Halifax no longer sending login codes to overseas phone

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: FSCS - Lloyds Bank and Halifax Bank Linked.

LWJ

I have been a Halifax customer for over 40 year. Until the end of April this year I have been able to get the phone call code to log into internet banking on my Italian phone number. Suddenly, after changing from MasterCard to Visa and advising me that they are about to become Lloyds this no longer happens. It has caused me immense problems and costs as I cannot place purchases online as no phonecall comes through. I've phoned them for hours and been constantly told the tech department is looking into it - no response, no call, no email, NOTHING. Hours on the phone from Italy and to no avail. I've now been into a branch and got the same response - NOTHING. IMO this is very bad customer service which has not been resolved over the two and a half months of trying to find out why. ENOUGH. I am now closing ALL my long-standing Halifax accounts and moving to Nationwide who will send me the code via email. Anybody else having trouble with Halifax recently?

MSE_Stephen

Hi @LWJ

We've split this into a new thread for you.

Isthisforreal99

Are you actually resident in Italy?

If so, surprised that they let you have/keep thise accounts in the first place.

friolento

You could try raising a formal complaint with Lloyds - though this is not likely to fix the issue in the near future.

The quickest is likely to be a different card, preferably with a different provider. If you are resident in Italy and have no UK address, it will be difficult / impossible to get a UK credit card or account, but you are likely to get one quite quickly with Wise. This will be a debit card rather than a credit card, and it may or may not suit your needs.

starboyx

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82098687#Comment_82098687

I can understand your frustration. Two and a half months with no explanation or resolution is a long time, especially when you’re incurring costs and being unable to make online purchases. At some point you just have to vote with your feet. Hope Nationwide works out better for you.

Ayr_Rage

If you are resident in Italy without a UK phone number to receive SMS and calls then you really cannot expect a UK bank to contact you on a foreign number.

Hopefully you still have a UK address that enables you to open another account.

brianposter

However if you are merely visiting Italy this sort of thing is a real PITA. There are other institutions that have the same problem.

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82100479#Comment_82100479

Surely if he was only visiting Italy he would still have a British phone number?

I dont change my phone number when I go on holiday....

brianposter

If you have property abroad you may well have a local phone - so I do change my phone number when I go away for the winter. The problem is that automated systems are often designed by those with a lack of real world experience.

wmb194

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82100926#Comment_82100926

Right, but you take your British mobile with you and it'll still work.