HSBC are the most useless c*nts ever
My sister in law is with HSBC, and by means beyond rational description is actually prevented from leaving them.

She had a personal loan from them from a failed relationship so no assets to show for £10k of debt. Plus the "payment protection" whacked another £4k on top!!!

She had 2 jobs and lost the main one, (on which the loan was based). However the payment protection refused to pay out for her redundancy on the basis she still had a second job behind a bar that paid 10 hours per week (WTF!?!?).

So unable to make the £300 per month payments on her £180 per month income they kept slapping penalty charges of £30 every time the payment bounced (plus interest on the £30 of course).

We wrote the bank to explain the situation and ask to try and make alternative arrangements.... The letter was ignored.

We went into the branch, who told us that loans have to be dealt with the central dept over the phone.

The central loans dept on the phone told us we had to go into the branch to sort it out.

Eventually we went in and sat in the branch and refused to leave until something was sorted.

They agreed to remove the payment protection part of the debt and put her on a managed loan. Basically raise the interest rate and length of the loan to reduce the payments to £135 per month.

All agreed in writing, then they tried to take the loan payment 3 times in one month!!! Of course putting her overdrawn again and again!!!

I reckon she's had about £500 in bank charges in the last 6 months.

We've tried to get her a bank account elsewhere but it keeps being refused due to the state of her credit rating.

HSBC also refuse to give her a cash card meaning that if she wants cash from her wages she has to go into the branch and write a cheque out to cash!!!

Now that she's doing a college course to improve her long term prospects she cannot attend the branch during working hours. Basically meaning she cannot get her own money out of the bank ever and cannot leave the bank either.

When we point out that the bank has made a mistake they deny it, make the minimum reversal of any charges or ignore us.

They are without a doubt the most useless financial institution it's been my missfortune to deal with. Forunately I don't bank with them, nor will I ever let my family!
(golddust QOTW now revolves around being a cunt, Fri 24 Nov 2006, 15:32, Reply)