Why are The Halifax so useless? I started dealing with them 8 years ago when I took out a Halifax credit card and I've regretted it ever since. Now that their parent company HBOS is largely owned by the tax payer I'm ever angrier with their incompetence.
I fell out with them about a year ago over a dispute with a supplier. Halifax told me that I would have to pay the sum involved. In order to prevent that happening I told them I would close the account. Halifax said I couldn't do that because there was a £9.90 balance that wasn't due for 3 weeks. I paid the balance immediately and asked for the account to be closed. I was referred to several people before that accepted my request. However, they never closed the account. At the end of the month, £9.90 was taken from my bank account. This left a positive balance. But I'd stopped using the card and, as far as I was concerned, had closed the account.
Six months later I received a letter saying that as I hadn't used the card for some time, my credit limit would immediately be reduced from £15,000 to £500, then closed 4 weeks later. As far as I was concerned the account was already closed!!!
Any how I phoned Halifax, told them the facts and asked for my money. The £9.90 balance outstanding. According to the person on the phone this couldn't be returned unless I put my request in writing. Which I duly did. Today I've received a letter - a standard one - from an Angela Taylor who styles herself Senior Manager, Customer Services, that explains all manner of restrictions relating to future charges but no mention of the money they owe me. Given the effort I've put in to get my money I can only put this down to a deliberate policy of inertia theft. Its only a small sum. But the Halifax are driving me mad.
Interestingly, my business holds a current account with Bank of Scotland. I am so p****d of with them I'll be transferring that to another bank. Preferably one that isn't in hock to the tax payer.
