First Direct Visa to MasterCard incompatibility HSBC

whattochoose

jon81uk said:

whattochoose said:

I went into HSBC this morning (Saturday). As a new First Direct customer, it was my intention to pay in a cheque for £1000 to earn the £150 bonus. 
Waste of time really. As mentioned in this thread, the chap I spoke to mentioned the Mastercard problem, added to which they had no counter services with it being Saturday - pathetic!
Fortunately, there was a main Post Office nearby, and I was able to conduct my business there, putting my cheque in a First Direct envelope provided. After entering my sort code and account number on the cover, I gave it to the chap on the counter to send off to FD.
Hopefully, this will show on my account by Wednesday at the latest, and I hope to receive the £150 bonus shortly after.

Why didn’t you do a BACs transfer instead of using a cheque?

Very good question. I wish I had a valid answer. It's been so long since I switched banks I think I became a little befuddled during the process.

400ixl

You can also pay cheques in via the app so no need to visit a branch.

whattochoose

400ixl said:

You can also pay cheques in via the app so no need to visit a branch.

One slight problem I've had when opening this account is that I don't have a smartphone, so that option not open to me.
Similarly not able to access the digital secure key thingy, so they've sent me the physical one instead.

[Deleted User]

whattochoose said:

I went into HSBC this morning (Saturday). As a new First Direct customer, it was my intention to pay in a cheque for £1000 to earn the £150 bonus. 
Waste of time really. As mentioned in this thread, the chap I spoke to mentioned the Mastercard problem, added to which they had no counter services with it being Saturday - pathetic!
Fortunately, there was a main Post Office nearby, and I was able to conduct my business there, putting my cheque in a First Direct envelope provided. After entering my sort code and account number on the cover, I gave it to the chap on the counter to send off to FD.
Hopefully, this will show on my account by Wednesday at the latest, and I hope to receive the £150 bonus shortly after.

Could you not have input your FD sort code and account number into the deposit machine along with the cheque?

mr-b

I had reason to talk with First Direct customer services, who I've found to be very helpful - and especially by *not* forcing you to jump through all the security hoops when it's just a generic question.

I asked them about whether the "temporary" incompatibility of FD's Mastercard debit cards with HSBC's automated cash/cheque pay-in machines (VISA) would be sorted any time soon. They had to consult someone but came back and said that basically it's not expected to occur. The fact that branches are generally being closed means the issue has been reduced in priority, as well as there being alternative methods (filling out paper form plus queue in branch/PO or else post) but they would add my feedback just in case it was revisited. Disappointing yes, but I have to say that at least they gave an honest answer and not a 'corporate correct' one i.e. by not admitting to any fallibility or regression in service - a rarity!

WillPS

mr-b said:

I had reason to talk with First Direct customer services, who I've found to be very helpful - and especially by *not* forcing you to jump through all the security hoops when it's just a generic question.

I asked them about whether the "temporary" incompatibility of FD's Mastercard debit cards with HSBC's automated cash/cheque pay-in machines (VISA) would be sorted any time soon. They had to consult someone but came back and said that basically it's not expected to occur. The fact that branches are generally being closed means the issue has been reduced in priority, as well as there being alternative methods (filling out paper form plus queue in branch/PO or else post) but they would add my feedback just in case it was revisited. Disappointing yes, but I have to say that at least they gave an honest answer and not a 'corporate correct' one i.e. by not admitting to any fallibility or regression in service - a rarity!

Interesting response given HSBC have recently joined Nationwide in marketing a time limited promise to not close any branches...

mr-b

I suspect the decision was taken a while back some time after the switch to Mastercard (2021) when branch closures were in full swing. (I suspect that swing will return, especially if the real cost of counter services that are otherwise  available online or via telephone banking is reflected in banking transaction charges.)

Either way, if FD's app could successfully scan in cheques with a boundary aspect ratio that doesn't fit their 'standard' e.g. those from DVLA, then I'd not have needed to visit a branch, which I incidentally found out is closed for a fortnight due to "maintenance". I don't have any paying in slips left since I chucked my chequebook and the FD-ordered ones haven't arrived so I'm left waiting.

WillPS

mr-b said:

I suspect the decision was taken a while back some time after the switch to Mastercard (2021) when branch closures were in full swing. (I suspect that swing will return, especially if the real cost of counter services that are otherwise  available online or via telephone banking is reflected in banking transaction charges.)

Either way, if FD's app could successfully scan in cheques with a boundary aspect ratio that doesn't fit their 'standard' e.g. those from DVLA, then I'd not have needed to visit a branch, which I incidentally found out is closed for a fortnight due to "maintenance". I don't have any paying in slips left since I chucked my chequebook and the FD-ordered ones haven't arrived so I'm left waiting.

Worth opening a backup account for eventualities like this (and other more onerous ones!).

I have a hard time with my phone and digital cheque pay ins, particularly the tear-off cheques I get from Currys relating to our phone contract cashback. I think the odd Fold3 screen resolutions throw it. Works absolutely perfectly every time on my wife's S22 though, so I usually just ask her to pay them in to one of our joint accounts.

Starling offer digital cheque pay in (which always seemed to work a little better for me) and have a Freepost address. You should be able to open the account immediately.

username

Interesting this thread has been brought back, as it is nearly 2 years since the original posting of mine upthread.
The long-term answer is change banks to one that would work for you, in my case, I just opened up an HSBC account as I was happy with their setup (I just wouldn't get the nice chat on the phone in a few rings, with someone that could do everything on the one call, pretty much). I have kept the account for 0% foreign spend, and have the regular saver.
It seems FD are not interested in fixing the issue, which should have been working from day one.

WillPS said:
I have a hard time with my phone and digital cheque pay ins, particularly the tear-off cheques I get from Currys relating to our phone contract cashback. I think the odd Fold3 screen resolutions throw it. Works absolutely perfectly every time on my wife's S22 though, so I usually just ask her to pay them in to one of our joint accounts.

Starling offer digital cheque pay in (which always seemed to work a little better for me) and have a Freepost address. You should be able to open the account immediately.

In my experience I have found that the cheque pay in via the app is just a load of faff - you spend forever trying to get an image that the app thinks is acceptable (even though it is well-lit, no other items in shot, within the rectangle etc, it stil complained and rejected the image!) and in the end I have just found it easier to walk to the bank and pay it in using their machine. Accepted straightaway without fuss using the correct professional equipment, and a receipt with a picture of the cheque on it too.

I did also find a while ago when placing my FD card into one of the newer HSBC machines (the ones where you can withdraw/deposit in the same one, your local branch may have one of these after the refurb or you'll see it outside a larger branch) is that interestingly it had an option to pay in a cheque. I didn't try as I didn't have a cheque on me, but I'll try and see if it works next time.

flaneurs_lobster

WillPS said:

I have a hard time with my phone and digital cheque pay ins, particularly the tear-off cheques I get from Currys relating to our phone contract cashback. I think the odd Fold3 screen resolutions throw it. Works absolutely perfectly every time on my wife's S22 though, so I usually just ask her to pay them in to one of our joint accounts.

About the only cheques I've received in the last few years are these mobile phone cashback ones from Currys.

Can't get them accepted by RBS' or Santander's app pay-in, only one that works consistently is First Direct. As you say, probably phone-related although mine's a posh Samsung too.