Halifax £100 Incentive problems

matty_art

I changed my account over in March using the switching service, and as I still hadn't received the £100, I finally got round to querying it this week.

I received a letter in response, staying that "The Terms and Conditions state that the incentive is only available to new Halifax customers. Our records show that you are not a new customer as you hold another account with us which was opened 31/07/1995, therefore are ineligible for the incentive".

I DID have a savings account with them, but I closed it in a branch in 2003 (when student spending finally got through it all!).

Also, thanks to the T&C reposted on this thread, I have just rang them up and quoted to them their actual T&C, i.e. "the offer is open to new current account customers only and not available to existing Halifax current account holders."

At no point does it mention savings accounts. I do recall reading this to make sure when I opened the account.

Anyway I've queried back to them and will you let you know what happens. If they refuse to pay, I'm going to jump ship to the new best current account I think, and make sure they're aware of the reason I'm doing so.

YorkshireBoy

jimclark1967 wrote: »

My £100 was due at the end of May. Having called several times, each time being told I was eligible and that the £100 would be in my account within the week, I wrote a letter (warning that I'd go to the Financial Ombudsman) to the Halifax complaints address on 23 July.

Jim,

The one thing I've learned from dealing with HBoS this last few months is you do not waste time ringing the normal CS number if you have a problem...you go straight for the 'jugular' (as I have done with 3 official complaints lodged since April).

If my £100 was due by the end of May, I'd have invoked their complaints procedure on 1st June. If you'd done that, you'd have had your money by now (8 weeks to final resolution).

Response came back saying I would hear within 4 weeks.

This morning I got another letter saying something along the lines of "We're still investigating your complaint, you will hear by 17 September." Sounds like delaying tactics to me.

None of my complaints have 'gone the distance' - all have been resolved in 5-6 weeks max.

Good luck in getting your £100.

regularsaver1

I can confirm that the £100 was only not to be paid if you had an existing bank account. some people leave accounts open wih a penny from years ago

if you have a savings account or mortgage with them, and then appy for a current account, you woul;d have been eligible if no banking products

saxmund

My direct debits have gone through smoothly - much better than I expected, and I think I have now confirmed the last DD is showing on my BoS account. The £100 is due next month. They cheeky !!!!!!s even sent me a letter for me to sign and send to Abbey closing my account. Which I have no intention of doing: for a start I would not close the account for a couple of months anyway, it's useful as an alternative should BoS turn out to be rubbish, and it may be useful for putting sums of money through that I want to keep seperate from my day to day living expenss, like changing the car. And of course I want to remain an Abbey customer while I pursue themover the e-baning problems in May and the recent failure to send out debit cards on time.

TuftyMatt

Well having signed up online for the BOS high interest account on 10.06.07 I can confirm it is still not fully open. I have paid in my £1000 a month and have a balance of £2501 to make the most of the interest rate but have no DD's set up yet.

I have a letter dated 3rd August which states this can take a while!!

My pay is due to go in on 24.08.07 and I was expecting everything to be in place by then but now doubt that very much.

What a workup for £100 which by the sounds of things I may not even get.

saxmund

I paid in over £1,000 last month from my Abbey account as I decided to start making online payments from my BoS account - so hopefully that's speeded up the £100 somewhat.

matty_art

Following on from the previous letter I received, having quoted the T&C back at the Halifax over the phone, I got sent another generic letter basically repeating the T&C which I knew already, and not saying anything about my issue.

So I've gone back to them again, for some reason I'm not allowed to speak to the Transfer Team who are actually dealing with the £100 incentive, I have to talk through an intermediary phone monkey. She spoke to someone from the team, and said there should be no problem with me receiving it because I seem to meet the requirements. I've been telling them this for weeks!

Waiting for it to hit my bank a/c, or maybe not, the saga continues...

Edit: it actually hit my account yesterday, success at last!

Forever_Red

I opened an account, in the branch, on 9th Feb 2007 to get the £100. The fella dealing with me filled in all the transfer forms and said I would also need to give them £100 to open the account. I said I have got a joint account with halifax and he said they can transfer £100 straight away. So he knows I have got a joint account with them and he still signs me up to the new account. All DD's and salary details swapped from Natwest to Halifax. All going ok.

Anyway, 4 months pass and no £100 incentive, so I phone up CS and they check my account and say it should have gone in. They will pay it in by the end of the month. Still nothing.

About 2 weeks ago I ring again and am told that it should have gone in by now. They will contact the Transfer team to sort it out. I may get a call from them confirming it. Still nothing.

Today I ring CS again and a lady says that it should have gone in (am I sick of hearing that) so she puts me on hold and contacts the transfer team. She then informs me that I am not eligible as I am an existing customer. I reply that the fella who opened the account for me knew this, as I transferred the money from my joint account. I tell her that I am cancelling my account, joint account, web saver account and my wifes account. She tells me not to be hasty and she will contact my branch, as it is them who have messed up. She will get them to contact me before 3pm, not heard anything yet.

Even if I get the £100 I think I'll switch all my accounts, as I hate the way they mess people about. I know that most of the big banks are the same, but unless people do start to close accounts, the banks think they are doing everthing right and the customers are happy.

YorkshireBoy

@Forever Red

Condition 8 was very clear...

The offer is open to new current account customers only and not available to existing Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holders. New customers opening a joint account with an existing sole account holder will not qualify for a payment.

Now you were either out to fleece them (and it's now back-fired), or you simply didn't read the T&C's.

Did the CSA specifically say you'd still get the £100, or did you keep quiet in the hope it would slip through? Either way, as part of the complaint procedure the CSA will probably be interviewed as to his/her contribution and will most likely be reprimanded in some form or other.

Forever_Red

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

Now you were either out to fleece them (and it's now back-fired), or you simply didn't read the T&C's.

I didn't read the T&C's as I went into the branch to switch from the Natwest and the Fella told me I would get £100 for switching. It wasn't planned, I just got fed up with Natwest and, when I was up town, I went in on the spur of the moment and switched.

quill wrote: »

Someone should start a poll on who has and who hasn't received their £100.

Just started one.....

Alan