Sit in protest at HSBC

zharp

Ok, sorry this is a long one but in a nutshell my husband had a cardiac arrest and has been left with severe brain damage. This is part of the original complaint letter I sent to HSBC in 2013 at a time when he was in intensive care.


Whilst he was in ICU I contacted HSBC about his bank account and credit card who said I would have to go into branch with a letter from the hospital. I did this, showed them the letter from the consultant and asked staff to make a note of hubbys situation on his account and asked if any interest or charges on his account could be put on hold for a few months until his situation became clearer. I was told there was nothing they could do and would continue to charge hubby until we had legal authority over him. I explained to the branch that it would take 6-8 months and more money than we have to do that but they were not interested. This was the start of a long list of failings on HSBC’s behalf.

• HSBC has passed his current account onto a recovery company without any notice.
• Letters from a recovery company demanding payment.
• Continual letters demanding payment.
• Interest and charges being applied to all accounts.
• Sending letters in my name about Steve’s credit card demanding payment
• Sending default payment letters and threatened with court action.
  
  In a recent incident I asked the bank to freeze 2 joint savings accounts which hadn’t been used for over 12 months, instead they froze our joint account, when I visited the branch to ask why they said they didn’t know and would not be able to unfreeze it. Their solution when I explained I now had no access to the account and could not keep check of any activity was for me to come into branch and they would ‘print me off a statement ‘when I needed one!! I was visibly upset and only after I refused to leave the branch (with my 2 year old daughter in hand) was this matter was rectified.

Following this they closed all the accounts at my request and donated £250 to my husbands charity. Fast forward to 2015 I find out that they had not closed the account and there is a default of £84 on the account that has been on my credit file. I complain again and full of apologies they said it was all now closed and sent me a hamper. So Feb 2017 I find out that yet again the default notice is on my credit file when I go to get a new credit card and i'm fuming. I get back in touch with the CEO of HSBC and they call me to apologies AGAIN and promise that it is now sorted. They have offered me £300 in compensation for the stress and said if I want any more to cover the interest I have been paying (because I can't get credit) then I have to prove it and send evidence! I have written to the CEO on every occasion.
Is this reasonable or should I push for more?

waamo

Why does the thread title refer to a sit in?

zharp

I was visibly upset and only after I refused to leave the branch (with my 2 year old daughter in hand) was this matter was rectified.

Lord_Baltimore

My sympathies for the awful times you have suffered.

To summarise : for some administration errors the bank has apologised profusely, given £250 to charity in your family's name, written off an £84 outstanding debt, sent you a hamper, offered you a further £300 compensation and offered to meet any interest you might have accrued due to their mistakes.

I think they've been fair and doubt that pushing this any further will benefit you financially or emotionally. Don't expose yourself to any more stress. Take their offer and enjoy spending it on your daughter.

Best wishes for the future.

NBLondon

I'd demand written evidence that they have corrected the errors on your credit record first... as this will just keep hitting you if they haven't.