Halifax Save4 it Children's Saving Account

My son and I walked into the Halifax in Loughborough to open an account for him and the woman at the 'help desk' walked off. So I ask her if she is coming back she says "I'm busy I'll get someone to see you". 5 minutes later a cocky young guy comes out and asks, "do you need help?". I explained I wanted to open an account for my son, after a sharp intake of breath he announces I have to make an appointment. Ok, fine not a problem. So he goes to get the diary. He is gone for almost 15 minutes...by which time my autistic, hyperactive son is getting irritated and I'm just plain annoyed. He comes back eventually to tell me he can't 'fit me in' until mid week next week, so I say no problem. He tells me I have to be there by 4pm, I explain my son isn't home until then so 4.20pm is the earliest we can do, to which he replies "I don't know what we can do then" (blank face). My Reply? "here's an idea... how about I go to a bank with some customer service and some semblance of a clue what exactly they're supposed to be doing?"... continued blank face... exit.

Train your staff Halifax. Lloyds Tsb were super helpful.

I have 3 Grandchildren, all girls aged 13, 12, and 9 years. I have been

saving small but regular amounts monthly since their birth. The only

revision of interest on theses accounts has been downward. Other new

products, with marginally better rates, have appeared. If we look at the childres I.S.A. in particular, I was unable to transfer their current savings balance into that account, although it would not have exceeded

the permitted I.S.A. in that year.

This company does not understand the word loyalty.

Was really happy with the account. I opened it for myself but used my mum's name as a guartore recieved just over £60 for having £1000 in total.

Liked that you could change the amouunt how much you wanted anytime bu just changing the amount on your direct debit.

Overall 9/10

Low interest compared to other banks, and bank books are needed to withdraw and deposit money. Customer service is generally quite good, depending on where you are, and you can literally walk into the bank and ask to open an account.

The value for money is where it really counts, though, and it really isnt up to scratch, so I wouldn't recommend it to friends.

Very good value :)

Have been unable to set up accounts for my two children due to unhelpful staff in two seperate branches and over the phone twice. i'm currently on my second customer complaint on service quality.

Halifax Save4 it Childrens accounts have not been set up correctly 3 times. No help, staff do not care. I would never ever use these people for anything ever again, as i would hate to think what they were like if i was trying to do anything other than give them money.

We all make mistakes, but not as many as the Halifax "Experts".

Opened this Halifax Save4 it Children's Saving account for my 2 grandchildren after reading on the internet it offered 6%. Well no it doesn't really. You have a passbook for the Save4it account and have to pay into the childs regular saver account a minimum of £10 per month by direct debit for 12 months to get the 6% interest. Not bad I thought, until I went into the branch. The passbook only gets 1% so if you want to pay in more money than the agree direct debit amount you gain virtually nothing. The 2 accounts ae connected because at the end of the 12 month term what is collected in that pot is swept into the passbook. It only earns 6% on the direct debit amount of money. A complete farce. Told me to keep changing my direct debit if I wanted to pay in more, but thought they would then say I'd not stuck to the contract terms and wouldn't even get the 6%. How on earth can I keep changing the direct debit amount? Furthmore it took forever to set it up in the branch even though I'd done all the detailing on the internet. Wish I'd not bothered. With the rate they will pay on the passbook I could earn as much in a current account.

Reading the appalling reviews from as far back as 2007, I'm afraid to say that nothing has changed. Trying to open a Halifax Save4 it Children's account for our daughter was a shambles: we have filled in so many forms so many times, wrongly addressed letters, lost documentation, counter staff who have no idea how to open an account, call centres who one day say everything is fine then the next confirm that there is a problem. It's not just the boys at the top who have no clue! I was seduced by the decent interest rate ... don't be. The star rating here insists on a minimum of one star ... I wanted to give 0.

Average, average, no complaints but no big shakes either. Went in to the Halifax bank, was seen within 5 mins although was reminded 3 times i should have made an appointment, i was supposed to feel guilty i think but didnt!!! After all i was giving them money and encouraging my daughter to save.

I was given no infomation about the intrest and the account, so was interested to read the above reviews re amount you can save. As it is only a pocket money and just a starter account i will cross that bridge when i come to it.