Halifax refuse to refund £20 for late mortgage interest statement

markywilliam

Hello there everyone

Not sure whether this shouldn't be under the 'Claiming back bank charges' section, but since it's not actually the same sort of charge, I'm not sure...

Anyways, I wonder if anyone had any thoughts on my (admittedly minor) situation...

Round about January 12th, I rang the Halifax to ask for a statement of mortgage interest to give to my accountant so that she could complete my accounts by the end of January. The woman on the ‘phone said that one would be sent out to me in around seven days, at a charge of £20.

I agreed, but by Wednesday 24th of January, with the deadline for my accounts less than a week away, nothing had arrived; so, whilst in Leeds, I called in at one of Halifax's branches, spoke to one of the staff, and she ‘phoned the mortgage department. She was told that it hadn’t been sent out because the woman I’d spoken to on the 12th had forgotten to ask if the £20 charge could be debited from my account! I said ‘Yes,’ and that I needed the statement urgently. The woman on the ‘phone said it would be with me in two days. (Even the woman in the branch thought it was ridiculous that it had been delayed because the call centre woman had forgotten to ask me whether they could debit the charge from my account).

By Monday January 29th, less than two days away from the deadline for my accounts to be with the Inland Revenue, I still hadn’t received the statement, so I ‘phoned again.
I was told that it had been sent out on the 26th and that it should have I arrived. I reluctantly accepted a verbal statement of my mortgage interest over the ‘phone (having been told by my accountant, last year, that I really needed a proper printed one - not sure, even now, what the truth of this is!). I argued that since it was the Halifax’s fault that my statement hadn’t arrived yet – because of the call centre woman’s failure to ask about payment and that I’d been promised it within two days from the 24th – that I shouldn’t have to pay the £20: even if the printed statement arrived the next day (January 30th) it would be too late to get it to my accountant since she was doing my accounts that day.

I was told that since the statement had been sent out (according to the Halifax) that I would still have to pay for it.

The statement arrived the next day – and although it was dated January 26th, the envelope – interestingly – was postmarked the 29th. And what’s more, the statement included a note asking me to send them a cheque for payment, so it looks like no one was actually listening during the ‘phone call from their branch on the 24th

And since then, they've debited the £20 three times - and refunded it twice, leaving me with a £20 charge added to my mortgage.

I wrote to them, explaining all the above, asking them to waive the charge. This morning, I got a letter from them saying 'No!' (in their own mangled words: '...as this error was not caused on the behalf of the Halifax.')

Am I barking up a blind alley here, wasting my time over this? Should I just accept that they've already got their £20 and get on with my life? Or should I do something else (I'm tempted to close my accounts with them in protest, but that might just be cutting off my nose to spite my face!).

Sorry to have rambled on for so long, and thanks for your patience in reading so far. All thoughts and suggestions very gratefully received!

all the best

Mark
x

tricia9

Hi There,
This is normal for the Halifax whose chief administrator should be sacked quite frankly. One dept. doesnt know what the other is doing and trying to get a meaningfully co-ordinated response is impossible.
For a few years this type of poor admin was held in check, but more recently they seem to be under pressure to use corporate ineptitude as a means of capitalising upon what most would consider incompetence, and boosting their profits. Today I had to send this letter of complaint, hope it is self explanatory, I also had to do this several years ago, but clearly they have reinstated the same annoying bad practice:

Letter of complaint—no name given for complaints to be addressed to:


I am writing to complain that on two occasions now I have had letters from your marketing department from the generic 'manager at Customer Payments Department,' telling me I owe money and am behind with my payments when this is not the case.

From the responses I get when phoning to correct this misjudgement, this department is more concerned with finding out which insurance I have got, and clearly is making a spurious covert attempt to abuse my mortgage account details as a telesales/tele marketing option opportunity.

I find that your company is:


Invading my privacy
Abusing my own personal address and contact data for commercial unsolicited cold calling sales, very obviously related to selling home buildings and contents insurance.
Harassing me with unnecessary demands for more money which isn't owed
Harassing me by creating a need for me to use the phone to resolve the erroneous accusations and demands on tow occasions now, when on 12th January I CLEARLY expressed to 'Mathew' at another mortgage account dept. that I have voice disability and do not want any more of these type of letters.
Cause unnecessary distress by accusing me of being behind with my mortgage and demanding money when neither is true.
Guilty of sharp practice in making such menacing gratuitous demands for money which many other people with lesser ability than I, might actually be responding to in fear of reprisals.
Wasting my time, energy, money and resources each time this has occurred and on more so on this occasion when I am forced to put in writing a formal letter due to lack of response to my former verbal complaint to Mathew on the 12th January 2007.

I want to make it quite clear that I perceive such letters as the one I attach to be reprehensible practice and a dubious, if not on the wrong side of legal, attempt to extort money with menace.
I would appreciate it if you would ensure that such letters are not sent to my address again, and that any future information about my account is sent in the appropriate manner with up to date and accurate information.
I also believe I am owed an apology in light of the fact that I have on many occasions expressed my need to not be put in a situation where I am obliged to use the phone.
I realise that companies are more concerned with profits, but once it employs practices with effects such as I outline above, then it is time to call a halt to corporate indifference to the individual needs of customers. Local offices were much more effective and responsive.