HSBC Switch 22 December 2022 at 3:47PM in Budgeting & bank accounts 28 replies 1.3K views

JoNoPo

I applied to HSBC to open Current Account to get the £200.00 bonus. I selected 21st Dec 2022 for my switch date but nothing happened, and I have not received any info from them, I tried to ring them but gave up after hanging on for ages. I then sent a message via Twitter and the reply said the team were working on it and there was an influx of applications and team are working as quick as they can, please be patient and team will be in touch when they have an update.
This is not a good start for a transfer to a new bank. 
Has anyone else had these
 problems? How did you resolve issues?
Thanks JO

EarthBoy

JoNoPo said:

This is not a good start for a transfer to a new bank. 
Has anyone else had these
 problems? How did you resolve issues?
Thanks JO

Most people have had a lengthy wait, -typically three or four weeks.  If you search this forum you'll find lots of reports about it.  When I applied to HSBC in the summer it took them over three weeks to open the account, so the switch went through late, but I didn't have any other problems.  There's nothing you can do but wait. 

AmityNeon

What date did you apply? If you were able to select a switch date then the account was probably approved for opening. Have you received any text messages or emails since opening the account?

grumbler

JoNoPo said:

This is not a good start for a transfer to a new bank. 

If you are switching for a bonus only, it's better not to use your main account for this. If you switch some secondary account, you don't care much about how good it is.

JoNoPo

I dont mind waiting as it is a secondary account but what is the point in selecting a switch date if HSBC are unable to complete on that date. The problem is being unable to get in touch with someone either via phone or email. While I did get a reply via Twitter it was not very informative. It does not give me much faith in them as a bank.

grumbler

JoNoPo said:

It does not give me much faith in them as a bank.

- taken this summer in their branch.

Katiehound

just tell yourself that you will be getting a nice little welcome handshake- as it is not your main bank account it won't matter if there is a slight delay. 
 Of course there will now be a delay: end of the switch deal and the festive season when most things grind to a halt.

just chill. Take note of when you contacted them, and what they said, then if there is a mega problem you can make a formal complaint!

fourmarks

I applied for an HSBC account yesterday afternoon and was allowed to select 10th January as the effective 'Switch' date. I then received 1 email yesterday and 2 further emails today, telling me that the account was now open and that they were posting me various pieces of correspondence and when I could expect them to arrive. One email included the following bold promise.

Our account opening guarantee

We know you want your new HSBC Advance account to be up and running as soon as possible. Your Advance Debit Card will be delivered to your home address within five working days and your PIN within seven working days. We’re so sure of this, we’ll give you £10 if they’re delayed.

I think the only way they'll meet that deadline (thanks to Royal Mail) is if the nearest branch manager pops over on his bicycle and hands it to me personally. My unhelpful point is that you should at least have received similar emails to this setting out a time scale involved.  If not you should make a formal complaint highlighting their overall incompetence and the unnecessary distress and inconvenience they have caused you.

I have had to do this on two occasions when opening accounts (Nationwide and Virgin Money) and both times I received monthly letters (6 months worth) each telling me they hadn't managed to finish their enquiries just yet but they were trying really hard.  Then, eventually, they gave up trying, apologised for their hopelessness and gave me £50 and £75 comp for my troubles.

Don't ring up and moan, submit a formal complaint and make them do the work.

Good luck.

hoc

Applied on Wednesday, have only received communication by text messages so far, one immediately after the application saying they're very busy and may take up to 10 days for them to do some checks, another on Thursday they're reviewing and will be in touch if they need anything. No emails received.

This was for a new account + switch + credit card. New customer to HSBC but they seemed to have matched me fine based on their offer of a higher overdraft and a preapproved credit card so I'm not sure what checks they would be doing. I get they're busy but it's been 3 days which seems unusually long for an update and I'm starting to doubt I may have mistyped my email address.

fourmarks

fourmarks said:

I applied for an HSBC account yesterday afternoon and was allowed to select 10th January as the effective 'Switch' date. I then received 1 email yesterday and 2 further emails today, telling me that the account was now open and that they were posting me various pieces of correspondence and when I could expect them to arrive. One email included the following bold promise.

Our account opening guarantee

We know you want your new HSBC Advance account to be up and running as soon as possible. Your Advance Debit Card will be delivered to your home address within five working days and your PIN within seven working days. We’re so sure of this, we’ll give you £10 if they’re delayed.

I think the only way they'll meet that deadline (thanks to Royal Mail) is if the nearest branch manager pops over on his bicycle and hands it to me personally. My unhelpful point is that you should at least have received similar emails to this setting out a time scale involved.  If not you should make a formal complaint highlighting their overall incompetence and the unnecessary distress and inconvenience they have caused you.

I have had to do this on two occasions when opening accounts (Nationwide and Virgin Money) and both times I received monthly letters (6 months worth) each telling me they hadn't managed to finish their enquiries just yet but they were trying really hard.  Then, eventually, they gave up trying, apologised for their hopelessness and gave me £50 and £75 comp for my troubles.

Don't ring up and moan, submit a formal complaint and make them do the work.

Good luck.

Much to my surprise, and no little disappointment, the card and pin number arrived today within their promised delivery schedule, so HSBC will not be contributing to my New Years Eve celebrations after all. 

I am tempted to complain about the card and the pin number arriving in the same post and ask if they are deliberately flaunting their own security protocols to avoid paying out £10's for late deliveries.  Nothing would surprise me.

Katiehound

fourmarks said:

 

I am tempted to complain about the card and the pin number arriving in the same post and ask if they are deliberately flaunting their own security protocols to avoid paying out £10's for late deliveries.  Nothing would surprise me.

The chances are that they were posted on different dates- the post has been so irregular with seasonal mail / mail workers strikes that   I doubt there would be any chance of them upholding a formal complaint in this instance.