First direct switch previous customer over 6yrs ago

D3bo

Hi, looking at switching my bank and to claim the switching incentive FD are offering. It says only eligible for customers not previously held a bank account. I had one over 6yrs ago and following GDPR all records should have been destroyed and this shouldn’t appear on any credit checks. Therefore if I apply should I receive the bonus as no history should be found?

eskbanker

Contrary to popular belief, GDPR doesn't as a matter of course oblige organisations to destroy all personal data after n years, provided they have a valid business justification for retaining it, and FD in particular are known to keep such records, so are highly likely to decline any request for an incentive.

born_again

You will be surprised as to how long your old closed acc details stay on systems. As well as your customer number.

Thrugelmir

D3bo said:

I had one over 6yrs ago and following GDPR all records should have been destroyed and this shouldn’t appear on any credit checks. Therefore if I apply should I receive the bonus as no history should be found?

Nothing to stop the business itself retaining key non personal data. 

cx6

FD is an elephant ...

blue.peter

D3bo said:

I had one over 6yrs ago and following GDPR all records should have been destroyed and this shouldn’t appear on any credit checks.

Sorry, but it doesn't work like this. When I closed my FD account, they explicitly told me that they'd retain my records indefinitely "in case you ever return to us". AIUI, GDPR doesn't require them to destroy relevant data after a fixed period. And their knowledge of your history is relevant to their business. They'll want to have it so that, inter alia, they know whether or not they'll want to take you back as a customer. It's information that matters to them and will be in addition to that which the credit reference agencies hold. It means that they have a better picture of your financial behaviour, and they'll consider that helpful.

The First Direct offer on their web site says "Sorry, we can only offer this to people who haven’t previously held an account with us, and/or has not opened a HSBC current account on or after 1 January 2019." Importantly, it does not say anything like "within the last x years", so it means haven't ever had a FD account.

As others have said, you shouldn't expect to be given any incentive. And you should expect any request for one to be refused.