HSBC failing on me

chen93

Let me begin all the way back in 2017. I've received a letter that HSBC wanted to speak to me about their safeguard system. They just wanted to have a chat for about 30 to 40 minutes, and discuss my income, where I pay my taxes, other credit/debit cards, who my employer is etc

I've done this phone call and got asked to complete a form, which the person I spoke to would send to me. Also had to take a prove of address with me, and hand this all over at my local branch. The employee at the branch didn't know what to do with it, and I asked her to update my account, with my new copy of my ID and copy of my prove of address.

A few weeks later I received a letter from HSBC, stating that I haven't updated my record yet, and that they would give me another 2 weeks to do so, otherwise they would have to put restriction onto my account. I made a phone call to HSBC and explained them the story.
They said it was an error on behalf of the branch staff, and their system didn't show any updates to my account.

So I had to go into the branch, once again, hand the form over, once again, let them make copies of my ID and prove of address.
Few weeks later it was Boxing day 2017, tried getting some cash out, because we were going out for the afternoon/evening, and they didn't accept cards at the place we were going to.
Multiple times the ATM told me I couldn't withdraw such amount, and needed to contact my bank. Well, nice, on boxing day isn't it? At least have some of your employees working, that can deal with such situation. As I couldn't reach anyone that could take the block off.

At this point I got fairly !!!!ed off with HSBC and their customer service. I send the guy from the HSBC safeguard team a message, as I still had his email. One of his colleagues replied to me with the following email.

Dear Mr *****

I do apologise for any inconvenience caused

I have reviewed the details and can confirm you did speak to my colleague **** and you also provided the required documents to verify your address, due to a processing error the ATM restrictions was applied

I have removed the £50.00 ATM restriction from debit card and you can use your debit card as normal

I am sorry that you have had to contact us regarding this

Regards

I was happy this was finally sorted, after multiple months of hassle. Now, today I found out, that once again the restriction has been put in place on my account.
Contacted HSBC, and they said I would need to go in branch today, to once again hand over my ID for a copy, and take prove of address once again. As they've put restrictions on my account, due to me failing to provide these details.

I was fuming at this point, as nobody tells me to come in today, as it's their fault, and it's going on for 1.5 year now. I explained that I have already been multiple times, but the person on the helpline wasn't very helpful and told me I would still have to go in and sort it.

Explained to them that they can come to me, as I am refusing to once again waste petrol, and parking costs, on coming into their branch, for their incompetent staff, to fail once again, like they have been for a year and a half now.

What is the next step from here? As I am getting fed up, this is happening once again just around the Christmas period, and their employees just seem to be incompetent for the job they should be doing.

xylophone

Make a formal complaint in writing.

https://www.hsbc.co.uk/help/feedback-and-complaints/

Don80

Hi

That's awful.

Simply refusing to cooperate won't help - though it's an understandable reaction.

Make an appointment to speak to a manager in branch, and state while making the appointment that you are coming in to complain and find out about the complaints procedure. When you do in, take the documents they need - and a copy of the email you have proving you have done this.

Hopefully that will all be sorted in branch for you. If not you have the process to file a formal complaint, and in the meantime you have done what you need to do to get the block removed.

After that (once the account is "fixed") if you are unhappy with their service, you might want to look at switching your account. It's so easy, I've done it a couple of times including once with my "main" account. Everything was transferred in 7 days, I had my new card and PIN, couldn't be happier.

BakingC

File an official complaint,

DREKLY

HSBC are not doing themselves any favours by implementing
their "Safeguard" examination, it is being forced on them to do
this in order to satisfy American money laundering regulations,
after a massive fine recently, anyone who does not meet their criteria will have to go through the same nonsense,
- ask me how I know - they will lose a lot of custom because of this.

eskbanker

DREKLY wrote: »

HSBC are not doing themselves any favours by implementing
their "Safeguard" examination, it is being forced on them to do
this in order to satisfy American money laundering regulations

Not really - HSBC are subject to exactly the same regulations as the other banks but have chosen to interpret them more strictly.

DREKLY wrote: »

after a massive fine recently

Not particularly recent, it was over six years ago.

DrSyn

If you have proof of what you state in your post, you could do any (or all) of the below.


1. Make a formal complaint in writing. Ask for compensation for the time and trouble they have put you through.

2. Do what they say is necessary to obtain access to your account and switch to another bank.

3. Write of to the BBC Moneybox program and see if the "moneybox effect" occurs.

4. Write off to the problem pages of one of the national papers (e.g Daily Mail).

charlies_mum

We have banked with HSBC for over 40 years and today have had notification that they are closing our business account as we have not completed the Safeguard form. I tried several times to do this but kept getting logged out so eventually gave up.

We have seven accounts with HSBC but on Monday they will be getting a phone call to say close them all and we will move to another bank !