We have just moved our mortgage from the Halifax after five years. Actually, we started with the Leeds, which was organised somewhat better and which knew how to treat its customers. At Halifax, you're a number and not a name. You don't deal with a branch, you deal with central administration. And each time you call you get a different answer.
When we moved house a year ago, we considered moving our mortgage as well, and called the Halifax to find out whether we were outside our 'tied' period. The person we spoke to confirmed that we were. So we began the process of acquiring a new mortgage... only to be told by the Halifax that we were not outside our tied period and that they would demand three months' payments as a penalty.
This year, we remortgaged, and once the process was advanced we asked the Halifax for a completion statement. It never came. Our solicitor also asked, and it didn't come. Three days before completion the solicitor faxed and phoned, was assured that one would be sent... and it didn't come. Finally, on the day of completion, everything was ready, the solicitor had the cheque from our new lender, and we still didn't have the completion statement. We phoned Halifax, and the solicitor's office phoned and faxed. Finally, with under an hour to go before the deadline for completion, Halifax eventually faxed through the statement.
Summary: impersonal, too big for their own good, inefficient. Stick to the smaller - and better value and more customer-focused - lenders.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Advantages: Make you feel better about the way you do your own job. Disadvantages: Difficult to contact, inept when you finally manage it, unable to answer straight questions. Underhand
cwestern 15.04.2006 (15.04.2006)
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Review of Halifax Mortgages
Advantages: very friendly helpful staff, can offer services to the likes of me (!) whereas otherlenders wrote me off as a liability Disadvantages: none really
judithritchie 28.04.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Halifax Mortgages
Advantages: That you get all the benefits as well as still earning 6% interest Disadvantages: The monthly fee, though not extortionate compared to similar accounts elsewhere.
PINKLADYRLE 08.08.2007 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Halifax Accounts
Dec 6th, 2000
