Halifax Credit Card - customer service issues by post only - reasonable?

deanparkr

I am wondering some MSE opinions on this... I am currently dealing with Halifax about some issues with my credit card. However, I tried calling and speaking to them via the mobile app chat but they say that customer service issues can only be discussed in writing, and by that they mean by letter / post.

Slightly surprised by this that in this day and age a company would only correspond by letter. I started to wonder how accessible this is and if organisations like banks should be doing more to ensure they can talk to customers across various different communication channels such as email, online form, mobile app, chat, phone or otherwise.

My feeling is when Halifax encounter a more complicated issue they revert the customer to post as a way to slow down correspondence times and frustrate the customer by using one of the more arduous methods of communication.

I don't have a printer so I am going to have to type out a letter and then visit a friend or family member to ask to print it out and then I don't really want them asking or reading the letter. Then of course cost of postage, time spent and how slow post is. Or I have to go and purchase a printer even though I never send letters or have any other printing needs.

The issue is not that complicated.. I have a student credit card and I would like to change it to non student so that credit limit can be changed. But it seems this is very complicated operation for Halifax to undertake. I have some other issues about the direct debit not matching statement. All things I would expect would be easier to communicate with other than post.

So yes... back on point - wondered people's thoughts on how reasonable it is in 2022 that organisations such as banks insist on postal only correspondence? Should they not be obliged to offer other channels? It seems at least email should be offered, surely?!

Mrsn

Apologies if I’ve missed  something or misread this but is going into a branch not an option? 

Thrugelmir

Internally a complex request. Make a full application for a non student account. Matter resolved. 

[Deleted User]

Sounds like they either don't understand or wish the info in writing. 

Is there something stopping you applying for another card? 

deanparkr

Deleted_User said:

Sounds like they either don't understand or wish the info in writing. 

Is there something stopping you applying for another card? 

I thought applying for new card would do hard credit search. So figured I could just change from student to normal card. 

Then I could apply for credit limit change via normal online process.

Sounds simple to me but maybe I am not grasping if it is internally complex as mentioned above.

In branch cannot deal with card changes, there seems to be some special team only contactable by post. This is what I am finding frustrating.

Felt unreasonable to me so just wanted to gauge MSE reaction to see if I should hassle Halifax about the limited communication methods or not. 

elsien

deanparkr said:

I am wondering some MSE opinions on this... I am currently dealing with Halifax about some issues with my credit card. However, I tried calling and speaking to them via the mobile app chat but they say that customer service issues can only be discussed in writing, and by that they mean by letter / post.

Slightly surprised by this that in this day and age a company would only correspond by letter. I started to wonder how accessible this is and if organisations like banks should be doing more to ensure they can talk to customers across various different communication channels such as email, online form, mobile app, chat, phone or otherwise.

My feeling is when Halifax encounter a more complicated issue they revert the customer to post as a way to slow down correspondence times and frustrate the customer by using one of the more arduous methods of communication.

I don't have a printer so I am going to have to type out a letter and then visit a friend or family member to ask to print it out and then I don't really want them asking or reading the letter. Then of course cost of postage, time spent and how slow post is. Or I have to go and purchase a printer even though I never send letters or have any other printing needs.

The issue is not that complicated.. I have a student credit card and I would like to change it to non student so that credit limit can be changed. But it seems this is very complicated operation for Halifax to undertake. I have some other issues about the direct debit not matching statement. All things I would expect would be easier to communicate with other than post.

So yes... back on point - wondered people's thoughts on how reasonable it is in 2022 that organisations such as banks insist on postal only correspondence? Should they not be obliged to offer other channels? It seems at least email should be offered, surely?!

You don’t need to type out a letter or faff around trying to get it printed. Hand write it and first class post should arrive the next day. Talk about over complicating things. 

deanparkr

Actually hand writing is not so easy for me.. when I was in school I did exams on computer owing to dyspraxia. So letter writing by hand is not necessary easy for everyone.

Thrugelmir

deanparkr said:

Deleted_User said:

Sounds like they either don't understand or wish the info in writing. 

Is there something stopping you applying for another card? 

I thought applying for new card would do hard credit search. So figured I could just change from student to normal card. 

Then I could apply for credit limit change via normal online process.

They've nothing to base their underwriting decisions on. Hence the reapplication now that you are in employment. 

deanparkr

Thrugelmir said:

deanparkr said:

Deleted_User said:

Sounds like they either don't understand or wish the info in writing. 

Is there something stopping you applying for another card? 

I thought applying for new card would do hard credit search. So figured I could just change from student to normal card. 

Then I could apply for credit limit change via normal online process.

They've nothing to base their underwriting decisions on. Hence the reapplication now that you are in employment. 

Ah ok I see what your're saying. I have actually been employed for a long time. (10 years). This is a legacy card which I didn't know was still student (it doesn't say online or on the card) but it only says it is when I go to request credit limit change.

I have been using this card for general purchases since forever. Hence I thought I could upgrade it without reapplying. 

Perhaps student to normal card upgrade is not possible by normal team. But still .. why snail mail

Putting the specifics of my situation to one side. My thinking is that banks should be more digital and communicate about issues in a modern manner. I was so taken a back about needing postal correspondence. Feels like I am in the wrong year. 2022 and a team can only be reached by post??

Dobbibill

Any application to swap a card will still result in a hard credit search. Taken from this link https://www.halifax.co.uk/creditcards/existing-customers/swapping-your-credit-card.html  



Maybe just apply for a new card instead.