Warning to those who bank with HSBC UK re access to statements of tranmsactions

[SantiSuk]

If you have a non-insignificant banking relationship with HSBC UK and you need to assemble a statement of transactions then you might like to be aware of my experience today. Others can move on!

 

I am in the final throws of taking my Thai family to the UK, which I do at least once every 2 years. I have to show financial statements (or to be precise it is on the list of recommended documents) which would naturally include 6 months of transactions on my largest UK bank accounts - to demonstrate I have the resources to finance the trip whilst in the UK and specifically in the context of sponsoring our de facto adopted Thai daughter coming with us. You are unlikely to have such a similar specific need but I think everyone likes to think that they are able to see their transactions going back more than a couple of months when they log in online.

 

I have had no problems with HSBC on downloading their 6 monthly statements in the past and had no problem with that today. That took me though to 25 Oct 17. I have always been able to access and print off transactions since the latest online 6 monthly statement up to the current date.

 

Not today!

 

I viewed "most recent transactions" and ticked on the "see more" button. That took me back to 1 Jan 18, but I could find no way of viewing or printing Nov/Dec 17 transactions. HSBC Premier call centre just agreed that this is very odd, so it may be a one off. I will follow through the complaint I Iodged and if they don't get the ad hoc statement into my online documents within the next 24 hours and I have to cancel an appointment at Trendy Building and pay $110 to get a prime time appointment soon after, my follow up will include getting reimbursement.

 

[Believe it or not, in my experience UK banks are good at coughing up when they have made a genuine mess-up. While handling estates of 2 dear departed relatives I discovered that banks are appalling at handling non-ordinary transactions, but I secured over 500 quid of compensation monies for my estates over a three year period]