Haliax c@ckup - can I complain?

jimpix12

Hi all. I have an issue with my bank. I'm in the process of renewing my fixed rate mortgage as the deal is expiring and the APR is going up in a few days, to the tune of around an extra £180 per month.

Unfortunately the mortgage company won't be able to process my application in time before the rates revert back because they need to see bank statements... I requested these over 2 weeks ago but my bank - Halifax - sent me the wrong statements for an incorrect time period (the mortgage company needed to see the past 6 months in full but Halifax sent me 4 months despite asking for 6 :-S ). I have requested they re-send for the correct period but (for some reason) takes them 7-10 days to post them out. Obviously by then it'll probably be too late to switch the mortgage. I asked for a quicker delivery service but they declined.

I've complained to Halifax already about this who have refunded me £25 as a "goodwill gesture" but do I have grounds to go to the Ombudsman to try to claim the full £180 or so it's cost me in unnecessary interest because of their cockup?

Or will they argue I should have done this months ago and should I chalk it up to experience? (I've not renewed before)

agrinnall

Can you not print the statements yourself from online banking?

jimpix12

Sadly not, they want original copies.

SamDude

spunko2010 wrote: »

Sadly not, they want original copies.

You could print them from your online banking and take the print out to a Halifax branch to get them stamped/certified.

I've done this in the past with NatWest, Santander and HSBC online statements and they have all been accepted.

shortcrust

Chalk it up to experience. I think you'd only have a case if they'd broken their T&Cs. From what I can see they haven't so it comes down to what's reasonable. It's really just a minor admin error that's going be rectified within 7 to 10 days with £25 goodwill. Their response seems reasonable to me. You left a very small time window to get the documentation you needed (typed from my glass house...).

Just my uninformed take on it.:) Others might say different.

colsten

I don't think any bank will entertain, or be forced to entertain, consequential losses - which is basically what you are asking for.

Try the stamped printout, and if that does not work, perhaps find a more reasonable mortgage company.

veryintrigued

shortcrust wrote: »

You left a very small time window to get the documentation you needed

This........

grumbler

spunko2010 wrote: »

... the APR is going up in a few days, to the tune of around an extra £180 per month.

... (for some reason) takes them 7-10 days to post them out. Obviously by then it'll probably be too late to switch the mortgage. I asked for a quicker delivery service but they declined.

...do I have grounds to go to the Ombudsman to try to claim the full £180 or so it's cost me in unnecessary interest because of their cockup?

Is it just me?
I don't see how you can claim more than ~£180/3=£60.

Archi_Bald

grumbler wrote: »

Is it just me?
I don't see how you can claim more than ~£180/3=£60.

I think it is just you - the OP is concerned that the new mortgage offer would expire before the additional Halifax statements arrive. Though why the claim would then be just 1 month's worth and not 1 year etc etc is unclear to me.

I think it's not worth escalating - the FOS would probably turn it down on the grounds that

1. the request should have been put to Halifax a lot earlier
2. the OP could have tried Branch-stamped online statements but chose not to
3. there is no proof that the OP would have got the new mortgage deal if 6 months of statements would have been available in time

OP should be happy with the £25.

BMN

Just go to a Halifax branch.

They shouldn't be stamping online printouts for you.

They can print off up to 3 months worth of statements for you (so the 2 months that were not originally sent as requested).
They should not be stamping these statements either and it's not necessary to anyway because your mortgage company should accept them in that format.