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Halifax Credit Card - I hope they DO sink, I do!
jinx36
Posts: 10 Forumite
in Credit cards
I hate Halifax with a passion, I really do - of all the banks/credit cards/lenders I've EVER dealt with they are by far the most incompetent, rude, arrogant and unhelpful group of people I have had the misfortune of dealing with.
I am not blameless I know but about 4 years ago I knew I was going to have a problem paying my credit card payment one month, so before the payment date arose I contacted Halifax to explain the situation which was very serious and personal - not just "oops I've not done my sums properly" and they were not prepared to help in anyway. At the same time, I contacted Capital One which at the time had a similar balance as Halifax as well for the same reason and have almost paid that card off now due to the fact they were understanding and suggested ways I could still pay my account - and gave me a no-interest-arrangement.
Halifax on the other hand didn't hesitate to offload a whole lot of charges and interest and fees as soon as I couldn't make that one payment in full - which led to my account going over its limit - which led to more charges and 4 years later being over £3000 over the limit ALL DUE TO CHARGES AND INTEREST! I tore the card up and sent it back to them at the end of 2004!
Long story short - I did manage to squeeze recently - by means of a very serious complaint - six months of frozen interest (which they forgot about and left for about 14 months, not that I'm complaining) and then last week I received a letter saying my arrangement has now ended - fine - I wrote back and confirmed that after I received my next statement I'd resume paying the account back despite the fact I don't have anywhere near £3000 to payback the overlimit and this is where I am now:
1) They have started charging again before I even received this letter so the money I paid for April has been used up in interest and charges again and therefore it was pretty pointless paying it.
2) When I called to ask if they could - for the sake of getting back on track and them getting all this money back - alter my limit to include the £3000 overlimit so that I don't go back to where I was 4 years ago in one fell swoop due to the charges they'll put on - the answer of course being no and that if I continue to not pay it all off they will send my account to a debt collection agency just like that.
3) And then, even though for the last four years I have NEVER missed paying in any month, they have just sent me a very badly worded letter saying unless I pay the amount the card is over its limit by in full, they will send the account to debt collectors blah blah - can they do this even though I have been consistently paying £100 every month and will be paying £750 next week??? I've not even had the statement for 3 days yet and the harrassing and nasty phone calls have already started.
I've tried at every juncture to be reasonable, ask their advice and all I get from them is "its not our problem" like -no why should we help YOU, you're just a customer?? And their solution to every question I ask them is "pay what you can, we know thats not going to be enough no matter what you do so rather than work with you to get you back on an even footing, we're just going to suggest a debt collection agency instead so we don't have to bother with you".
I hate them and hope all those illiterate customer service reps get made redundant and have to work on rubbish heaps.:j
Sorry for the (overly long) rant - I'm just so angry at being treated like a criminal and wondered if anyone else has had any experiences like this to share?
I am not blameless I know but about 4 years ago I knew I was going to have a problem paying my credit card payment one month, so before the payment date arose I contacted Halifax to explain the situation which was very serious and personal - not just "oops I've not done my sums properly" and they were not prepared to help in anyway. At the same time, I contacted Capital One which at the time had a similar balance as Halifax as well for the same reason and have almost paid that card off now due to the fact they were understanding and suggested ways I could still pay my account - and gave me a no-interest-arrangement.
Halifax on the other hand didn't hesitate to offload a whole lot of charges and interest and fees as soon as I couldn't make that one payment in full - which led to my account going over its limit - which led to more charges and 4 years later being over £3000 over the limit ALL DUE TO CHARGES AND INTEREST! I tore the card up and sent it back to them at the end of 2004!
Long story short - I did manage to squeeze recently - by means of a very serious complaint - six months of frozen interest (which they forgot about and left for about 14 months, not that I'm complaining) and then last week I received a letter saying my arrangement has now ended - fine - I wrote back and confirmed that after I received my next statement I'd resume paying the account back despite the fact I don't have anywhere near £3000 to payback the overlimit and this is where I am now:
1) They have started charging again before I even received this letter so the money I paid for April has been used up in interest and charges again and therefore it was pretty pointless paying it.
2) When I called to ask if they could - for the sake of getting back on track and them getting all this money back - alter my limit to include the £3000 overlimit so that I don't go back to where I was 4 years ago in one fell swoop due to the charges they'll put on - the answer of course being no and that if I continue to not pay it all off they will send my account to a debt collection agency just like that.
3) And then, even though for the last four years I have NEVER missed paying in any month, they have just sent me a very badly worded letter saying unless I pay the amount the card is over its limit by in full, they will send the account to debt collectors blah blah - can they do this even though I have been consistently paying £100 every month and will be paying £750 next week??? I've not even had the statement for 3 days yet and the harrassing and nasty phone calls have already started.
I've tried at every juncture to be reasonable, ask their advice and all I get from them is "its not our problem" like -no why should we help YOU, you're just a customer?? And their solution to every question I ask them is "pay what you can, we know thats not going to be enough no matter what you do so rather than work with you to get you back on an even footing, we're just going to suggest a debt collection agency instead so we don't have to bother with you".
I hate them and hope all those illiterate customer service reps get made redundant and have to work on rubbish heaps.:j
Sorry for the (overly long) rant - I'm just so angry at being treated like a criminal and wondered if anyone else has had any experiences like this to share?
0
Comments
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So in the 14 months when they froze the interest, how much have you reduced the outstanding balance by?0
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Well I've always paid the £100 per month, so £1400 - or thereabouts, it's definitely been longer than a year...0
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Well, I didn't even remember I'd posted that - I guess the point in that case then is that my point that I've gotten nowhere with them in all this time is highlighted. What was yours?0
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I'm confused.
You were £3000 over your limit last January. They froze the interest and you've paid off £1400. But you're still £3000 over your limit?
How did you get on with reclaiming the charges?0 -
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Nevermind, I just wondered if anyone has also received similar levels of customer service from these people; borrowing the money is neither here nor there now because I didn't - Halifax was only one recipient I had to pay out of a few at the time.
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Everyone is entitled to a rant. dont be so hard on him everyone knows it,s good to talk/let off steem, beats kicking the cat !!!..0
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As it happens, yes we have received terrible customer service from Halifax. They completely messed up switching our current account to them.
Now, back to helping you. How far over your limit are you now?
How much will you be charged each month in interest and charges?0
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