Package Account Fees - Halifax Ultimate Reward 20 November 2020 at 11:22AM in Reclaim PPI & other insurance 7 replies 162 views

Jonny1275

Hi guys...

My father in law is not very well so I’ve been asked to go through his accounts and get everything in order for him, whilst looking through I’ve found he has had a Halifax Ultimate Reward Account for several years, presently paying near £17 a month in fees! Usual carry on, he doesn’t drive so AA cover is of no use, he hasn’t been abroad since the 1990’s so the travel insurance is of no use, and he’s not a fan of technology so he has a basic old school Nokia phone that isn’t insured.

 

I’ve dealt with Natwest & HSBC before but never Halifax. Has anyone had success with them in claiming back package account fees? Is seems quite clear that he should not have been sold this account and it would be nice to get some of the fees back for him.

Thanks

 

 

 

dunstonh

It is quite late in the day to be making PBA complaints.   Most of the banks have been successful in nipping this in the bud by sending out annual letters confirming the package costs, the ability to switch to alternative accounts and explaining what the benefits of the PBA are.    This allows them to reject the complaint and refuse access to the FOS on the basis of being timebarred.

That said, some still do get considered.   So, all he can do is put a complaint in and see what happens.

[Deleted User]

You also need to remember that PBA were frequently taken out by people, i.e. they buy, rather than sell. Unless your father was pressured in a bank to take one out (which you would have to prove), it may simply be the case that he chose to take it out of his own merits. Do you know when he took it out, how do you know he didn't want it? Remember he gets £5 a month credit, cashback on some purchases, home emergency cover and an interest free £50 overdraft 

normanna

It's actually not clear that the account was unsuitable for him due to the number of other benefits.  Letters are sent every year asking you to consider if the account is still suitable.  So i would not expect a refund as there has been ample opportunity to cancel the account before now.

[Deleted User]

normanna said:

It's actually not clear that the account was unsuitable for him due to the number of other benefits.  Letters are sent every year asking you to consider if the account is still suitable.  So i would not expect a refund as there has been ample opportunity to cancel the account before now.

The time bar letters only activate the 3 year time bar (it being reasonable to assume the person know they had reason to have a complaint), not the 6 (from the point of opening the account). Ample opportunity to cancel doesn't automatically mean they won't refund

jonesMUFCforever

OP do you have a power of attorney for your father in law?
They won't deal with you without some authority.

Ted_Head

Something very similar here - my partner just noticed this coming out of his account and has hit a bit of a brick wall querying it.

They wouldn't have taken it out as they don't travel abroad, have a £10 cheap phone, have car breakdown cover elsewhere etc etc. The bank were supposed to write explaining why this charge has/is still happening as it wasn't requested. Phoned today but getting stalled again. A letter was typed yesterday but they won't tell him what is in the letter. Quite a few errors happening with this bank of late such as putting BUSINESS ACCOUNT on top of personal account letters. He was told that he authorised this on-line but he's never done on-line banking in his life.
Have raised a formal complaint. Been told that they have 8 weeks to deal with it but had been told that he would be contacted with an explanation after 4 weeks - that was in October.

[Deleted User]

Ted_Head said:

Something very similar here - my partner just noticed this coming out of his account and has hit a bit of a brick wall querying it.

They wouldn't have taken it out as they don't travel abroad, have a £10 cheap phone, have car breakdown cover elsewhere etc etc. The bank were supposed to write explaining why this charge has/is still happening as it wasn't requested. Phoned today but getting stalled again. A letter was typed yesterday but they won't tell him what is in the letter. Quite a few errors happening with this bank of late such as putting BUSINESS ACCOUNT on top of personal account letters. He was told that he authorised this on-line but he's never done on-line banking in his life.
Have raised a formal complaint. Been told that they have 8 weeks to deal with it but had been told that he would be contacted with an explanation after 4 weeks - that was in October.

Hi Ted
You can't not take out the packaged account if you see what I mean, it's opt in - as in, you apply for it online (you don't need online banking to apply for the account) or phone - they cannot and do not just move you onto the chargeable premium plans (it's obvious that you would be paying it every month so moving people onto them wouldn't make sense), so your partner would have taken it out

8 weeks is the deadline before you can go to the FOS, not them to deliver a formal response (they may have different internal deadlines) - you can thus refer it if you like now.

That said, if they have been sending out the letters to remind you of the packages annually, you may well find they are time barred depending on when the account was opened.

I would recommend waiting for the letter to see what they come back with e.g. they may pay something, may refund the lot, or may reject it after which time you can go to FOS