New HSBC Advance or Premier current account £200 switch incentive

Earl_Hickey_2

Not been impressed with HSBC's process so far. Applied last weekend with a 999 credit rating, no mortgage and higher-rate taxpayer. Guaranteed acceptance you would think. Nope. "Can't give you the account you applied for".

Rang HSBC this week and they don't know why. Non-UK call centre couldn't answer, so put through to underwriters (non-UK). They state I have been approved and they would let the current account people know. Couldn't put me through so gave me the phone number. The current account folks didn't understand query (again non-UK call centre) who said the account application is progressing.

So, which is it? Declined, approved or progressing? No clue, no further updates, nothing. £200 isn't worth this rubbish. Customer Service has been very limited so far. Can I go to my local branch? No. They are a 'digital only' branch, which means they have no counter or customer services.

Also rang First Direct to see if their offer was applicable, but had a savings account in about 2002 so not eligible. They state they are great for customer services and had good online and telephone banking (don't want to use an app) but you can't open an account online, only app now as they are also going 'digital only'.

Bendo

999 credit score means absolutely nothing other than the CRA marketing world well in you.

Lenders look at the data, not the arbitrary number a CRA has put on it.  Factors like no mortgage actually go against you in the real world, Lenders like to see one and payments being made.

The said, not sure why HSBC seem to tahr so long with decisions for some people,  mine was accepted during the application.

Milarky

• you've had an HSBC current account since 1 January 2020

What does 'had' mean? I suppose it is to stop people closing their accounts to requalify as these offers roll around. Sadly I had an account until August 2020 when it wasn't being used and closed it - but could have closed it earlier - I let it ride. I suppose it means 'historically' but it could be taken to mean 'opened since' and that one would not apply to my case. (Hey ho!)

Miles86

Earl_Hickey_2 said:

Can I go to my local branch? No. They are a 'digital only' branch, which means they have no counter or customer services.

This is exactly the kind of thing a digital service branch is for, HSBC themselves state (my bold):

Digital Service Branch

Counterless service, with our branch colleagues on hand to help you make the most of our self-service and digital channels.

You can access:

product opening support

account servicing, such as payments and statements

life event support, such as bereavement or power of attorney

cash and cheque machines via self service zones

digital education and community support

FFHillbilly

I'm fully expecting HSBC to drag my application out so long that the offer will have expired before my account gets opened! I've been waiting 30 days now

Johntea

Out of absolutely nowhere (other than a DM to the HSBC Twitter last week mentioning I hadn't heard anything about my account which they haven't responded to) just got an email saying my new account is now open!

No idea how my switch will work considering it was meant to happen 2 weeks ago, presumably I can set that up again once into my account and still qualify for the bonus although I suspect it'll involve some more moaning!

boingy

Just wanted to pitch in and say that they don't always seem to check whether you've had a previous account or whether you still have an account with the "sister bank" of HSBC or First Direct. Since January I've opened an HSBC account, switched it away for a bonus elsewhere, then opened a First Direct Account to keep and got the bonus. Then I took a bit of a flier and opened another HSBC account and switched in another account and got their bonus. I can't quite believe that they don't bother to check but there you go.

So if you have a spare current account just waiting to be switched I'd suggest you try it, even if you don't quite meet their qualifying criteria.

Johntea

I'm finally in to my account, but now it looks like I have to visit a branch to sort out the switch as you can't do that online again unless you're going through the initial account application process!

It seems perhaps part of the complications was it turns out I still have a HSBC savings account from years ago that has never been closed down so I'm already richer to the tune of...18p!

Johntea

After some further digging in my account I saw a suspiciously named 'Switch in complete' document dated 3rd June which apparently I've already given my consent to switch on 16 June! (I did of course 'approve' the switch as part of the application process but certainly for a much earlier date than that until they started dragging their feet over actually opening the account!)

So we'll see what happens then I guess, what a carry on!  Thankfully the £200 offer still seems to run until 3rd July so they won't be able to use that excuse for not coughing up the incentive

FFHillbilly

another phone call yesterday as I had heard nothing , this time the call handler said he was going to raise an urgent ticket and someone would call me back to resolve the issue. It's been over 6 weeks now...
interestingly when I searched online for the HSBC number, on their home page they have the results of a recent customer survey which shows them as 11th in GB.
doesn't seem like much of an advertising point to put on your website does it!?