Halifax ID verification process OTT

wookie66

Been a nightmare trying to verify the ID of my elderly father in order for him to open a new Halifax ISA for 2012/13

This is his first account with Halifax, but he does have other accounts with high street banks and has been on the electoral register since 1970 and has been issued recently with a brand new epassport, held a driving licence since 1970s, has a national insurance number.....I could go on and on

But for some reason Halifax's online system wasnt able to successfully verify his ID electronically

System required him to walk into a branch with suitable ID docs to get verified. However he has mobility issues and I therefore asked customer services on the phone if there was any other way to verify his ID

They now require his original docs to be posted to HW ie passport / drive licence / utility bill etc or get a copy certified as true and original by a solicitor.

Other banks allow you to get any professional to certify but apparently Halifax require a SOLICITOR!!

Went to the branch to today and asked why are these OTT checks in place. They responded new procedures in place now to combat ID fraud.

Never had this type of problem before with any other banks since they are quite happy for someone else to take the ID documents into the branch and get then checked or get the ID documents certified by any number of different professionals

Why oh why are Halifax being SOOOO stringent with their checks

What would happen if I lived in the Outer Hebrides and there wasnt a Halifax near by? Does that preclude me from opening an account

Any one know what has forced this change in approach....after all its only an ISA and surely Halifax must be able to check with other databases that hold ID information to verify an individual is bona fide and not a potential risk

At this rate we may well jump ship and open an ISA with any other financial institution with less onerous requirements

MoneySaverLog

I don't understand why either, could it be the keying in of the address is slightly different to what's on the electoral register so when electronic checks are made they cannot find a match?

Given it is only a ISA I would have thought that he'd have to give his NI Number which uniquely identifies him.

I know when I applied to HSBC for an account that although they could verify me electronically they wanted me to go in the branch with photo id and driving licence to open the account. Then later when I asked where my debit card was they said it had not been ordered and I needed to go in again with the same ID as it could not be ordered on the phone!!! :-(

I've not bothered as I only want the account to have access to their 6% regular saver so no real need for their debit card. But can see how this is annoying.

sabretoothtigger

Register to vote by post, if you can take part in an election with various documents they might get the point you are legal to own an isa

dunstonh

Other banks allow you to get any professional to certify but apparently Halifax require a SOLICITOR!!

That is a bit OTT but Halifax were fined some years ago for failings. So, you would expect them to be a bit more stringent that others. However, that is pushing it.

Never had this type of problem before with any other banks since they are quite happy for someone else to take the ID documents into the branch and get then checked or get the ID documents certified by any number of different professionals

Taking in proof of address for someone else is fine. However, taking in proof of ID is not as they cant see the photo matches.

Perelandra

wookie66 wrote: »

Other banks allow you to get any professional to certify but apparently Halifax require a SOLICITOR!!

Isn't this actually quite a cheap thing to do, though, or am I misremembering? If you can find a solictor that provides the service of course!

innovate

Perelandra wrote: »

Isn't this actually quite a cheap thing to do, though, or am I misremembering? If you can find a solictor that provides the service of course!

You can walk into most high street solicitors and they'll do it for approx £20 and half an hour of your time.

However, it seems utterly ridiculous to be asked for certified ID if you are on the ER, have an NI number and a passport that you present in person(*), and only want to open an ISA!

I'd vote with my feet and take my business elsewhere. Particularly since the Halifax ISA interest rates can easily be beaten.

(*) EDIT: on re-reading the OP, seems I misunderstood, the applicant doesn't seem to have presented in person. Still, nothing changes substantially for me -- far too much palaver just to open an ISA.

GeorgeHowell

It's probably mostly about trying to get people physically into the branches so they can give them a sales pitch and point them towards the products that Halifax wants to push. Halifax generally has to offer better than avarage interest rates to get people to put up with the administrative hassle of dealing with them. Is that a sound business model ? There are other banks to choose from, even if the rates are slightly lower

innovate

GeorgeHowell wrote: »

There are other banks to choose from, even if the rates are slightly lower

and banks where the rates are higher

GeorgeHowell

innovate wrote: »

and banks where the rates are higher

Yes. Halifax possibly more than any other bank manages to live off its past reputation as a big, safe, building society which used to convince its savers and mortgagees that it was on their side. There are people that would still prefer to deal with it than better alternatives, out of customer loyalty and comfort zone maintenance. I have elderly relatives who will not countenance putting money anywhere else, even though Halifax has sold them what we deem to be non-optimal products that have lost them money.