HSBC Refuse Debit card on Joint Account

SavvyFan

Even though you're on;y depositing £600 a month - I don't see why that should mean you shouldn't get a debit card for the account.

It's a debit card - not a credit card - you're not asking to borrow money - just get easy access to what is yours.

Definately seems odd to me.

Bosie

I used to bank with HSBC and before the change the old Midland Bank! Now I wasn't working when I opened an account and got the basic card. 6- 7 months later they upgraded me to the Maestro Card. I believe I had a good account with them, no bounced items, money in regularly, but not a big amount. My dad who is a pensioner, has his pension paid in and got a Maestro card on opening, so personally I don't think it's down to a big wage going in.

My partner has a Smile account, yet he doesn't deposit £1000 a month, he still got a full account with them.

reformedEffortMaker_2

Its not just HSBC doing this, Nationwide tried to do the same to me and my boyf and only on the condition that we closed all accounts with all other banks??!!.
Needless to say, we did not open an account with Nationwide!!!

ShelfStacker_3

reformedEffortMaker wrote: »

Its not just HSBC doing this, Nationwide tried to do the same to me and my boyf and only on the condition that we closed all accounts with all other banks??!!.
Needless to say, we did not open an account with Nationwide!!!

Nationwide have odd criteria which they seem to keep to themselves. I got refused a debit card with them while my girlfriend (younger, unemployed and with no credit history) got one.

Not that I care, I got a Maestro from HSBC a while back and I'm happy as a lark if Nationwide don't want my money they don't have to have it...

Richard019

SavvyFan wrote: »

Even though you're on;y depositing £600 a month - I don't see why that should mean you shouldn't get a debit card for the account.

It's a debit card - not a credit card - you're not asking to borrow money - just get easy access to what is yours.

Definately seems odd to me.

A Solo card is a debit card, it's just a 'safer' version for the banks to use. It's been a good 6 or 7 years since I've seen somewhere that accepts Switch but not Solo. If it's been a problem using it places I wonder if things have been changing since Switch became part of Maestro.

The income is possibly what's doing it. Back when I opened my student account I could only get a Solo card because I was earning less than £250 a month (this was between school and uni so I'd not actually started my job yet). That was 8 years ago so they may have upped the limit. Not to £600 I admit but if it's a joint account would they halve the deposits for each of you? Your girlfriend might then be able to get a Maestro despite the deposits on the back of the bank's experiance with her.

zx2011

There are 927,000 outlets in the UK that take Solo cards.

http://www.solocard.co.uk/where.asp

thespudman

HSBC_SUCK wrote: »

If you're looking for a joint account - DO NOT USE HSBC.

My GF has been with HSBC for over 10 years, so when it came to getting a joint account, they were an obvious choice.

As I was a new customer for HSBC, they said I would have to wait 6 months before I was allowed a Maestro debit card. (They gave me a Solo card straight away, but this is very rarely accepted by shops in the UK, so almost completey useless.)

I was annoyed at having to wait 6 months - but we went with it anyway.

It's now been 18 MONTHS - and HSBC still refuse to give my a debit card! After a lengthy phone call today - they would only say that our account "fails to meet their criteria".

I am extremlelly annoyed with HSBC for the following reasons:

1. When we signed up for the joint account - they failed to mention any restrictions on getting a debit card each.

2. I'm not asking to borrow any money - I just want easy access to my own account! (What's the point in having a joint bank account if only one person can really use it?).

3. We maintain the account well, (pay in about £600/month) and have never been overdrawn.

4. HSBC hand out credit cards willy nilly - but they won't even give me a debit card for my account - !!!!!!!?

CONCLUSION: HSBC are useless and deceptive. AVOID.

We are terminating our joint account with HSBC, and my GF is also closing her account of 10 years.

We will NEVER do any form of business with HSBC ever again.

HSBC's Maestro policy is based on internal scoring only. They will not provide you with a maestro card with cheque guarantee facilities (standard one) if your Behaviour Score is below a certian ammount and less than 750 pounds is mandated monthly. This score is affected by how often the account is in credit, how its managed and wether you make informal overdraft requests (exceed your limit) amongst other things. They will however provide you with a Maestro card that DOESNT have cheque guarantee facilities if you allready have a solo. I know this as i have done it for many customers (in branch, as an employee). As this is a new procedure the call centre staff might not be aware. The only difference between the SOLO and Maestro (No Chq Guarantee) is where its accepted and the daily withdrawl limit. Which is 200 on solo and 300 on Maestro.

Just ask in branch and they should be able to do it for you no problems.

dexters_mum_2

I remember about 8-9 years ago, when I had just started working part time, I was banking with Natwest at the time and was crediting about £400 a month (just finised my A-levels, just turned 18 and this was my holiday/weekend job), when I was invited for a 'review' they said I was entitled to a Switch card, I hadn't been upgraded to Solo from my cashcard, so they put through the application. A big fat NO, I'd had this money going in and not out because I was still living with my parents.

The reason was I wasn't earning more than £500 per month and hadn't done for a good length of time. As soon as I was a student, they couldn't wait to throw money at me!

What I am saying is this, 8-9 years ago a minimum pay in level was £500 for a Switch card, obviously times have moved on and the minimum levels are likely to increase and if you are both only paying in a combined total of £600, the bank aren't likely to give you a facility (the Maestro card) which can take you overdrawn, I believe the Solo has some kind of 'check' before it will let your transaction go through that Maestro doesn't, especially in the current credit climate.

It could be that you maybe don't leave enough money in the account, I was told by Natwest once that this is a fact people overlook, you should leave money in your account every month, it shows responsibility and you are able to manage your finances, if you are draining the account every month, they aren't likely to offer you more facilities than they have to.

Have you had an account elsewhere in your own,sole name which has given you a 'full' debit card? It would be well worth your time checking your credit file too.

To be honest, I had Solo on a Natwest Step account and I had very little issue with it, aside from the booking train tickets as someone mentioned, but really, most places that accept Maestro accept Solo, especially since Chip & PIN came in and machines were replaced and able to take all card types.

DM