Halifax closing credit card account??!

kezia

This morning DH and I were surprised to receive a letter from Halifax Visa telling us that due to our 'recent unsatisfactory conduct' they would not be renewing our cards in a few weeks. This follows a letter last week informing us that payment protection would be added to the account unless we wrote and declined it - which we did.

We have had an c/c account with them for 8 years and yes we have at times had a large outstanding balance but apart from 2 or 3 times ( late payments) always always paid at least the minimum balance every month.

We were in a position to pay most of the balance off last year and have not spent on the card since - we have less than £100 outstanding now.

We also have a new mortgage and overdraft with Halifax and we are concerned how these will be affected if we complain. We have one other c/c still outstanding (not Halifax) but everything else was paid off last year on the sale of our last house.

Will this affect our credit rating? We just wondered if anyone else had a similar experience.

jonesMUFCforever

It will not affect your mortgage.
Check your credit files and if they are clear then there are plenty of lenders who will still issue credit cards.

youknowwho

what is there to complain about? You have paid them the money bk that you borrowed from them, and sorry to be blunt but they dont want to give you the access to that credit again. What are your grounds for complaining? if you asked your friend for money and she said "no, not really i would prefer to keep it myself" would you kick off at her? Access to credit is a privilage, not a right. Sorry to sound harsh but loyalty and all that other crap means nothing to the bank. I would just close the account and apply elsewhere.If you are happy with the service you receive from the other products you hold then there is no need for you to go switching everything. Its all seperate and i cannot see it having an affect.As for your credit ratung, it wont have an effect on that, all they have done is not reissue a card, this is not reported to the CRA's. And when you close it, it will just be removed off your credit file.

Bismarck

To be fair, I think I'd at least want a better explanation of what the mean by "recent unsatisfactory conduct".....looks like their worst crime is saying no to the payment protection insurance! I'm sure that any official reply would point to the late payments in the past even though they are not recent.

Call me picky but if you've still got products with a provider, especially main bank accounts and mortgage, it's not unreasonable to expect a fair explanation from them.

CannyJock

Yup, I'd go with Bismarck here. Ask for a full written explanation, meanwhile make alternative arrangements because there's no point offering these guys the opportunity to make money from you.

Another tick in the box to show that your loyalty to them isn't reciprocated. Be interesting to see, if you clear & cancel the card, reapply in 12 months time and see what they'll offer you as a new customer.

kezia

Thanks for your replies. You are right it was the 'unsatisfactory conduct' bit that made us worry..DH rang them today to ask for an explanation and he was told it was due to the 3 late payments. These were classed as missed as opposed to late despite all of them being a couple days late. This was over the last 7 years not the last year. He asked for a balance of the account so he could pay it there and then and ironically it was actually in credit!

We were confused about it all as we have a very new mortgage with the very same bank.

Well a cheque is now on it's way to us from them and the account closed.

Granville23

Slightly off the thread here, but I have been unsure about Halifax in general after they cocked up my share save scheme a few years back.

One pays so much in monthly for 3 yrs and the money is taken out of my wages by my employer with the details included on my wage slip.

They wrote to me telling me that I had missed 3 months and that this would delay the maturity date by this period, but they couldn't understand that it was out of my control and there agreement was with my employer. Luckily I had my wage slips to prove that I had paid. I tried to pay by direct debit so I knew it was paid, but they wouldn't have it.

You have put me off even more now...

robpw2

i think you will find because your in credit they cant charge you extorniate amounts of money and thus would rather get some debt ridden mug to prey upon because it brings in revenue

Ice_2

I can see this happening with all CC's as they all seem to follow suit...egg..now halifax...:D