Halifax-Absolutely Useless (Halifax)

Member Name: cleverdevil

Product:	Halifax
Date:	10/08/00 (423 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: NONE

Disadvantages: Halifax as a whole

The Halifax Building Society are just as bad as the Halifax Property Services.

We recently moved house and as our existing mortgage was with the Halifax we went to ask their advice on a new mortgage.
As we had been on a fixed rate mortgage 2 years previous the Halifax told us we could not leave them for another mortgage provider unless we paid a fee of 1500.00. This was an expense we could not afford and stayed with them.

We had gone into negative equity on our property and so therefore had to pay off what we could, which basically meant she asked for our savings books and as the accounts were with the Halifax she wiped them clean. Beware if we had of known this we would of put the money elsewhere They took 5000.00 from us to reduce the debt. They told us the rest would be in affect added on to the mortgage and would be paid over 25 years. 6 Weeks later our mortgage approval still hadn't come through and my solicitors were chasing to complete the sale. Every time I rang I was passed from department to department and kept getting told it had been approved and was on its way to me.
2 weeks later I got a phone call from the Halifax saying I'm sorry but they want you to repay over 2 years instead of 25 years. I explained how they had already told me it had been approved and surely could not move the goal posts as I was waiting to complete my sale. I discussed, I argued and I spoke to many managers of their different departments. I went through the complaints procedure and still got nowhere. Eventually a week later they said the best I can do is 5 years after more argument s and threats of speaking their superiors I managed to get it to 10 years but was told you accept this or go elsewhere this is the best we can do .

They had us exactly were they wanted us. They left until we were to complete to change their minds this left us no time to approach other lenders as mortgage approvals take time. We were backed into a corner and left with
no choice if we still wanted to move.

This is just one example of their lax ways I have many more.

Please, Please, please do not use the HALIFAX

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