Question reg Halifax Credit Card Problems

Avid_Saver_2

Hi,

I was hoping someone can offer me some advice on the recent problem I've had signing up to a halifax 15 month 0% credit card. Its a bit of a long story so bear with me!

My husband was recently made redundant and has started his own business, now I have a few credit cards already in my name but only one of which I actually use which is tesco, we always pay the balance off at the end of the month.

With xmas coming up and the change in my husbands income I thought it worthwhile getting a 0% interest purchase card just to tide us over incase we have any unusual purchase which take us longer than it has in the past to pay back i.e. xmas, unforseen costs like new car tyres + fixing stupid windscreen wiper which cost us rather a lot.

So I check out what the best deal is and opt for a halifax card and apply online through Martin's link. A few weeks later I got a later saying please verify your address details etc. The two options were to take my details into a branch or post originals off. My downfall was doing this in a branch as being an avid saver I didn't want to pay for a stamp. Wish I had now though.

So I go to the branch closets to my work (a city centre location) and ask them to verify my details as instructed in the letter, now the advisor took my forms to copy and then asked me to confirm my details which I didn't really think was too out of the ordinary, but at the end of her questons she told me my application had been refused. Her solution was to get a credit check done so I could appeal this.

So I pay the money online to get a credit report, and once it finally comes on a Saturday feeling proactive I toddle off to my nearest branch to home. When I get there after a lengthy discussion and several phone calls by the advisor to different people it appears that the city centre branch had made a second application and ignored the online application which had originally actually been approved.

So now on my credit report I have two applications for credit from the same bank within a short space of time. I've been told by my home halifax branch - who were at the time really annoyed at what the city centre branch had done and off the record had said it was v.naughty to do it without my permission. So my local branch have strongly advised me 'off record' to get this second application removed from my report otherwise in the future it could count against me?

Now my question is exactly how naughty of them was it of them to do this, and should I go back into the city centre branch who caused the problem ,or pursue it mroe formally through letters etc through halifax centrally? Any views on the best tactics would be appreciated!

Needless to say I have my credit card now , although it has seemed like a lot of effort to do a simple task - which isn't fully resolved yet. Has anyone else had this experience?

Thanks in advance,

Avid_Saver

GeorgeUK

The City Centre bank seems to have made a complete blunder.

You asked them to verify your details for a loan, but instead they tried to offer you a new loan. Did they ask you to fill in any forms?
You may have been turned down by then as when doing a credit check would have seen that you recently got a loan with them (the online one).

This data is now on your credit history. I would insist that they remove one of the checks as it was unauthorised. This could have affected you from getting credit from somewhere else, although credit checks are only on your record for 6 months.

I would put it in writing to the City Centre bank. It may have been a genuine mistake or possibly someone trying to meet their sales targets. Either way - you did not ask them to do this and they should not have done it without your authorisation. If the Bank is slow in responding to your letter, then i would take itthrough customer complaints.

YorkshireBoy

GeorgeUK wrote: »

If the Bank is slow in responding to your letter, then i would take itthrough customer complaints.

Official complaint procedure every time!

It's a guaranteed 8 weeks to resolution.

Mention in your complaint letter that you've taken advice from the Information Commissioner, and read the Halifax privacy statement, and you understand it is wrong for them to search your credit file without your express permission.

Tell them that you are about to apply for a mortgage, and a speedy removal of the second erroneous search would be appreciated.

If you have, or will have to (eg checking your file again to make sure the second search has been removed), incur costs, then be sure to include a summary of these in your complaint. You will be re-imbursed for these, and receive a goodwill gesture as well. Trust me!