Debit Card payment into savings account declined by HSBC

Kim_13

The payment was going into Skipton’s Base Rate Tracker via the Skipton app, and the app said something like payment failed, please contact your card issuer.

I don’t bank with HSBC myself so couldn’t offer any advice as to how best to proceed when telephoning the local branch got them an overseas call centre that seemed not to understand the issue (parent was told that they needed to reset a telephone security number - to their knowledge, they’ve never had one, as they don’t use online or telephone banking.) 

A payment into Skipton worked fine from the same debit card when opening that account and also the Member Regular Saver, so I assume that the amount has them spooked. I had found a daily debit card limit of £25,000, so advised of this and the attempted transaction was for £24,950. 

As a regular here, trying some lower amount feels that it might only create more issues such as an account freeze, but equally there’s currently in excess of the FSCS limit in the account (their share of the proceeds of the sale of my late grandmother’s property) earning no interest.

Will the branch be able to sort this? I’d thought the debit card would be easier than suddenly setting up online banking and wanting to move around tens of thousands, but apparently not.

Thanks for any help

bryanb

Do they live in uk?

Kim_13

Yes, they live in the UK and the transaction was attempted using their home WiFi.

wmb194

If the Skipton account accepts them, send a cheque.

lr1277

According to this Skipton paying in paying in page, you can pay in by debit card by phoning a particular number.

https://www.skipton.co.uk/savings/savings-hub/paying-in-and-withdrawing/paying-in

Admttedly this number is for accounts opened online, but I  would think no harm in giving it a go.

masonic

I've had a similar payment declined today from First Direct (not quite as large). All looked ok from the FD side and got added to my pending transactions. When I phoned them they let me know they were aware of some ongoing authorisation problems with Mastercard where merchants were getting a false decline response. Fortunately I was able to persuade them to remove the authorisation hold in my case or I might have been waiting several working days to regain access to the funds. I don't know how long the problem has been ongoing, or when this payment was made, but it might be related.

Kim_13

Update: Upon visiting the branch, staff advised that the £25,000 limit is only for transfers using online banking; daily debit card payments are limited to £300! (At the present time, HSBC customers might have a bit of a problem paying for annual insurances then…) Seems absolutely insane that you can withdraw £500 from a cash point and move much, much more via the least secure way of making a payment, but anyway.

They were offered CHAPS for £17 or a £10,000 per day SO until the desired amount could be moved, which was what was opted for. The account details are listed on the Skipton app and this was given to the cashier, but it somehow failed COP so that was a no go. I asked if they could overrule it and send a test payment, but they said that they couldn’t. In hindsight I wonder if business had accidentally been ticked instead of personal, as all other details had been checked twice and the Skipton account open since December. 

A telephone security number was then sorted out which will raise the debit card limit for a period of time upon calling them. As cheque with Skipton seems secure enough (Skipton Building Society Re: Name, with the account number written on the back) they opted for that as we weren’t sure if there might be a limit on Skipton’s end, though the maximum account balance is stated as well in excess of the FSCS limit. The cheque now appears in the account as pending, so quite quick considering it was freepost as well.

masonic

If true, it must be a recent change. One that will lose them customers.