News - Bank rapped over mortgage letter
The Halifax bank has been criticised by the advertising watchdog over a “misleading” mailing to customers.
The mailshot, sent to 120,000 mortgage holders with subsidiary Intelligent Finance, asked customers to reveal details of their contents insurance.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a complaint that Halifax had “no good reason” to request details of customers’ contents insurance.
Halifax agreed to destroy information obtained through the mailing.
Compliant
The mailing included a request for customers to outline details of their contents and building insurance, including any renewal date.
The member of the public who complained about the mailing said the bank was trying to obtain information for marketing in the future.
In response, the Halifax said that as the lender it was entitled to request insurance details.
In its adjudication, the ASA said the bank was wrong to ask for details of their mortgage holders contents policy.
According to the ASA the bank’s letter “misleadingly implied that the advertisers (the Halifax) needed information about the recipients’ contents insurance for their records”.
Originaly from Source