[Halifax] Sorry sir, your account is "self-service"...

Van Hellseek

Van Hellseek

Van Hellseek

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Joined
2 Jun 2004
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Can't believe this. I recently rented a room in a house in Southampton and popped into the nearest Halifax to set up a standing order to pay the rent. I filled in a form with my landlords details and mine etc and handed it to the cashier along with my bank card.

The conversation went something like this:

Me : Hi, I'd like to set up this standing order please.
Her : *she looks at me as if I've just asked for a big mac* Do you have the card?
Me : Card? You mean the one I just gave you?
Her: Oh you want to set it up on this account?
Me: Yes. (why else would I give her that card?)
Her: Sorry you need to do this by phone.
Me : What?
Her: Your account is 'self-service' you have to set up standing orders by phone.

I mean what the hell? I can't belive the branch couldn't set up a simple standing order for my account (which is just a regular current account). What the hell is the point even having branches? :mad:

Anyone else with the Halifax and considering changing banks?
 
I bet once you've done it by phone, you have to go back to the bank and hand the form in at the cashiers.
 
Tom0 said:
I bet once you've done it by phone, you have to go back to the bank and hand the form in at the cashiers.
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I don't intend to do it by phone. I think it's ridiculous that I couldn't do it at the branch. Instead I'll try my other bank (Nationwide).

neil3k said:
Halifax suck
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Yes. Lots.

scorza said:
Do you have the high interest current account? There's always a catch....
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Nope, just a regular current account which I've had for the best part of a decade.
 
I've had grief with them over stupid things too. Most recently trying to pay a cheque into my savings account, which I ended up having to pay into my current account then transfer over.

Problem is, despite them being a high street bank nowadays a lot of their processes are still stuck in the building society dark ages.
 
seek said:
Yeah it's cardcash.
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I'd get rid of that asap. I dumped mine as soon as I realised they weren't even paying me any interest! Not long after that they got rid of counter service for cardcash accounts.

I've only still got an account for the student overdraft now :D
 
It's called 'cost saving'. Remember the craze of removing all cashiers from bank branches? That was 'cost saving' too.

Having said that, there are many accounts that don't offer branch service (though you usually get higher interest or somesuch other perk as a result).

Fortunately, there's plenty of competition - if you don't like your bank, vote with your feet. :)
 
basmic said:
I'm sure you can setup Standing Orders online with Halifax.
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I know I can, but I am on a different current account with a debit card, whether it will be the same for cardcash I don't know, worth a try though.

I did manage to set up a standing order to pay my dad board, and did it by filling in a form. But again, I have a debit card.
 
Why definitely? It's up to the bank what services it provides in a branch. As I said above, some branches have/had no cashiers at all. You wouldn't find anyone to set up a standing order for you there.
 
Berserker said:
Why definitely? It's up to the bank what services it provides in a branch. As I said above, some branches have/had no cashiers at all. You wouldn't find anyone to set up a standing order for you there.
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I said should.

As in this whole self service thing is just going too far and we in an ideal world should be able to do simple banking tasks at our local branch.
 
The Halifax will let you do very little over the counter. I have to pay cash and cheques into the machine, even if the cashiers are sitting scratching their behinds.

But that's the only time I ever have to visit my branch. Virtually everything can be done online these days.
 
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