Dear all,

I had a problem with the Halifax, and a complaint to make/question to resolve so..

I telephone the Halifax on a geographical (landline) number which I got via this website, it appears halifax can tell that I am ringing via a geographical number, as they ask me to redial an 0845 number - these numbers are not included in my phone package which I pay BT to have ( a certain amount of geographical calls are free each month )

They refuse to answer my questions. I ring another number and they tell me theres a problem on the line, and to redial. I tell them im not stupid and they can forward me to the correct number, which they then do. I get absolutely nowhere, they tell me to write a complaint (which from previous experience gets ignored) or go into my local branch (why cant they answer my simple question?)

They are simply profiteering off these 0845 and 0870 numbers, other banks have landlines, I did eventually get the landline for my local branch some months ago, but of course the number does not work now as they must of changed it.

Another person at the halifax said that they do not use geographical numbers because if they did, the phone line would not stop ringing all day! So it seems they use these numbers to block customers from speaking to someone and to profit even more from the customer.

Very angry 

Shiggaddi wrote on Jan 26^th, 2006 at 12:49pm:

But one might consider taking one's business elsewhere if a company takes that attitude.

I'm currently in the process of closing my HBoS account anyway - not primarily because of 0845/0870 numbers - but because they are so useless and unhelpful and continually passing you from one to the other, when you do call them.  BoS used to be good - but when they changed to H, it all got several hundred per cent worse.

When two companies merge, why do they always take of the features of the worse of the two?  Also happened when Norwich Union & Commercial Union merged - NU were fairly good, CU were useless, so the new comapny was useless!

It's about time this issue was taken up by Watchdog or a simailar org!!  It's scandalous that companies are have jumped on this bandwagon and robbing us all blind!

I will consider emailing Watchdog but wonder if it is within their remit.

I also angry!  

Betty

chaoticjelly wrote on Jan 26^th, 2006 at 12:07pm:
Please tell me that you witheld your number when you rang them !!

I rang them on a freefone number and got a similar message (although it went through all the same) for the 'next time'!
Cannot see the relevance of 'witholding your number' - can you explain more, DaveM?

It might be nothing to do with caller display. I sympathise very slightly with their statements about not being able to transfer some calls - some of their internal call routing does make some transfers actually impossible, or they get over-ridden by the system deciding it is more clever than its users, connecting people to places they didn't ask for.