Hi All,
Ok, first of all this is a _really_ long one. I have what I consider a fairly major problem and I think the best option is to give you the whole story. If you don't want to read a lengthy essay on another person's problem then stop now. For those of you who do take the time to read it and can even offer some help I really appreciate it.
That said, here the story of my ongoing problems with the Halifax (perhaps someone on uk.finance or uk.legal can tell me what the best thing to do is).
Some months ago I needed a mortgage on a new flat and went through a mortgage broker. They found a suitable one with the Halifax (100% mortgage at 4.99% fixed for two years).
Latter, when it came time to sign all the last bits and pieces I got a letter through from the Halifax which mentioned my mortgage was 5.6% fixed for 10 years! Up until now everything I had received via my broker had stated 4.99% fixed for two years so naturally this seemed very odd. I called the broker and they said that this had happened on a couple of Halifax mortgages recently, not to worry and that they would sort it. They then called me the following day and said, "Don't worry it is fixed!". However, a few days latter I got another letter from the Halifax saying that my mortgage had been amended to 5.74% fixed for 10 years! Again I called the broker and again was told it would be rectified. However I continued to have problems. I then received a letter from my mortgage broker that asked me to sign the mortgage agreement. The cover letter said that although the agreement was still incorrect I should sign it and it would be fixed on completion. Obviously this seemed very odd to me and so naturally I rang the mortgage broker and asked what all this was about. They told me that the Halifax was having problems correcting my offer since the bank of England base rate had risen and it was not possible for them to put it through their computer system but that this could be fixed on completion. I still wasn't happy and said I would need all this in writing with a copy to my solicitor. They said that they would get someone to provide confirmation shortly.
I spoke to my solicitor a day or two latter and he said he had received something from the Halifax that said that my mortgage was
5.74% fixed for 10 years. Again, I called the broker and again they arranged for the Halifax to send out something to my solicitor. This time it correctly stated that it would be 4.99% fixed for two years. I never received anything from the Halifax with a confirmation but since all these delays had meant time was pretty tight (I had to move out of my previous flat) and my solicitor had received confirmation I decided I should go ahead.I still felt pretty weird about this but I figured my solicitor had the confirmation in writing and since Halifax are the biggest lender of mortgages and hence unlikely to intentionally screw me over (perhaps this was naive?). If there were continuing problems I thought they could be sorted out. Also by now there had been yet another interest rate rise and I was pretty unlikely to get close to a fixed
4.99% mortgage from anyone else at this stage. So I signed the forms and everything went through.I finally completed at the start of August. A couple of days after completion I went on a Holiday for 2 weeks (this was planned some time ago as I had originally thought I would move in one month earlier). When I came back I found a letter from the Halifax and an initial interest payment had been taken out of my account. I then realised that the Halifax still had me on the wrong mortgage. I rang the broker who seemed genuinely shocked. He said he would find out what was happening and call me back. He called me and said that I should ring the Halifax directly since they felt it was better to deal with me directly at this stage. He gave me a number and I called them. After answering security questions the first thing I asked was, "What is the rate on my mortgage?" to which the answer was, "5.74%".
The Halifax representative and I spoke for some time during which he scanned through some notes against my account. He said that the problems had been noted and he would be able to get this fixed. I asked him to have a letter sent out to me once this was done.
Several days latter I still had received nothing. Again I called the Halifax and again asked, "What is the rate on my mortgage?" to which the answer was, "5.74%". I asked the young lady to read through my notes. She put me on hold for what felt like ten minutes and came back and said that my mortgage should be on 4.99%. I said, "I know" and asked if she could immediately correct this. She said she would get someone to look at this and write me a letter with confirmation.
I now called my solicitor and asked if he could send me a copy of the confirmation letter he got from the Halifax, which he duly faxed me. I also put all communication from the broker (which stated the correct rate and length of fixed term) in a folder together with this so that I would have it all to hand. A day or two later I got a letter for the Halifax but it was just a standard letter mentioning general information about my account. The rate and period of fixed term was still wrong and there was no mention of the fact that this was even being investigated.
I called the Halifax again, and again I asked, "What is the rate on my mortgage?" to which the answer was, "5.74%". At this point I got really annoyed with the Halifax representative (actually I had been annoyed many times during all of this but had managed to keep calm). She put me on to a manager who said that there was a problem in that my mortgage (4.99% fixed for 2 years) was not available for customers wanting a 100% mortgage and this had caused problems. I said that nobody had ever told me this and I had confirmation from the Halifax, sent to my solicitor, to say that I would be put on such a mortgage. She said it was still being investigated. At this point I said that could they at the very least send me a letter to say that it was being investigated since everything I had received from the Halifax up until now just acted like I was a normal customer with no issues.
After two days I still had not received anything and called again. Again the Halifax representative told me the wrong rate. He gave me the fax number of Halifax head office and asked that I sent through a copy of the confirmation my solicitor had received. I did this along with a cover letter requesting that they reply to the fax to confirm they had received it and send me a letter to say that this was being fixed.
Guess what? after two days I had not even received a reply to confirm they had received the fax.
I now sent a copy of the fax to the customer service center and called them again. I was put through to a manager after a short irate conversation with the operator. She confirmed she had the fax, applogised multiple times and said that she would get a letter out to say it was being investigated and get someone from Head Office to call me (I made a note of her name). That was today.
Whilst I await a response (that I don't reckon I will get) I wonder what my best course of action should be. Should I get a lawyer involved? Should I contact some government body to intervene on my behalf? Something else?
Also, what do people think my chances are that I will ever get this fixed? Will I be stuck on a mortgage I never wanted since I did sign for it (despite the confirmation from the Halifax)?
It isn't even like I can cancel the whole thing (assuming that was even possible) since I would not get such a good rate now with all the bank of England base rate rises.
To be honest I really feel like the Halifax have f*&ked me over!!! If anyone can offer any help or suggestions I would really really appreciate it!
Best regards, John Smith