Bank Account Switching Service.

Darren08

Hello,


Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere, I'm doing 10 things at once and my head is about to explode .


I decided to go for the Clydesdale £150 switching incentive.


I opened my new account and gave them the details for the switch yesterday around 15:00 on 31 March. My earliest switch date came up as 11 April.


Today, I lost control over some aspects of my old Halifax account, namely making payments, transferring money and cancelling direct debits via internet banking. When I called their helpline, they had errors too and told me that I had to go to a branch to find out why, because it was a student account. I spoke to two different agents who had no clue what the error messages/codes meant or why it was happening. That's a cop out excuse, because if it is a technical glitch, what's the branch going to do? Is it a malicious block on my available services because I'm leaving?


So, I checked online and couldn't find any sort of FAQ that included accessing your account pre-switch. I checked here and the best thing I could find on the guide, which matched my issue was this:


'Up until the seventh working day following you asking to switch, your existing account will function as normal. So all payments in and out will be taken or paid when they're due, and whatever money you had in your account will remain in there.'


My account isn't a functioning as normal and it's ten days before the transfer date, or seven working days.


Is this normal for a pending-switch account, is it a technical glitch or a malicious tantrum because I am closing the account?


Thanks in advance!

diamonds

Online complaint http://www.halifax.co.uk/contactus/how-to-complain/

Darren08

Hello, I'm on hold to their Customer Relations team currently (50 mins and counting), so I'll wait to see what they say. I always log my complaints with their Customer Relations team over the phone as it's much quicker. Thank you though .


I noticed your thread on their compo/service just now . Over the past six months I've had about £200 from Halifax for three different issues. That might sound good, but I'd advise you to jump ship ASAP due to the constant issues. I'd have much preferred to have had access to my account rather than the £200. I've been with them thirteen years and they're a nightmare.

meer53

Your old account works exactly as normal until the day of the switch. Why would they deliberately put a block on your account ? I'd go to the branch as requested, unless you don't need to use the account in which case i'd leave it until the switch is completed.

Darren08

I can't really get to a branch at the moment due to health, I do all of my banking online and only via telephone if I absolutely have to. I don't even remember the last time I was in a branch

diamonds

Darren08 wrote: »

Hello, I'm on hold to their Customer Relations team currently (50 mins and counting), so I'll wait to see what they say. I always log my complaints with their Customer Relations team over the phone as it's much quicker. Thank you though .


I noticed your thread on their compo/service just now . Over the past six months I've had about £200 from Halifax for three different issues. That might sound good, but I'd advise you to jump ship ASAP due to the constant issues. I'd have much preferred to have had access to my account rather than the £200. I've been with them thirteen years and they're a nightmare.

In fairness every bank I have had since 16 in one way or another have been a nightmare, worse as my high balances fell lower and lower due to health issues.


One rogue staff not being flexible with policy over fairness and taking ownership or not actually saying to a authorising line manager "hold on a minute we are in the wrong here imagine yourself in this position, we can and should do better here" is much damage to a brand made. That applies to every business.


There is a lot to 1st contact resolution, Halifax seem to follow that policy, Vodafone actually have one but its third party care dont care.



Most people allow such small things to irate them (am not implying yourself) whereas I think well its not going to kill me, neither will following a complaints procedure, the brits are terrible at evaluating what is worth stressing about and even how to handle such.


Even I have lost my temper with Trèè India after logging a head office complaint and a idiot calling me back though lol but for the most part, breathe...its not life threatening



Lets us know how you get on

Darren08

Well not being able to make any payments or transfers for the next ten days is actually a major problem for me.


Cancelling the direct debit not so much...unless I get debited on the sly in between switching.


I worked for Vodafone for eight years bad memories.


I went with 3 when they launched. It was ok-ish until it came to cancelling. I cancelled early in the month, but I'd already been billed for the entire month in advance. As is usual practice, they then sent me a credit invoice the next month for the days I'd overpaid.


I contacted them to claim it and they said a cheque would be sent. No cheque was sent. The next month I get an invoice with a charge on it equal to the credit amount saying my balance is £0.


Their India based centres wouldn't refund me, wouldn't budge, admitted they had no idea what the charge was but still refused to give me my overcharged line rental costs back.


Ended up going through an Ombudsman, but it paid off with extra compo .


Halifax said someone will call me within 2 business days...guess I got through to overflow. Seems lots of people must be complaining.

diamonds

Darren08 wrote: »

Well not being able to make any payments or transfers for the next ten days is actually a major problem for me.


Cancelling the direct debit not so much...unless I get debited on the sly in between switching.


I worked for Vodafone for eight years bad memories.


I went with 3 when they launched. It was ok-ish until it came to cancelling. I cancelled early in the month, but I'd already been billed for the entire month in advance. As is usual practice, they then sent me a credit invoice the next month for the days I'd overpaid.


I contacted them to claim it and they said a cheque would be sent. No cheque was sent. The next month I get an invoice with a charge on it equal to the credit amount saying my balance is £0.


Their India based centres wouldn't refund me, wouldn't budge, admitted they had no idea what the charge was but still refused to give me my overcharged line rental costs back.


Ended up going through an Ombudsman, but it paid off with extra compo .


Halifax said someone will call me within 2 business days...guess I got through to overflow. Seems lots of people must be complaining.

Do a online complaint, think of everything you want to say and send it off.


Poor you, you must have took some abuse: computer says no



3 - I didnt even get a PAC last year, left me with debt too. Sitting with Ombudsman.


A online complaint can take 20mins, screw waiting for 2 days if for health reasons you cant get to the bank

takman

Darren08 wrote: »

I noticed your thread on their compo/service just now . Over the past six months I've had about £200 from Halifax for three different issues. That might sound good, but I'd advise you to jump ship ASAP due to the constant issues. I'd have much preferred to have had access to my account rather than the £200. I've been with them thirteen years and they're a nightmare.

I've never had any problem with any of my accounts ever so I feel like I'm missing out on all this compensation everyone is getting!.

But you should always have at least one other acount with another bank so if anything does go wrong you still have money you can access.

diamonds

takman wrote: »

I've never had any problem with any of my accounts ever so I feel like I'm missing out on all this compensation everyone is getting!.

But you should always have at least one other acount with another bank so if anything does go wrong you still have money you can access.

Lol, be thankful my online account is still playing up today.


Halifax asked me that to their credit, I said it was fine only my current account got switched so I have a card and funds available.

Telephone pin sent to try set up S.O on a call as computer said no, they are going to do it the old school way. Card pin waiting too.



Can Halifax customers deposit cheques in a BOS branch ?
Or get any help ?

Darren08

Not sure about BOS but you can get a paying in book and envelopes which enable you to deposit at the Post Office, if that helps.