Halifax/Bank of Scotland Megathread - Read Post #1 First!

KoolKid

I am still getting letters asking me to close account & credit cards. Done ages ago!!
Got a letter about credit card options today along with another one containing a cheque for credit which was on my CC account.

deelite

cri wrote: »

I just got my statement today and I saw that the card tax was charged. When I called about that I was told that was for 2009 but I will be charged a full years tax in June.
Anyway seems like I have no choice but to pay for something I am not getting.:mad:

My friend had a 0 balance on her Halifax card - and then got a statement from them for the 30 euro tax and a 7.50 late fee. She asked why she was being charged for a late fee - they said because the payment was late. She asked had they paid the government tax on her behalf - they replied no. So she asked how the hell was the payment late then. The manager wouldn't speak to her. The customer service agent said to her if she didn't pay she would continue to be charged late fees and then interest on the late fees. My friend has no problem paying the 30 euro fee but is outraged that they're charging for a late fee - when they haven't even made the payment:(

artyeva

Chubbcakes wrote: »

Not sure if this has been discussed here...I am trying to switch Halifax CC and no bank will touch me as I have become unemployed since. They have said that it does not matter that I was able to pay more than the mimimum every month on time. What am I expected to do?:mad:

same boat i'm sailing here, chubbcakes! out of interest where have you tried?

koolkid wrote: »

Have you tried MBNA & Tesco?

is it better to ring them or apply online i wonder? i used to work in MBNA - not that would make the slightest bit of difference i'd say.. or would it?

jockey#1

Hey,

Received a letter today from Halifax regarding closing my saver account. There is nothing in this account, is there still a need for me to complete this letter knowing that Halifax will be closing my account anyhow.

On another note, have a balance on my credit card, have tried numerous other banks to try and transfer the balance but they won't touch me and they definitely won't now as I have since lost my job. How is everyone else getting on? Have you all received letters yet regarding transferring the balance to a loan besides the one they sent out months ago? Really missing my Visa debit card...

Jockey

billbond4

I dont know if you have to as my balance is 0 also, but I got sick of the letters so I just sent the letter to close the account

artyeva

just rang MBNA - i couldn't even get them to take my details once i said i was no longer in employment - even though i am making more than the minium payment every month, and have never missed a payment with halifax...

and i can't find a number for tesco to talk to an actual human

and AIB - who i've banked with for over 20 years won't touch me either - even though i offered to furnish them with 2 and a half years of halifax statements...

livemusic4life

artyeva wrote: »

just rang MBNA - i couldn't even get them to take my details once i said i was no longer in employment - even though i am making more than the minium payment every month, and have never missed a payment with halifax...

and i can't find a number for tesco to talk to an actual human

and AIB - who i've banked with for over 20 years won't touch me either - even though i offered to furnish them with 2 and a half years of halifax statements...

I'm in the same boat. Got my first ever CC with halifax, have never gone over my limit - not even close to it, i've never had a late payment, i've delibrately asked for the smallest limit that they could give me. 15months ago i was made redundant. I was paying 150 a month or more off my card a month, even while unemployed. I'm going to have my credit union loan paid 8 months early. And i've only ever had a very small over draft which was always paid back within the week. No bank will touch me with a barge pole for another CC just because i'm out of work - but yet they give credit cards to students who are generally irresponsible with money and it could take them years to get their money back from them.

I've had accounts with AIB, BoI and PTSB over the years, banks i no longer want to do business with. Why isn't my custom good enough for a CC when i am actually very responsible with my money? and have a proven record of it?
My mum due to ill health hasn't worked for a very long time but has a CC with a massive limit - okay she doesn't actually owe anything on it but she doesn't work and they haven't reduced her limit even. I can't figure it out at all.

jimoc

livemusic4life wrote: »

I'm in the same boat. Got my first ever CC with halifax, have never gone over my limit - not even close to it, i've never had a late payment, i've delibrately asked for the smallest limit that they could give me. 15months ago i was made redundant. I was paying 150 a month or more off my card a month, even while unemployed. I'm going to have my credit union loan paid 8 months early. And i've only ever had a very small over draft which was always paid back within the week. No bank will touch me with a barge pole for another CC just because i'm out of work - but yet they give credit cards to students who are generally irresponsible with money and it could take them years to get their money back from them.

I've had accounts with AIB, BoI and PTSB over the years, banks i no longer want to do business with. Why isn't my custom good enough for a CC when i am actually very responsible with my money? and have a proven record of it?
My mum due to ill health hasn't worked for a very long time but has a CC with a massive limit - okay she doesn't actually owe anything on it but she doesn't work and they haven't reduced her limit even. I can't figure it out at all.

This is why.
Banks don't want your custom if they aren't going to make any money out of you.
What they like to see is someone who runs up huge amounts of debt, that they are still able to pay off.
The don't want people with no debts and the don't want people who they deem to be risky.
So if you pay off everything on time, they don't like you.
If you are unemployed, they don't want you in case you cant pay back what you owe.

artyeva

jimoc wrote: »

This is why.
Banks don't want your custom if they aren't going to make any money out of you.
What they like to see is someone who runs up huge amounts of debt, that they are still able to pay off.
The don't want people with no debts and the don't want people who they deem to be risky.
So if you pay off everything on time, they don't like you.
If you are unemployed, they don't want you in case you cant pay back what you owe.

my biggest issue in trying to get this halifax card balance transferred is that i can't seem to make any bank understand that they WILL make money out of me - if i take your point above in relation to AIB, who as I've said, has had me as a customer for over 20 years...

1. they'll make 3.9% interest out of me every month from day one - as they don't currently offer a 0% transfer rate
2. i have a large-ish balance, that i am still able to pay off, but probably won't clear fully for a while yet - even more interest revenue for them
3. i'm not paying everything off, but ok, granted, i do make my payments on time so they won't make any money off late fees
4. even though i am unemployed i have a proven history since my redundancy of being able to pay back what i owe.

credit history - check.
ability to pay - check.
revenue for them by having me as their customer - check.

i know it's unfair and i know that i sound like a petulant child here but it's unfair that it's unfair - know what i mean?

KoolKid

Halifax really need to wake up now!!
Account is closed since start of april, CC is transferred. Got this letter today

Dear Mr & Mrs Koolkid*

Account Number 12345678

We are writing to remind you that you will lose the benefits associated with funding your account unless you lodge €1500.00 to your account in the next month as outlined in our terms & conditions. This will happen automatically without further notice to you if €1500.00 is not lodged in the next month.

If in the future you wish to have the benagain please contact us. You can find details of the Halifax Currant Account in the guide we've sent with this letter.
Don't forget that you can find information on our website,call us on the number at the top of this letter or visit any of our branches if you wish to talk to us about your account or if you would like to know about any of our other services.

Thank You for banking with us

___________________________--

Divisional Director


* names changed to protect the innocent ....

Are they for real?????

clearly,they haven't switched off the auto computer generated letters triggered by accounts going under that balance.
They're sending out new cards to people whose cards expire round now aswell.

Hypothetical-I presume if you have a balance on a halifax credit card after june 18th and have never missed or been late that they will automatically switch your account such that you pay the minimum each month from closing onwards etc as per the announced arrangement?
I have a cousin with one who is in that position but who has never contacted halifax.

artyeva

Deleted User wrote: »

Hypothetical-I presume if you have a balance on a halifax credit card after june 18th and have never missed or been late that they will automatically switch your account such that you pay the minimum each month from closing onwards etc as per the announced arrangement?
I have a cousin with one who is in that position but who has never contacted halifax.

according to the woman i spoke to at halifax yesterday, it's a percentage of the balance - according to her this will be outlined in a letter i should receive about 10 days before the 18th.... she couldn't [or wouldn't] tell me exactly what that percentage will/might be.... which is all a bit vague... i assumed it would be 3% but she said it may be higher...? when your cousin receives the letter she need take no further action, just make payments as normal.

KoolKid

The letter said 3% of the balance would be the minimum payment.

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

artyeva

Scien wrote: »

I can no longer use the cc after the 18th and end of month direct debit payments will continue as normal after that date until the balance is paid off?

Thanks.

this one. as long as your payments are up to date and everything so far, this is what will happen. no harm to give them a quick ring though, just to make sure.

VEXERZ

Anyone having problems with ordering stuff online, I used to have a halifax visa debit and it worked for everything. Got a new ulsterbank visa debit and it doesn't seem to be working for sites that accepts visa or does it need to display visa debit as well?

I'm gonna head into the bank tomorrow and see what the fuck is up!

Sasquatch76

It's a load of pages to wade through, but check out the mega thread at the top of this forum - there were issues initially with the Ulster Bank Visa debit card apparently, but seems they were ironed out for most people.

Personally, I've used it with no problem on Amazon, Paddy Power, ESET.ie, justgiving.com, physiosupplies.ie and topping up on Vodafone.

Edit: Oh, and I've just been using it in lieu of a regular credit card.

makeorbrake

I've only had an issue paying with it once and the vendor updated their system in order that they could transact. There were many more issues of this nature with the Halifax D.C. in my opinion ....maybe you didnt use your card a lot and were lucky ...or maybe it was me that was unlucky...but either way, believe me, there were issues.

Sasquatch76

Just used it on Steam as well to buy a couple of games. Maybe I've been lucky, but so far, I haven't had a single problem.

Toots

Merged with Megathread.

Aug2009

VEXERZ wrote: »

Anyone having problems with ordering stuff online, I used to have a halifax visa debit and it worked for everything. Got a new ulsterbank visa debit and it doesn't seem to be working for sites that accepts visa or does it need to display visa debit as well?

I'm gonna head into the bank tomorrow and see what the fuck is up!

I had issues with the same and moved to a very unlikely competitor - Bishopstown Credit Union. a friend recommended it. was pleasantly surprised - might be worth checking out if other cus do this.

almalahide

I was going to close my cuurent account Thursday or Friday? If i leave the balance at 0 I presume they will just close it automatically if I dont go in or am I causing staff hastle??

KoolKid

There is 54 c in mine. I have spend enough time & hassle sorting my affairs out whiule they send me letters about reapplying for my overdraft & other useless information. If that 54c causes them a little hassle I won't lose any sleep over it.

KoolKid

I see Halifax.ie is now gone.
Does anyone know is there an option to check CC balances online.?

Davy

The site was gone on the 23th as advertised so your out of look

KoolKid

Thanks,
Guess its over the phone is the only option so.
Thought a login might have been available via their UK site or similar.

optiplexgx270

Does anyone here have any information on the big announcement @ 11am today?

I hear there is extra security on the doors for the media later today. Are they pulling the plug as this article suggests:

http://www.tribune.ie/business/article/2010/aug/15/fears-grow-lloyds-will-pull-plug-on-bosi/

CountingCrows

Water cooler talk suggests that rumour is true, should know all shortly.

RoadKillTs

Are the pulling the plug as this article suggests:

It looks likely.

CountingCrows

Bank of Scotland Ireland is being shut down in it's entirety in December