Halifax - Arrrgh!!!!

MarkyMarkD

SallyUK wrote: »

So basically, they're putting us all in the same boat and treating everyone with a Cardcash account as though they're going to present bounced cheques and commit fraud every time, instead of treating each account on it's own merits?

I've been with that bank for years (had a current account with them, before my ex husband did what he did and that affected my credit history) so because of that I had to reapply to open a different account with them, in my sole name and that's why they gave me the Cardcash account!

I've never ever committed fraud and never presented a cheque that's ever bounced. Up until recently I had a fair amount of money in that account too, much more than they probably expect someone with this type of account to have, to be honest! But I've had enough of them now.

Sally

I'm sorry that you feel that you are being lumped in with a lot of bad customers.

But you ARE being lumped in with a lot of customers with bad credit history - and you admit that you are one of them.

Cardcash and other basic bank accounts are not the same as regular bank accounts. By their nature they have to be made available to customers with poor credit histories who are higher risk.

No bank sets different cheque clearance times for different categories of customer with the same account type. That would simply be too complex.

What they WILL do is upgrade people from basic bank accounts to regular bank accounts, once their circumstances, credit history and account conduct warrante it.

I really don't know what else I can say on this topic. I have no axe to grind for Halifax or anyone else, but I can most certainly see why they have adopted this policy.

scooby359

Paul_Herring wrote: »

My only comments here regarding this are either (1) you're lying, (2) you think you know but you don't or (3) you've learnt policies from places other than directly from your bank.

Bank staff rarely know the ins and outs of their banks products. Witness the inability of LTSB staff to deal with their widely promoted (outside of the bank, naturally) STC campaign before it started, and during it's execution.

Wide brush? Most certainly.

It's attitudes like that which make bank staff less likely to go out of their way to help you. If you want to be treated with respect, make sure you talk to others the same way.

Paul_Herring

scooby359 wrote: »

It's attitudes like that which make bank staff less likely to go out of their way to help you. If you want to be treated with respect, make sure you talk to others the same way.

It's lack of respect from bank staff and lack of their knowledge of bank promotions that promoted my comment that appears to have drawn such ire from at least 3 MSE members. I admit that the

(1) you're lying

comment was more confrontational than I intended at the time.

For my defence, I mention (as one instance) the LTSB STC promotion started and advertised in (or perhaps before - I don't recall) January, and still unknown to both bank staff and CS staff in March (when it ended!.) The promotion was advertised in-branch.

If more counter-staff (and incidentally customer service staff) were routinely more informed by their superiors of things applicable to their 'normal' customers then I wouldn't have made my initial comment.

simsyboy

Guys, can I chip in before this decends into an arguement. Strangely I was about to post an almost identical post. I put a cheque in last Friday 13th, and tried to withdraw money today, only to be told I cant until money. I did put the cheque in via the cashpoint, but basic bank account cheques seem to take longer to clear than normal current accounts anyway. They did in my basic Abbey account. I came to post my anger at this. My credit was messed up due to someone in my address before me and identity theft, which is being sorted but taking a long time, so please don't assume these accounts just go to people with bad track records with with finances as they are not. Anyway, I do think this is unfair, as it is also people with low incomes etc who get these accounts, not just "bad risks", and people who have got black marks on their record for previous financial misdemeanors. For this reason I think basic bank accounts should be looked at. People like myself and people on low incomes are exactly the type of people who cannot afford to wait an extra few days for a cheque to clear, yet it is people with high incomes and the "premium" bank accounts who receive the luxuries of instant access to cheques etc. I'm not saying this shouldn't happen, as at the end of the day if you pay extra for a product you expect some perks. What I'm saying is if I pay a BUSINESS cheque into my account, and on one occasion a business cheque from a HALIFAX account, surely the bank can see it is a good cheque and clear it quickly.
Personally I think banks were annoyed when the government said everyone in the UK should have access to a bank account, and they set up these basic accounts with high charges, longer cheque clearing times, and no counter service (apart from to deposit cash in some cases). I have tried HSBC, Lloyds, Abbey, and am now trying Halifax. I wanted to move to see who, if anyone offered the best account. The only reason Halifax won was the visa debit card I get. Other than that I have genuinely felt like a second class citizen with these accounts. When I have been allowed to go the a counter in Halifax and Lloyds with queries etc, when the bank see what type of account I have, and that potential upselling is lost, they lose interest in me. One time in Halifax I went £1.25 overdrawn when using my debit card (not used to having one , I wasn't particularly "flush", and got together the £1.25 to take my account up. I went to the counter to be told that A)I had to use the machine and B)I had to be a minimum of £5, when I tried to explain the situation she cut me off mid sentence and said "I have a lot of people waiting in the queue sorry, if you don't have the £5 I can't do anything", and this was said loud enough for a few people in the queue to hear and look at me. I wasnt paid for a week, and after I was paid the OD was sorted out. I had to plead with the bank on the phone not to impose any charges though.
Sorry for such a long ranty post, but I'm not a credit card fraudster, I get paid £1000 a month which GOES into my Halifax account (just straight out on bills and mortgage ), and I just feel stuck with these accounts, and in this day in age without a decent bank account its very difficult to manage day to day issues. I feel for the OP and can empathise,adn I feel we are getting a raw deal.

SallyUK

In reply to RichyRich

RichyRich wrote: »

Yes they are.
By your logic, because you've never presented a dud cheque, they shouldn't allow any time for clearing.


I'm not saying that at all! I'm saying they should consider each account on it's own merits. I'm not saying they should clear my cheque right away, I'm saying it should certainly clear a lot sooner than it does.
I understand it's your x-husband's fault what happened on the account, but you chose to have a joint a/c with him - that makes you financially linked and that makes you responsible, regardless of which one of you was careless. It's ok running to the bank saying "It wasn't me, it was my husband, give me a proper account", but if they'd do that for you they'd have to do it for everyone who wanted an account and could blame their husband/wife/girlfriend/cat/dog/etc.

So was I supposed to know when I met him, that he'd end up running off, leaving me in dire straits? Was I supposed to foresee the future and see that I'd end up losing my marital home and having it repossessed? Was that my fault?? Should I be punished and be made to open another account, just because he was the stupid one? No. I don't think so, - that's why I'm saying they should consider every account on it's own merits.
Rich.

And yes, I do now have a bad credit history, through no fault of my own - yet I'm the one who's working more than 52 hours a week, earning a lot of money, in order to keep a roof over our heads and put food on the table and because of this bank's stupid rules and regulations, it seems I'm to be punished for everymore! It is discriminatory and it shouldn't be allowed.

RichyRich

But by getting a joint account you become responsible for whatever the other person does. Nobody's saying you should be able to see into the future but that's how joint accounts work. If you don't want to have to be responsible for someone else's finances, don't get a joint account. It's as simple as that. IT's a risk you take when you open one. I certainly won't ever be getting one.

Again, if you were the bank, who would you offer facilities to?

1. The guy with the good credit rating, or:
2. The guy with a bad credit rating and an excuse?

=Paul HerringI seem to recall the reason was not that men are more likely to crash, but the resulting payout from incidents is larger for men than for women.

You might be right. I don't know. Principle's the same any way.

jswaminathanuk

well I earn much more than halifax branch manager. I opened cardcash account with them only because they had some good saving account that time but only conditions they had was to open a current account.
Now a days I transfer just enough money so I can operate my saving accounts with them.
Now I never opted for better current account as now they are not the best and I don't want to sommit to them.
It is silly excuse that cardcash accounts are at higher risk. I know many people they had better account with halifax but poor credit history while mine is just opposit.
Also I think it is their strategy to deliberately delay cardcash related transactions so people will upgrade their account and commit for more money to bank

regularsaver1

Yeah we know this - some cardcash account customers are just side accounts , separate to their main bank accounts.

its not to encourage those to upgrade

as stated before - they have 50% share of this market - too much football, but they have helped many get these accounts. Its to cut the queues

their current account isn't bad interest rate at 6.17% AER - but cardcash pays zero interest

how do you know how much their branch managers earn? - it can vary

jonesMUFCforever

jswaminathanuk wrote: »

well I earn much more than halifax branch manager. I opened cardcash account with them only because they had some good saving account that time but only conditions they had was to open a current account.
Now a days I transfer just enough money so I can operate my saving accounts with them.
Now I never opted for better current account as now they are not the best and I don't want to sommit to them.
It is silly excuse that cardcash accounts are at higher risk. I know many people they had better account with halifax but poor credit history while mine is just opposit.
Also I think it is their strategy to deliberately delay cardcash related transactions so people will upgrade their account and commit for more money to bank

You may earn more than a Halifax Branch manager but I would suggest spending some of it on an education!
Your grammer is attrocious!

MarkyMarkD

ejones999 wrote: »

You may earn more than a Halifax Branch manager but I would suggest spending some of it on an education!
Your grammer is attrocious!

Those who live by the sword, die by the sword. Or, if you live in a glass house you had better stop throwing stones.

Grammar and atrocious please.