# Halifax Current account



## Ron Burgundy (9 Feb 2009)

Hi all,

Thinking of moving from BOI to Halifax. Has anyone had experience of them good or bad ??

I like the idea of the Visa debit card.


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## askU (9 Feb 2009)

I'd highly recommend the move. I changed to Halifax about a year ago and its been fine.


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## Ron Burgundy (9 Feb 2009)

Great,

I filled in the online stuff and awaiting the letter. I have to order a bank statement now from BOI


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## gipimann (9 Feb 2009)

Opened a current a/c (believe it or not, my first current a/c!) with Halifax just under 18 months ago, and have had no problems - it's nice to see the monthly interest going in!

Have used the online service too for direct debits and money transfers, again without problem (it's their credit card online system that lets them down - no breakdown of purchases, etc available.)


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## Lightning (9 Feb 2009)

+1. Seconded. 

I have been with Halifax for about a year now and have no problems. I was with BOI before that and the level of service is far superior with Halifax. 

Their current account package is easily number the best buy out of the 8 banks offering current accounts in the Irish market.


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## minion (10 Feb 2009)

Halifax cutting interest rate from 10% to 7%.


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## Lightning (11 Feb 2009)

Thanks. The best buy thread has been updated.


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## cleverclogs7 (11 Feb 2009)

iS D.I.R.T  INCLUDED IN THAT 7%  INTEREST MIMION ????


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## DublinTexas (12 Feb 2009)

cleverclogs7 said:


> iS D.I.R.T INCLUDED IN THAT 7% INTEREST MIMION ????


 
Credit Interest of 7.23% EAR (Equivalent Annual Rate) is paid on balances up to €2,000 and is subject to DIRT.


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## skrooge (12 Feb 2009)

minion said:


> Halifax cutting interest rate from 10% to 7%.


 
Has this taken effect yet? I see that [broken link removed] still ahs the rate at 10%.  Are they jsut slow in updating this or does the lower 7% rate just apply to new customers?


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## Lightning (12 Feb 2009)

It looks like they have not updated that webpage but the rest of their website has the new rate as does The Financial Regulator. 

[broken link removed]
www.itsyourmoney.ie


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## allthedoyles (12 Feb 2009)

Looking at the .itsyourmoney.ie website , I must say that Halifax certainly looks attractive for current account.

But I wonder is it a good idea to transfer all transactions to a 'foreign bank ' in the current climate .?


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## ALB (12 Feb 2009)

Moved over to Halifax from Ulster bank last August. Might be easier to do this in a branch rather than through customer service centre as i did. Just realised this week it wasn't set up as a funded account so i wasn't benefiting from the credit interest. So make sure thats set up. ( account needs to be credited by 1500 each month to avail of this so if your wages are going in it should be ok). Otherwise not too bad so far.


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## NavanMan1 (19 Feb 2009)

Hi Ron,
         Switched over from UlsterBank to Halifax for my current account and Visa card two months ago. One of the main reasons for the switch was the lack of customer service I got with UB

So far, no problem with HBOS and the customer service could not be better. Online banking is okay, however only negative is that you can't see your Visa Credit Card transactions. However have been told by my branch that they hope to have this live by August this year.

Oh,  and its nice to see that interest going into the current account every month.

So my advise would be to go ahead and switch over to HBOS


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## dusmythb (19 Feb 2009)

Ron Burgundy said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Thinking of moving from BOI to Halifax. Has anyone had experience of them good or bad ??
> 
> I like the idea of the Visa debit card.


 
Hi there,
Just wondering if you made the change from BOI to Halifax and if so how have you found them so far? The reason I ask because im currently with BOI and im also considering the change. Thanks


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## camlin90 (24 Feb 2009)

Missed this till now:
The interest rate on the first €2,000 for this account has dropped from 10% to 7% from 09/02/2009.


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## raven (24 Feb 2009)

I'm considering moving to Halifax also from BOI. I called in to get the forms and their service seemed great. I've had it with BOI's poor service, I've been hit with a heap of laser card fees so the free transaction VISA debit card is very attractive. I've pretty much decided to go ahead and make the move now.


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## Mr DT (25 Feb 2009)

I switched in Oct 08 as I got really pi^$ed off with BOI's attitude to fees and all the various loops and boxes you had to jump through and tick to get free banking. 

I have no regrets, BOI seem very up thier own backside when it comes to customer service. Maybe the staff are a bit miffed that thier share options are worth Zero! 

Hey, and would you beleive it Halifax are open on Saturdays aswell!


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## SLS (25 Feb 2009)

I signed up for a current account 6 months ago and no complaints on the front. Only thing that annoys me is I also signed up for a credit card at the same time. For some reason you cannot view your transactions online

Small point but I wish I had known before I swtiched...


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## picaresque (25 Feb 2009)

Another thumbs up from me for Halifax. moved our joint account to it from BOI. A few DD's got missed in the first month so keep an eye on this but none of it caused an issue by month 2. still have my own account with BOI and must say I have never had anything but good service from them as well.


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## Guest128 (25 Feb 2009)

raven said:


> I'm considering moving to Halifax also from BOI. I called in to get the forms and their service seemed great. I've had it with BOI's poor service, I've been hit with a heap of laser card fees so the free transaction VISA debit card is very attractive. I've pretty much decided to go ahead and make the move now.



Transaction fees for what? Using laser is free in shops, and abroad in the eurozone. Only outside the eurozone do you pay transaction fees for the currency change, as would be the case with the Halifax VISA debit as well. Do you qualify for free banking with BOI?


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## Guest128 (25 Feb 2009)

SLS said:


> I signed up for a current account 6 months ago and no complaints on the front. Only thing that annoys me is I also signed up for a credit card at the same time. For some reason you cannot view your transactions online
> 
> Small point but I wish I had known before I swtiched...




You should also note that even if you preload your halifax CC you are charged a cash withdrawl fee when using it abroad at an ATM.....may not be that relevant with the debit card.....


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## Starbuck (27 Feb 2009)

Do I have to take the Visa Card? I don't need another credit card, and I don't want to pay another Government Levy on one!


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## Guest128 (27 Feb 2009)

If its the visa _credit card_ you only pay the government charge once, independent of how many cards you have. 

If its the debit card you have to pay per card i.e. once for laser, again for halifax debit card. 

You don't have to take the visa CC, I have Halifax current account and didnt take the CC option. I'm not sure if you can request not to get the debit card but since its a current account, its most likely you'd want it I would have thought?


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## Starbuck (28 Feb 2009)

I'd be using it as a second account. Would do all transaticins online.


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## markpb (1 Mar 2009)

I think you only pay ATM/Debit card government charges if you actually use the card. I could be wrong, I'm sure Halifax could clarify it  for you.


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## desperatedan (3 Mar 2009)

FLANDERS` said:


> If its the visa _credit card_ you only pay the government charge once, independent of how many cards you have.



This information is ambiguous, as it implies there is only one charge levied, regardless of how many Credit Card Accounts you have.

Please see below for relevent rules, from Citizens Information



> *The charge is for each account.* An individual can have additional cards issued on his/her account without paying extra duty. Companies that have a number of cards on one account must pay the duty on each card.
> 
> The duty is payable on April 1 for the preceding year. The tax year for the stamp duty begins on April 2.
> 
> ...


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## evoke (5 Mar 2009)

Just from reading this thread. here are the pros and con i got from it:

Pros
More interest like 7%
Free banking

Cons
You cannot view your credit card details online

any others.

do you have to pay for ATM transactions.

Also is it 7% a year you get on your 2,000 euro

so that is 7%/12 = 0.00583% a month

if you put in 2000 a month then you get €11.66 a month without dirt taking out.

or is it that you get 7% a month on the €2000

so that is 0.07*2000 = 140 without dirt taking out. (this is too good to be true)

How many times a year is it paid out then does anyone know.

Thanks


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## wheels (31 Mar 2009)

Can anyone tell me what the waiting period for confirmation after transferring to Halifax was? I applied last Thursday and no word yet. Rang them and got a very strange lady on the phone who put me on hold without even telling me, then took my details again and said she'd send something to me in the post. Very strange.


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