HSBC Premier

One phone call and you will have your answer....or maybe it's an answer you don't want to hear.

They wrote to me advising they were going to downgrade my account after fifteen years being a very good client because we did not qualify after paying our mortgage off.
Earning 90 K a year and never being overdrawn I decided I did not like their attitude so I went to the branch the same day I received the letter and withdrew all of our cash and closed the account.
Since then I have had numerous letters asking if I would like a meeting,sorry you made the initial decision and I did not like it,so goodbye

redmalc wrote: »

They wrote to me advising they were going to downgrade my account after fifteen years being a very good client because we did not qualify after paying our mortgage off.
Earning 90 K a year and never being overdrawn I decided I did not like their attitude so I went to the branch the same day I received the letter and withdrew all of our cash and closed the account.
Since then I have had numerous letters asking if I would like a meeting,sorry you made the initial decision and I did not like it,so goodbye

I suspect your decision absolutely decimated HSBC's profits and the CEO goes to bed every night regretting the decision...


Don't see you're gripe - qualifying criteria is £100k, you earned £90k, therefore didn't qualify. It's not exactly ambiguous...

Just a little (sic) gripe re HSBC... Have been sorting out LPA on my mothers account and the processes and ineptitude from HSBC have astounded me.

It took five phone calls to their customer support to simply arrange a meeting at the branch. As an example, the customer line expects you to enter account details; if you wait for a person they were unable to assist (because they deal with account holders). Ok, get that. There is a non-customer line to ring but they expect you to enter account details.... eh? The customer support people I spoke with couldn't make appointments themselves; couldn't provide me with the correct branch telephone number to make the appointment.

First meeting. So we go there all prepared, all paperwork in hand and they very pleasantly and efficiently go through administering the LPA. Requested that we are set up for online banking as part of the process..... Ah, well, you can't do that at this stage you need to wait for the LPA to be 'registered'....mmmm, ok.

Received confirmation of LPA....Tried to set up online banking....computer says 'No'.

Contacted support.... Well, you need to register for telephone banking first. Ok, lets do that.

Tried to set up online banking....computer says 'No'. General error. Customer support advised that is because my mother is not set up on telephone banking (Yeah, there's a reason for that). Advised to go to the branch.

Since the initial branch meeting I was very clear on what we/I required and that my mother did not have telephone or online access and never once did anyone mention this might be a problem.

Go to branch.

Lovely person helps me and 'does stuff', checks I am LPA and goes through security, and hands me a 'Secure Key' (like a mini calculator). Said I can set up online banking at home quite happily now.

Get home, set up online banking....computer says 'No'.

It is requesting that I download and install the HSBC mobile app in order to complete banking registration. I don't want the mobile app, hence why they gave me the Secure Key (calculator thing) at the branch.

Contacted customer support...Ummmm, your not registered as an LPA so I cannot help you. BUT, but, I just went through this at the branch...... <<pulls hair>>

Ok, line went quite for quite some time then eventually they come back and confirm that yes, I do have LPA and how can they help me.

Went through above registration completion issue. They were great and modified the online page presented with a different page relevant to the Secure Key thing....except I need the registration number displayed on the old page that I no longer have access to.

Ring them up again....sorry we cannot send you a new registration code to your linked mobile number as you appear to have changed it recently. Ummmm, no, I've had this mobile number for many many years. Could it be linked to the fact that I've only been on the account within the month? Ah, that could be it. We'll have to post it to you (your mother's address). <<heart sinks>>

So, rant over except to say that I don't care how much financial incentive HSBC offer for people to move accounts to them, I will never go to HSBC <<waits for hair to re-grow>>