HSBC bank application problems

adonis10

My OH applied for a current account with HSBC, to switch from her bank of over 10 years but the application came back as requiring more information/unsuccessful. We moved to a new address 8 months ago and she only changed her address on driving licence, bank etc. a few weeks ago (slipped her mind, nothing dodgy!) and so I wonder if this could be why. Checked credit score and all is well, correct address on electoral roll etc. She will call/pop into the branch to see what is going on (they've requested she goes in with ID) but wondered if anyone else had experienced similar. Appears to be no reason for the rejection, which is strange.

meer53

If it's been rejected they wouldn't ask for more information ? Not much point going to the branch if she's been rejected.

adonis10

meer53 wrote: »

If it's been rejected they wouldn't ask for more information ? Not much point going to the branch if she's been rejected.

Which makes me think it hasn't been rejected as such, rather just more info required before proceeding. Seems strange, though, given that we have our mortgage with them so they have first hand knowledge of where she lives!

Katiehound

I would definitely go into your local branch- the chances are they will be able to sort things out- but you will probably need to book an appointment.

.When I switched to HSBC about 18 months ago they were great in branch- everything sailed through within days (rather than weeks).

stclair

It's probably been referred due to address inconsistency.

During an application it asks about time at adresses.

So the underwriter may wonder if they've lived at an address 8 months why they have other accounts still at the previous address etc.

onlyMe

I had been putting money into my newly opened HSBC account but when I came to withdraw it I found my debit card and payee options were frozen. After a half-hour phone call to customer support I've been told that the account should be unfrozen within the next few days; meanwhile they have kidnapped my money. I've never had a problem like this in decades of banking and I have payments that I need to make. Really regretting the switch.


You need to commit to memory 3 different passwords (phone, online, secure ID) and one security question to use their systems. They are still very paper-dependent, sent me mountains of paper through the post for an online account. They said I had to go into a branch to initiate the Current Account Switch Service and my experience of their branch service was not good; on my first visit I was told I would have to ask my previous bank to initiate the switch, then on my second visit (once I realised that advice was wrong) I had to wait an hour to see somebody. Retail banking is not rocket science; these things should have been ironed out 15-20 years ago.

JuicyJesus

onlyMe wrote: »

I had been putting money into my newly opened HSBC account but when I came to withdraw it I found my debit card and payee options were frozen.

How much money are we talking here?

onlyMe

Lowish 5 figures.

JuicyJesus

onlyMe wrote: »

Lowish 5 figures.

Over what period of time? Where did this come from?

Because that is a very large amount of money to have put through a brand new current account. That's going to raise red flags.

adonis10

Katiehound wrote: »

I would definitely go into your local branch- the chances are they will be able to sort things out- but you will probably need to book an appointment.

.When I switched to HSBC about 18 months ago they were great in branch- everything sailed through within days (rather than weeks).

She went into the local branch on Saturday and they gave her an appointment for three weeks time, awful service. She is going to call them later to find out what the hold up is and/or go to a larger branch in the hope of getting an appointment much sooner.

It's clearly an address issue which baffles me given that they have our address on the mortgage, surely if they weren't happy about it they wouldn't have lent us 150k!!

joshp1993

I've had very similar issues with HSBC. My online application was sent off 7th January, and I rang up 3 times just for an update or even an email confirmation of my application and they couldn't see anything appearing on the system and told me I didn't have an ongoing application. I heard nothing at all back from them until 29th January when I received a letter asking for some ID to be brought into branch (no issue with this so I went in the next morning).

I was told upon arrival that I'd have to come back in 2 weeks with an appointment, but after insisting that it would literally take 2 minutes and I didn't need one, I waited 45 minutes to see someone in the branch there and then. When I finally got to see the necessary staff member she refused to take my ID despite producing a letter from HSBC asking me to bring it in, as "the system doesn't show any ongoing application". After point blank insisting she take it and at least try sending it off, she finally accepted and took a scan. Didn't hear anything back at all from HSBC after that and had to ring up another 3 times to get an update, only to be told on the 3rd occasion that my application was frozen pending ID being taken to a branch - the same one I took into branch 3 weeks ago!!

Finally got a letter from them on Friday 3rd March stating my application had been declined due to "internal scoring". So it took around 8 weeks for a relatively simple application - I'm just glad I never have to deal with HSBC again!