account at the branch.

So I call the branch in Wokingham speak to the Halifax bank account chappy, who asks me some questions. the response to which he obviously didn't like!

My plan was to use an old Nationwide account that has been open for years a current account I don't particularly use. I would switch this to them and get the £100. I said it is highly likely that then once open I would choose to pay my salary into the Halifax account to make use of their £5 monthly reward for paying in £1000 a mth.

However this was not good enough I was told that to be eligible you must have a salary paid into the account that you are switching with AND that you must also have at least 2 direct debits setup on that account to also be able to switch.

I'm not sure this is in the terms and conditions at all and if it is, then it is unclear.

He asked if I would like to switch my other account to which I replied no I can't be bothered to change that.

So be warned before you waste time like me!

All the best,
Nick

noh

nicstar wrote: »

Hi,


.............................................
However this was not good enough I was told that to be eligible you must have a salary paid into the account that you are switching with AND that you must also have at least 2 direct debits setup on that account to also be able to switch.

I'm not sure this is in the terms and conditions at all and if it is, then it is unclear................

The information you were given is incorrect. There is no requirement to switch salary or even have a salary nor is a minimum number of DDs specified. They say all your payments must be switched.

http://www.halifax.co.uk/bankaccounts/switch-to-halifax/#100-switch-terms

nicstar

Yeah Cheers for that - I actually read part 1 of the terms and conditions out loud to him there on the phone but it didn't seem to help - he stood his ground - I needed 2 dd's and a salary going into the account that I am switching from. - JOKERS!

Gromitt

Halifax staff don't care what the terms and conditions state, I spoke to branch staff before christmas when they were offering £100 to switch for existing customers, they still said the same thing then "You must switch your salary to satisfy for the offer. A deposit each month is not enough. We will withdraw the £100 reward if you fail to switch your salary.".

jalexa

noh wrote: »

The information you were given is incorrect. There is no requirement to switch salary or even have a salary nor is a minimum number of DDs specified. They say all your payments must be switched.

Partly. The website says "You must transfer all your regular payments and credits across from your existing account using our Switching team" and elsewhere gives an example of "salary" as a "regular credit".

So no salary would be fine but any salary would need to be transfered.:D

However how would they find out? Ah, requires "self certification" by the applicant. That'll be a no then?

Gromitt

jalexa wrote: »

However how would they find out? Ah, requires "self certification" by the applicant. That'll be a no then?

Halifax apparently have a 'quality control' department which checks each account holder which applies for the £100 incentive. I can understand this, as if it takes 10 minutes to check an account, thats £600 an hour they can check. If we assume each member of staff in that department earns £10/hour, they can still save the bank £590 an hour by refusing rewards to people who don't satisfy all the conditions.

A better way of stopping loyalty grabbers might be to say "Stay with us for 12 months, paying at least 1K per month into your account and having 2 active SOs/DDs, and we'll pay you £100 in the 13th month".

u704446

I am utterly unsurprised. The Halifax are not abiding by their advertised wishy-washy T's&C's.

Nine_Lives

nicstar wrote: »

Yeah Cheers for that - I actually read part 1 of the terms and conditions out loud to him there on the phone but it didn't seem to help - he stood his ground - I needed 2 dd's and a salary going into the account that I am switching from. - JOKERS!

You should've asked for the chaps name.

Then got in touch with the complaints department. While getting in touch with them about this chap, you should also mention their vague T&Cs. If they want a salary paid in, they should specify crystal clear that a salary needs to be paid in.

noh

The T+Cs for the £100 switching offer are not vague.
Salary is not mentioned nor are credits as a condition.
Here are the terms again
http://www.halifax.co.uk/bankaccounts/switch-to-halifax/#100-switch-terms

nicstar

£100 to switch Terms and Conditions
1. To qualify for the £100 switching incentive (the "offer") you must successfully apply for a new Halifax Current Account, Halifax Reward Current Account or Halifax Ultimate Reward Current Account and use the Halifax Switching Service/Team to switch your existing current account from another bank. This means transferring all your direct debits and other regular payments from your existing bank to your new Halifax bank account ("your account") with us.
2. We reserve the right to claim back the offer if you do not complete the switch from your existing current account by transferring all your direct debits and other regular payments to your account.
3. This offer only applies to applications received in branch, online or by telephone between 3rd January 2012 and midnight on 19th February 2012.
4. Only one offer is available per customer. Joint accounts opened under the offer will only be eligible for one payment.
5. Customers who have been in receipt of a fee free overdraft in the last 12 months when using the Halifax Switching Service/ Team will not be eligible for another fee free overdraft. Whether you can have an overdraft and the amount will depend upon your personal circumstances at the time you apply for one. Any overdraft we agree is subject to status. Overdrafts are repayable on demand.
6. The offer will be paid directly into your account when we start your switch.
7. The offer will appear as a cash credit in your account.
8. Subject to condition 9 below, the offer excludes existing Halifax and Bank of Scotland bank account customers switching to new Halifax bank accounts.
9. All Halifax Current Accounts, Halifax Reward Current Accounts and Halifax Ultimate Reward Current Accounts are offered subject to status. Accounts can only be opened by personal customers. A customer can still hold one Halifax Reward Current Account and Halifax Ultimate Reward Current Account in their sole name and one in joint names.
The offer is available to existing customers who already have a Halifax or Bank of Scotland Current Account, Reward Current Account or Ultimate Reward Current Account in their sole name and wish to open a Halifax account in joint names.
The offer is available to existing customers who already have a Halifax or Bank of Scotland Current Account, Reward Current Account or Ultimate Reward Current Account in joint names and wish to open a Halifax account in their sole name.
The offer is not available to existing Halifax customers who are upgrading their account.
10. The following Halifax bank accounts are excluded from the offer: Easycash account, Cardcash account, Expresscash account and Student Current Account.
11. The offer is subject to change and can be withdrawn without notice at any time.
12. The offer is not available to employees of Lloyds Banking Group nor is it available if the employee is the first named on any Halifax bank account held in joint names.

Nine_Lives

noh wrote: »

The T+Cs for the £100 switching offer are not vague.
Salary is not mentioned nor are credits as a condition.
Here are the terms again
http://www.halifax.co.uk/bankaccounts/switch-to-halifax/#100-switch-terms

So if you say yes and they say no, bearing in mind they hold the keys to the safe, what is your next move?