Halifax is ditching paper statements for online banking customers due to “problems” with sending physical copies
- Customers who have online banking will no longer receive paper statements
- The bank said it was having “problems” sending paper statements
Halifax customers who have online banking and receive paper statements will no longer receive them this way starting November 1, 2023.
A number of customers who use online banking have sent This is Money an email they received from the bank informing them of the change.
Halifax told customers that “starting November 1, 2023, we are changing the way we send statements for some credit cards, checking and savings accounts.”
“We are having some issues and may not be able to mail as many as we normally do.”
Halifax customers reported that the bank will no longer issue paper statements from November 1st due to “issues” the bank is experiencing
When asked about the “issues”, the banking giant said it had taken a pre-emptive step and only sent online statements to customers who already bank online to protect them from supply chain issues or postal delays.
One customer told This is Money: “I do a lot of things online, but for some things I still prefer a paper statement.” “My credit card is one of those things.”
Money is clear that nothing will change for customers who do not use online banking – those who do not bank online and only receive paper statements will continue to do so.
Halifax said customers who use online banking will now only receive their statements digitally.
In an email to a customer, the bank said: “Since you use online banking, we will only send you your account statements digitally.”
“This means you will only be able to see them in online banking or our mobile banking app and we will send you an email to let you know when they are ready.”
“We are sending you a letter containing a list of your affected accounts, so please pay attention.”
If a customer using online banking needs to receive a paper statement, they can still do so, says Halifax.
It states that any customer can contact us to discuss their statements, as the option of paper statements will not be eliminated.
Halifax said it would let customers know as soon as possible when it would be able to offer paper statements to customers again.
One customer told This is Money it felt like an attempt to “force customers to go online.”
Customers who require paper statements but do not have access to a working printer will need to go to a Halifax branch to request a paper statement.
However, this may prove difficult for some as Lloyds Bank, which owns Halifax, has announced plans to close 18 Halifax branches between January and September next year, bringing the total number of Halifax branches across the UK to around 500.
If you can’t go to the branch, you may have to resort to printing out your account statement at a library or a specialist printing company for a fee.
A Halifax spokesperson said: “We have written to online banking customers to let them know that in future statements will only be sent to their secure digital inbox. Nothing will change for customers who do not prefer online banking.”