I had the worst customer service experience at this HSBC branch trying to upgrade my account. The attitude of the man who served me was condescending and I felt like I was being treated as an unimportant customer, despite having banked with HSBC for years.
To ungrade my account I needed a proof of address and I explained the situation, which is that I live in a modern cohousing facility where all bills are included and hence I cannot provide these. I asked whether a tenancy agreement is acceptable, as I was not aware what constitutes a 'reputable lending agency', as per their wording in the list of acceptable documents.The response I got upon the HSBC agent researching my accommodation was 'this is just a building'. I believe that I did not ask for an opinion of my lifestyle choices at that time.
I was also told to get a provisional driving licence for proof of address purposes and this is not even on the list of acceptable documents. The hassle of obtaining this when I was already in a hurry would have been vain. I went to nearby Barcleys where I was properly heard and the best option presented in my situation was to obtain a letter from HMRC. I appreciate their willingness to listen and support, instead of making me feel like I'd done something wrong. Very unprofessional HSBC! I will be moving on unfortunately.