Halifax 'Forgot' CHAPS Transfer - Property Purchase

[Deleted User]

Hi to everyone at the MSE Forums!

My partner and I are in the process of purchasing our first home together. The exchange of contracts were completed on Tues 11th Dec and the completion date is set for today, Fri 14th Dec.

We booked an appointment at our local Halifax branch to arrange a CHAPS transfer for the outstanding balance at 4:30pm on Tues 11th Dec.

We were told that as it was now after the cut off time the transfer would not be processed until the following day, however, the monies would be in the nominated account by the end of that day. This was fine as we had until the end of Thurs 13th Dec to transfer the outstanding balance.

Imagine our surprise when at 11am today, I receive phone calls from our Solicitor and Estate Agent informing me there had been no payment! :shocked:

So, armed with receipt of the CHAPS transfer request, I promptly made my way to the Halifax branch to find out what was going on. Simply put, they had messed up and hadn't put the transfer through. :mad:

Naturally they were extremely apologetic and immediately put the transfer through, and with it being before the cut off time, the payment was promptly received in to the nominated account. They also said they wouldn't charge the £25 administration fee - too bloody right they won't.

I personally feel that an apology and waiving of the fee comes even close to making up for the undue stress and frustration it has caused us. I've had to take time off of work to sort this out, my partner has been violently sick all afternoon, we can't pick up the keys until tomorrow, and potentially we could be incurring penalty fees...worse, we could have lost the sale of the property!

Does anyone have any suggestions where to even begin making a complaint, and what to ask for?

Thanks in advance.

mac2008

I've had numerous smaller problems with Halifax when switching out an account with them. Based on how they dealt with these, I expect you'll get £25 and another apology. If you incurred any expenses returning to the branch (parking, petrol etc.) you could probably ask for these separately.

Whilst annoying in the extreme and stressful, you haven't incurred any other monetary loss as far as I can see?

[Deleted User]

mac2008 wrote: »

Whilst annoying in the extreme and stressful, you haven't incurred any other monetary loss as far as I can see?

No, not yet.

I'll take it up with the branch manager first as they have been extremely on-the-ball since we moved to the area.

maninthestreet

As you appear to have suffered no loss, I don't think you will get much more than mac2008 suggests.

Thrugelmir

ryan.stephens wrote: »

I receive phone calls from our Solicitor

Solicitor was rather lax......

Hominu

To be honest, I would have been on the phone yesterday asking why the transfer wasn't completed on the promised date of the 12th. It doesn't take a lot of time to check your balance after all. Then no need to book time off from work - all you would have needed was a phone call. Last time I bought a house, I was on the phone to the bank on the day and they had actually did as I asked, but always best to check!

So you have to bear some of the blame yourself.

[Deleted User]

Hominu wrote: »

To be honest, I would have been on the phone yesterday asking why the transfer wasn't completed on the promised date of the 12th. It doesn't take a lot of time to check your balance after all. Then no need to book time off from work - all you would have needed was a phone call. Last time I bought a house, I was on the phone to the bank on the day and they had actually did as I asked, but always best to check!

So you have to bear some of the blame yourself.

Problem solved, Halifax have put it in writing to pay all our expenses and penalty charges, plus they're sending DIY store vouchers as a personal gesture of goodwill.

pinkdalek

Hominu wrote: »

So you have to bear some of the blame yourself.

NO!? Customer asked their bank to process a CHAPS payment, they failed to deliver that promise and messed up causing unwanted stress.

Besides the OP was moving house at the time and more than likely has had quite a lot of other things to organise, hence why they trusted their bank to process the payment.

You should be entitled to receive compensation for incurred expenses eg travel, parking, calls and to cover the stress but that is all. Bank has put right what it has done wrong, offered fair compo what more do you want?

[Deleted User]

pinkdalek wrote: »

You should be entitled to receive compensation for incurred expenses eg travel, parking, calls and to cover the stress but that is all. Bank has put right what it has done wrong, offered fair compo what more do you want?

Confused. I haven't asked for more that what Halifax has offered me in terms of compensation. I'm not having to pay out for the 3/4 days that our contract will now be in breach of.

Agricolae

ryan.stephens wrote: »

Confused. I haven't asked for more that what Halifax has offered me in terms of compensation. I'm not having to pay out for the 3/4 days that our contract will now be in breach of.

Sounds like Halifax have been reasonably fair (and have chosen an appropriate apology in sending DIY vouchers) - I work in the complaints department of a large bank and things like this happen from time to time. I dealt with a similar case recently but it wasn't something quite so negligent as the bank simply "forgetting"!

It seems from your posts that Thursday 13th December was the purchase date (i.e. the day your solicitor transfers the monies to the other party), so I'm not sure how you are 3/4 days in breach of contract?

Thrugelmir

Agricolae wrote: »

It seems from your posts that Thursday 13th December was the purchase date (i.e. the day your solicitor transfers the monies to the other party), so I'm not sure how you are 3/4 days in breach of contract?

Completion was most likely yesterday (Friday). Now Monday/Tuesday.

Surprised solicitor hadn't checked up previously to make sure all the cleared funds were in place.