Advice needed about switching current accounts

Bumbelina

I've been with the Halifax for about 11 years but am considering changing to another bank, possibly the A&L since I keep hearing about how good they are from various people. I was wondering though whether there are any drawbacks when it comes to obtaining credit, since one of the usual questions on an application for credit seems to be how long have you been with your existing bank? I don't want to switch if it would cause me problems in that respect, since I am currently looking for a cheaper credit card. Does sticking with the same bank for a long period of time actually count for anything these days?

The reason I want to leave the Halifax is that I find their customer service lacking and they have just bounced a check on me when my husband's paycheck was in the account but was one day short of having cleared - bad management on our part, granted, but I'm pretty disgusted all the same. We've been paying at least £3000 a month into that account for the last 11 years, which they can plainly see, and can't even give us a day's grace on an uncleared cheque.

If it's not going to cause me any inconvenience to move banks then I'll do it, but not if it's going to screw up my credit rating.

We are mostly in credit but go into the arranged overdraft occasionally, up to about £200 or £300 for a few days at a time.

StevenP_2

Bumbelina wrote:

The reason I want to leave the Halifax is that I find their customer service lacking and they have just bounced a check on me when my husband's paycheck was in the account but was one day short of having cleared - bad management on our part, granted, but I'm pretty disgusted all the same. .

For Gods sake

WHY ARE YOU MOANING ????

Do you want them to change banking rules for you ?

You wrote a cheque againts UNCLEARED funds , how can that possibly be the Halifax`s fault ?

I`m with A & L theyre ok , nothing special , RBOS were the best bank i`ve been with

Steve

Matt83UK_2

Probably the fact that they will charge a penalty of £30 for not paying the cheque, make sure you check your next month's statement and tell them to remove the charge or else... (dramatic effect)

All banks process stuff like this automatically, any bank would have bounced the cheque unless you had an overdraft setup (and this isn't done automatically - at least not in most cases), and any bank will leive a penalty fee for bounching a cheque. Weather your bank is any good, and weather they value your custom of paying 3k in a month, will be if they remove the penalty charge, if they don't move out fast.

Bumbelina

Yes, StevenP, I think I did acknowledge that it was my own fault for mishandling the situation. And no, I don't expect anyone to change the banking system for my benefit. I was merely asking whether there are likely to be any adverse consequences in terms of my credit rating if I should choose to change current accounts. Unfortunately, you choose to be offensive about it yet again.

Karnam

i have found Halifax to be EXTREMELY unreasonable with cheques. My overdraft was removed without notice (i told them what my university term time address was but was sent nothing) and i was then charged 30pounds for having an unauthoried overdraft which they created! i told them that was unaccepted, closed the account and gave up. I've found that this behaviour without discrestion is rather rare. At my HSBC current account I've found that even if you go over your limit, they take into account things like how long you've had the account, how much you go over, for how long etc etc before considering placing a charge on the account. This may have something to do with the notice on my account saying that I'm a student but am not eligiable for a student account, but i have checked T&C and it does seem to be discrestion is the rule!

CopperPlate_2

Matt83UK wrote:

Probably the fact that they will charge a penalty of £30 for not paying the cheque, make sure you check your next month's statement and tell them to remove the charge or else... (dramatic effect)

All banks process stuff like this automatically, any bank would have bounced the cheque unless you had an overdraft setup (and this isn't done automatically - at least not in most cases), and any bank will leive a penalty fee for bounching a cheque. Weather your bank is any good, and weather they value your custom of paying 3k in a month, will be if they remove the penalty charge, if they don't move out fast.

I'd agree. I had an issue when I paid off my Halifax CC one month, but unfortunately sent the payment via internet banking which was 10p short of clearing the balance. Dope. Anyway, they went ahead and charged me interest on the outstanding balance, purchases I made the following month and hit me with an interest charge of about £20 or so. I phoned them and told them I had cleared my bill each and every month and it was an oversight on my part that I hadn't paid the extra 10p. Reluctantly they waived the charge, but that was many moons ago (and many credit cards ago now too ) and I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole now. That said, there's no way you'll know how unreasonable they'll be unless you ask politely and point out that, yes, you know you were at fault but as they can see you've run your account well for however long, etc, etc.

If push comes to shove, move. Smile (honestly, for those who follow my posts I am NOT getting commission from smile) will switch you over and it's a particularly painless and seamless process to do it too. You can get SOOOOOOO much better than HBOS.

CP