Transferring banks - advice needed

[superbiatch]

Having had my card cloned 3 times in the past, I decided i'd look into transferring my account to another bank.

Around the same time i was also purchasing my apartment and sorting out a loan. The loan was granted by Halifax and I was persuaded to open a bank account with them there and then "to get the money paid in straight away" was what I was told by the assistant, although I think it was commission based as she was rather pushy. This was last March. I told her as I was in the process of purchasing a property, changing banks at this time might confuse matters. She said that was fine, and all the benefits would be available to me when i decided to switch.

In June I decided to start the ball rolling with transferring all my direct debits and wages etc and it took until September to get it all sorted out. I was told it would take 3 credits over £1000 before I would receive my switching fee of £100. As my wages at the end of November would have been the third credit, I contacted them last night to be told my bank account was opened before the switching fee was available. I've been told to speak to the branch i dealt with directly.

Any advice guys and girls? I know its only £100, but its been quite stressful at times when direct debits haven't been paid etc so its the least they can do!

[Toto]

Yeh, sounds like a bum deal...

If you have to deal with the branch, best to go in at an arranged time, and have all your details to hand. I swapped to a better account with my bank, and pressed them to sort everything out for me. To a large extent they did, with the exception of two DD's, one was with Virgin Media, so I sorted those two myself.

Just have all your information and arguments ready, dealing with a person face-to-face has to be a good option, and a rare opportunity to get some satisfaction given this day and age of call centres.

[superbiatch]

I contacted them this morning at the branch to arrange a meeting, but was quizzed. So i explained the issue and the woman who sold me the account told me she'd have to raise an enquiry and would get back to me tomorrow. She wasn't full of promises and I can see a big fat 'NO' coming in my direction. So i'm gonna start putting a letter together tonight in response ;)

But thank you for your advice :)

[superbiatch]

I contacted them this morning at the branch to arrange a meeting, but was quizzed. So i explained the issue and the woman who sold me the account told me she'd have to raise an enquiry and would get back to me tomorrow. She wasn't full of promises and I can see a big fat 'NO' coming in my direction. So i'm gonna start putting a letter together tonight in response ;)

But thank you for your advice :)

Following on from the above, i've left 3 messages to date for a response from the woman above who was so quick to suggest i bank with them :dozey:

[Aragorn]

Have you got anything in writing to backup the offer of £100 from the time you arranged the loan?
Either way, send a recorded letter to the branch manager detailing the problem and giving them 14 days to respond. Warn them that it will be escalated to head office in the absence of a 'satisfactory resolution within that time'.
Hopefully that will be enough to get your money.

[superbiatch]

Have you got anything in writing to backup the offer of £100 from the time you arranged the loan?
Either way, send a recorded letter to the branch manager detailing the problem and giving them 14 days to respond. Warn them that it will be escalated to head office in the absence of a 'satisfactory resolution within that time'.
Hopefully that will be enough to get your money.

I've just had a rather loud conversation with the woman who sold me the bank account, who insists she would never be pushy. In the end she gave in and has told me there is no way i can contact their enquiries dept, and even the branch only has an email address for them. She told me they have 7 days to reply, so as a gesture of goodwill (and also because i'm very busy atm) i have said I will give them until next Tuesday before i take it further - which would be your suggested letter above.

I ended the conversation with her by explaining i was on on U-switch website as we spoke, sourcing a new bank account. I told her unless I get the money i was promised, i will be taking my business elsewhere. Being a young professional homeowner, i'm sure there are banks waiting to welcome my business ;)

[Aragorn]

Trouble is she will have got her commission and moving banks won't affect her in the slightest :-(
Other possible routes after the manager and head orifice would be the banking ombudsman (http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/) and, in extremis, the small claims court (although you would need documentary evidence of the offer).
Hope you get your money.

[lostandconfused]

try calling headoffice, they have always been really helpfull when ive had issues with them, PM sent with number.

[superbiatch]

Thanks for the advice guys ;)

[Wicked_and_Crazy]

Sadly banks dont ave very good customer service these days. I had a similar issue with Barclays earlier in the year and changed banks. Threatening to leave a bank makes no difference, at the end of the day the money they make out of one person isnt going to make anyone lose any sleep.

[superbiatch]

Sadly banks dont ave very good customer service these days. I had a similar issue with Barclays earlier in the year and changed banks. Threatening to leave a bank makes no difference, at the end of the day the money they make out of one person isnt going to make anyone lose any sleep.

No but it will make me feel better sadly :dozey:

I have been offered a good deal by a rival bank, so i'd rather go with someone i have some faith in should i need their assistance.

[Wicked_and_Crazy]

I have been offered a good deal by a rival bank, so i'd rather go with someone i have some faith in should i need their assistance.

I see your point, however the person selling to you is not going to be the person servicing you (ooeerrrr) which is no surprise but people do often caught out by that fact.

I my experience the Nationwide are pretty good when it comes down to giving service. In fact i've found their sales advisers to be the ones that were lacking .

[superbiatch]

I see your point, however the person selling to you is not going to be the person servicing you (ooeerrrr) which is no surprise but people do often caught out by that fact.

I my experience the Nationwide are pretty good when it comes down to giving service. In fact i've found their sales advisers to be the ones that were lacking .

The person who sold me the account in halifax, is now the one who is giving me grief - it seems you can't win :(

Nationwide were one of those i'm considering - just gonna weigh it all up and give Halifax an opportunity to put things right between us.

[Wicked_and_Crazy]

Only issue i have with the Nationwide is that our branch often has long queues on Saturdays. Having said that i rarely have the need to go into the branch.

Other plus points,

Nationwide credit card has Zero commission on Foreign transactions. I did and experiment not so long ago buying two items in the US on the same day and the Nationwide card provided no commission and a better exchange rate than the other card.

Theyre quite flexible with terms on their mortgages. For example the tracker im on only allows an over payment of £500 per month, obviously if you keep over paying at some point they will drop your repayments to match your term again, either on a rate change or anniversary. They will stop doing his if you ask and you can then get yourself into a scenario where your over paying by more than the allowed £500 overpayment per month without penalty because they havent changed the amount they request from you ;)


ohhh and ive only had bad experiences with the Halifax

[superbiatch]

Having had my card cloned 3 times in the past, I decided i'd look into transferring my account to another bank.

Around the same time i was also purchasing my apartment and sorting out a loan. The loan was granted by Halifax and I was persuaded to open a bank account with them there and then "to get the money paid in straight away" was what I was told by the assistant, although I think it was commission based as she was rather pushy. This was last March. I told her as I was in the process of purchasing a property, changing banks at this time might confuse matters. She said that was fine, and all the benefits would be available to me when i decided to switch.

In June I decided to start the ball rolling with transferring all my direct debits and wages etc and it took until September to get it all sorted out. I was told it would take 3 credits over £1000 before I would receive my switching fee of £100. As my wages at the end of November would have been the third credit, I contacted them last night to be told my bank account was opened before the switching fee was available. I've been told to speak to the branch i dealt with directly.

Any advice guys and girls? I know its only £100, but its been quite stressful at times when direct debits haven't been paid etc so its the least they can do!

Good news! After arguing with Halifax and eventually putting in an official complaint - I was finally awarded the £100 mentioned above yesterday. A small amount of money, but goes to show if you take on the banks - they don't always win ;)