General FAQs
Below we have brought together answers to some of your most commonly asked questions within our Savings and Mortgage areas. If you still can't find what you are looking for or if you have any questions or problems that you would like to discuss with us, please contact the relevant team on one of the following:
Mortgages: 01582 463133 or email: customeroperations@harpendenbs.co.uk
Savings: 01582 765411 or email: memberservices@harpendenbs.co.uk
For FAQs relating to Harpenden Online and online transactions, please visit our Harpenden Online Page.
Savings FAQs
It is possible to make an Electronic Payment Request (also called a Faster Payment) from your Harpenden Building Society Account (subject to the terms applicable to that account) to a nominated UK Bank/Building Society account in your name once we have verified your account details.
• If you request a faster payment via our online banking service - payments are only made to the nominated bank account which was selected when you registered for the service.
• If you request a faster payment in branch – please provide a copy of a current bank account statement or cheque/paying in book which shows the account number, sort code and name of the account so we can verify these details.
• If you request a faster payment by post - when requesting the payment, please provide a copy of a current bank account statement which shows the account number, sort code and name of the account so we can verify these details.
Once we have verified the account details you wish to use, you will not need to provide this evidence again.
Members can withdraw up to £500 in cash per account daily. However, you will not be able to withdraw cash from an online only savings account.
You may be required to provide a valid form of ID along with your passbook, even if you are familiar with our staff in branch. We would like to remind our members to be extra vigilant carrying large sums of cash around. Therefore, we recommend that you take a cheque or send a faster payment to your nominated bank account, where possible.
To find out more about Harpenden Online and how to use it, please visit our dedicated Harpenden Online page.
- Log into your account through: Harpenden Building Society (harpendenbs.co.uk)
- Your home page will now be displayed, showing your accounts held with us
- Click on ‘transfer’ on the account you wish to request a transfer from
- An account summary will now display for the selected account
- Select the appropriate destination, as per the terms of your account
- Click on ‘next’
- Enter your preferred reference, required amount and date. The date will default to todays’ date
- Click on next
- The authentication code box will appear, a code will be sent to either your mobile or landline, input the code and click on ‘confirm
- A summary of your request will appear, and you will be able to make another transfer if you wish or click on ‘No thanks’ to close the box
- All pending transfer requests can be viewed from by clicking on ‘transfer’ or ‘details’ next to the appropriate account and then selecting ‘transfers’ from the left strip menu
- Log into your account through: Harpenden Building Society (harpendenbs.co.uk)
- Your home page will now be displayed, showing your accounts held with us
- Click on ‘details’ on the account you wish to apply notice to
- An account summary will now display for the selected account
- Then from the strip menu on the left of your screen, select ‘account closure’
- Select the appropriate destination, as per the terms of your account
- Click on ‘next’
- The amount will default to the balance held in the account for closure, we will add the interest at the point of closure, if the account is a notice account, the date will default to the appropriate date
- Click on next
- The authentication code box will appear, a code will be sent to either your mobile or landline, input the code and click on ‘confirm'
- A summary of your request will appear, you will be able to make another transfer if you wish or click on ‘No thanks’ to close the box
- Log into your account through: Harpenden Building Society (harpendenbs.co.uk)
- Your home page will now be displayed, showing your accounts held with us
- Click on ‘details’ on the account you wish to close,
- An account summary will now display for the selected account
- Then from the strip menu on the left of your screen, select ‘account closure’
- Select the appropriate destination, as per the terms of your account
- Click on ‘next’
- The amount will default to the balance held in the account for closure, we will add the interest at the point of closure, the date will default to today’s date, amend this as required
- Click on next
- The authentication code box will appear, a code will be sent to either your mobile or landline, input the code and click on ‘confirm'
- A summary of your request will appear, you will be able to make another transfer if you wish or click on ‘No thanks’ to close the box
- Log into your account through: Harpenden Building Society (harpendenbs.co.uk)
- Your home page will now be displayed, showing your accounts held with us
- Click on ‘details’ on the account you wish to cancel your applied notice for
- An account summary will now display for the selected account
- Then from the strip menu on the left of your screen, select ‘Transfers’
- All transfer requests will be displayed here
- A confirmation pop-up box will appear, if you wish to proceed with cancelling the request, click on ‘confirm’
- Your request will be removed
In the event that your local branch is closed for any reason, you will need to visit one of the other branches or contact our Member Services Team to discuss your options.
Yes, if you wish to set up a Standing Order from your bank account into your account with us you will need to use the following details.
Please remember to always quote your 10-digit roll number as the reference. This is used to ensure your funds are credited to the correct account.
- Bank: HSBC
- Account Type: Personal or Business as relevant
- Account Name: ‘The name on your account’
- Sort Code: 40-05-30
- Account number: 34577388
- Roll number: This is your 10-digit account number, which can be viewed in to Harpenden Online or your passbook.
Please allow up to 24 hours for your funds to show as available in your account via Harpenden Online.
Please check the account terms and conditions as it is not possible to make additional payments into some types of account.
We appreciate that your account with us is a savings account and there may not be regular transactions. However, in order to help us protect your account from fraud or identity theft, we may ask you, after a period of inactivity, to provide us with some form of identification so that we can be sure we are dealing only with you. It is all for your security and best interest.
Yes - and it's a completely free service. We will supply you with second-class postage paid envelopes, should you wish to use this service. Alternatively, you can just mail your passbook and cheque(s) to us. We strongly advise you not to send cash by post as we cannot accept liability for any loss. A postal service form is available as a PDF download. Postal Service Form
Yes your money is secure with us. Eligible deposits are also covered by the FSCS scheme.
Visit the FSCS website for more information.
Yes, subject to the conditions and restrictions on your account, you will be able to view your balances, view your transaction history and request to transfer money between your Harpenden Building Society accounts. For further details about Harpenden Online, please click this link. Harpenden Online
If you would like understand how the Society will use your information please view our privacy policy.
Unfortunately we are not able to open accounts for non-U.K. residents.
If you are moving abroad then unfortunately we will not be able to maintain your account. We will discuss with you how to close your account, in relation to its terms and conditions, and how we will return the balance to you.
We will require your confirmation in writing, together with either the original or certified copy of the documentation detailing your change of name. Alternatively, a Change of Customer Details Form is available as a PDF download. Change of Customer Details Form
If your passbook has been lost or stolen, please let us know immediately. You can call our Member Services team on 01582 765411 or visit any one of our branches. A replacement passbook will be issued seven days after your notification of loss.
A lost passbook form is available as a PDF download. Lost and Stolen Passbook Form
You can either write to us with details of your new address/contact details or complete our Change of Customer Details Form and return it to us. Change of Customer Details Form
If you are unable to maintain the minimum balance then we will provide you with details of alternative accounts and transfer your remaining funds if required.
We reserve the right not to accept, or pay a cheque, that is older than 6 months (from the date written on the front of the cheque, unless stated otherwise by the issuing bank/building society). If you have a cheque that is dated 6 months or older, it may not clear. In this instance you should contact the issuer of that cheque and ask for a replacement.
If a cheque we’ve issued on your behalf has been lost, not received by the payee, or has not been presented within six months, you should contact us in order to provide the details to stop the cheque. If you do not stop the cheque it may still be paid.
We understand that dealing with a bereavement can be a difficult time, and we would like to make this process for you as easy as possible. This guide below gives you information about how to notify us that someone has passed away, what will happen to their account and how to release money to help with probate fees, funeral costs and inheritance tax.
Registering the death with us
A) Before you have the death certificate
If you don’t have the death certificate yet and want to safeguard the account and stop any correspondence being sent out and addressed to the person who has passed away, you can inform us in any of the ways detailed below:
- You can visit us in any of our branches
- Or call our Member Services team on 01582 765411
- Or complete our ‘Notice of Bereavement’ form and send it to us at Member Services Team, Harpenden Building Society, FREEPOST SB165, Mardall House, 9-11 Vaughan Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 4HU
Here’s what we will need from you:
- Full name, date of birth, date of death and the Harpenden Building Society account details of the person who has passed away. This will enable us to identify their account;
- Full name, address and one piece of identification of the Personal Representative. This is the person we will be corresponding with. If we are to contact a Solicitors at any time, then their contact details will be sufficient;
- The passbook(s), or a completed ‘Lost Passbook’ form to be completed for each account. Please note the £1.00 administration fee will be waived.
What happens once your notification has been received?
We will update our records. If we have not received the death certificate within 30 days of receiving your notice, we will write to the Personal Representative or Solicitors as requested.
B) If you have the death certificate
We will require a certified copy, or original death certificate, once you have obtained it. This can be sent to us by either;
- You can visit us in any of our branches
- Send it to us at; Member Services, Harpenden Building Society FREEPOST SB165, Mardall House, 9-11 Vaughan Road, Harpenden, AL5 4HU
Here’s what we will need from you:
- Full name, date of birth, date of death and the Harpenden Building Society account details of the person who has passed away. This will enable us to identify their account;
- Full name, address and one piece of identification of the Personal Representative. This is the person we will be corresponding with. If we are to contact a Solicitors, then their contact details will be sufficient;
- The passbook(s), or a completed ‘Lost Passbook’ form to be completed for each account. Please note the £1.00 administration fee will be waived.
We will write to the Personal Representative or Solicitor, as requested within 7-10 days with details of how to close the account(s).
Releasing funds to pay for Probate fees/a funeral inheritance tax.
Once we have received notification of the passing of one of our members, and we are in receipt of the death certificate, you can request funds to help pay for probate fees, a funeral and/or inheritance tax.
In all cases we will require the original invoice (IHT423 form in the case of inheritance tax) and a completed ‘Request for Probate, Funeral Fees, Inheritance Tax’ form to be completed by the Personal Representative.
Where to send these details to:
- You can visit us in any of our branches
- Send it to us at; Member Services Team, Harpenden Building Society, FREEPOST SB165, Mardall House, 9-11 Vaughan Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 4HU
Closing the account(s)
To close the account(s) we will require the relevant sections of the 'Request to close account form' to be completed and returned to us.
You can send the completed form to us either by:
- You can visit us in any of our branches
- Send it to us at this address; Member Services Team, Harpenden Building Society, FREEPOST SB165, Mardall House, 9-11 Vaughan Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 4HU
Should you wish to open or operate an account on behalf of another person, due to holding a Power of Attorney or Court of Protection Order, you will need to obtain a copy of our form ‘Operating an Account for Someone Else’. This is also available in branch.
This document should be returned with your completed application form by post to any of our branches/Head Office, or by visiting one of our branches.
You can also view our Operating an Account for Someone Else Information Sheet.
If you’re a basic or higher-rate taxpayer you’re entitled to a Personal Savings Allowance. For most people, this means you can earn more savings interest without paying tax. This means for basic rate taxpayers, a higher limit* of income from savings (e.g. any interest earned) will be tax-free, whereas for any higher rate taxpayers, a reduced limit* of savings income will be tax-free.
There is no action for most customers to take. Those with savings income below their Personal Savings Allowance will have no tax to pay. Where possible, those with savings interest above their personal savings allowance will have any tax they have to pay collected automatically by HMRC, through a change to their tax code- based on information provided by banks and building societies. Those who currently complete a Self Assessment tax return should continue to do so. For further information about these changes, go to GOV.UK and search for Personal Savings Allowance.
For individual Personal Savings Allowance FAQs, please click on the Personal Savings Allowance tab at the top of this page.
*Please see GOV.UK and search for Personal Savings Allowance for more information and for latest allowance figures. Full details have been added to the HMRC website after April when the new rules came into effect.
Yes, this can either be done in one of our branches, by ringing our Member Services Team or through Harpenden Online. If you wish to transfer money outside the Society then, for your protection, this must be transferred to your own nominated bank account.
The Society is constantly reviewing its product range and monitors its rates for both borrowers and savers to ensure that they are competitive whilst balancing members’ interests. Changes will not occur if you currently have a fixed rate savings product.
Personal Savings Allowance FAQs
If you’re a basic or higher-rate taxpayer you’re entitled to a Personal Savings Allowance. For most people, this means you can earn more savings interest without paying tax. This means for basic rate taxpayers, a higher limit* of income from savings (e.g. any interest earned) will be tax-free, whereas for any higher rate taxpayers, a reduced limit* of savings income will be tax-free.
There is no action for most customers to take. Those with savings income below their Personal Savings Allowance will have no tax to pay. Where possible, those with savings interest above their personal savings allowance will have any tax they have to pay collected automatically by HMRC, through a change to their tax code- based on information provided by banks and building societies. Those who currently complete a Self Assessment tax return should continue to do so. For further information about these changes, go to GOV.UK and search for Personal Savings Allowance.
Savings income includes:
• Interest from banks, building societies and other account providers (such as credit unions and NS&I)
• Interest distributions (but not dividend distribution) from authorised unit trusts, open-ended investment companies and investment trusts
• Income from government or company bonds
• Some types of purchased life annuity payments and gains from certain contracts for life insurance
*Please see GOV.UK and search for Personal Savings Allowance for more information and for latest allowance figures. Full details have been added to the HMRC website after April when the new rules came into effect.
No, incomes from ISAs does not count towards your Personal Savings Allowance.
No, taxpayers do not need to give any information about their tax circumstances or other savings income to their account provider.
Banks and building societies will still be required to take tax from any compensation interest paid. Customers may be able to claim the tax back by filling in form R40 (or form R43 if living overseas) and sending it to HMRC. These forms are available online at GOV.UK
Banks and building societies will pay account interest with no tax taken off. However, you may still receive other types of savings income with tax taken off.
You may be able to claim this tax back by filling in form R40 (or form R43 if living overseas) and sending it to HMRC. These forms are available online at GOV.UK
You will both receive the applicable Personal Savings Allowance* which you will use against your share of the interest.
*Please see GOV.UK and search for Personal Savings Allowance for more information and for latest allowance figures.
If you are a higher rate taxpayer, a reduced limit* of savings income will be tax-free. To find out more about how this impacts you, visit GOV.UK and search for Personal Savings Allowance.
*Please see GOV.UK and search for Personal Savings Allowance for more information and for latest allowance figures.
No, you will not receive a Personal Savings Allowance.
If your total taxable income - for example, from wages, profits, pensions and savings - is less than the current threshold*, you won’t pay any tax on your savings income.
*Please see GOV.UK and search for Personal Savings Allowance for more information and for latest allowance figures.
You do not need to do anything because all account interest will be paid without tax taken off.
Only individuals get a Personal Savings Allowance.
If they are a business, charity, club or association, they will already receive interest without tax taken off.
If they are a trustee or are administering an estate, banks and building societies will no longer deduct tax form the interest they pay, so any tax due will have to be paid through the trust/estate tax return, where appropriate.
Existing Mortgage FAQs
If you find that you are experiencing difficulties in paying the amounts due under your Mortgage, you must contact us as soon as possible. The sooner that we know about your difficulties, the more options we can offer you. If a law or regulation requires us to send you information or guidance about dealing with financial difficulties and/or arrears, we will provide you with that once we know that you are, or might in the future be, in difficulties.
Please visit our Financial Difficulties page for more.
For further information on mortgage arrears or problems paying your mortgage, please click here.
Mortgages are repaid on a monthly basis, with 12 payments annually. The number and amount of repayments will depend on the mortgage amount and term required.
All payments under the Mortgage must be made by direct debit, or in any other way that we may agree or reasonably require.
For payments by direct debit, you are responsible for making sure that there is enough money in your bank account to cover the payments when they are due to be collected. Payments by any other method are at your risk, and you are responsible for making sure that they reach us on time.
Payments received under the Mortgage will be used in the following order:
(a) first, towards any arrears of payments due;
(b) second, towards any other interest due and payable;
(c) third, towards any outstanding Fees and Costs, insurance premiums and Early Repayment Charges;
(d) fourth, towards repaying outstanding Advances (proportionately). We may vary the order in (b) to (d) above if we so decide (acting reasonably).
During the period of a repayment mortgage we can, on written request, following advice from your independent financial advisor, amend the mortgage term to suit your changing financial circumstances. You can also switch from a repayment mortgage to an interest-only mortgage, or vice versa, during the agreed term, subject to circumstances. The consequences of such actions should be discussed with your independent financial adviser. See our Tariff of Charges for any charges involved.
Not all HBS products are subject to Early Repayment Charges, however those that are will also be subject to a maximum allowance in capital repayments per 12 month period. Any capital repayments over this allowance will be subject to an Early Repayment Charge until the end of the initial discount period. No Early Repayment Charges will be payable on redemption or for capital repayments once the initial discount period has come to an end.
Repayment Mortgage
A repayment mortgage is where you make monthly repayments over an agreed number of years to cover both the capital you have borrowed and the interest charged.
At the beginning of the term, most of your payment is used to cover the interest and only a small amount is paid towards reducing the mortgage. Over the course of the repayments, more and more of the monthly payment is comprised of paying back the capital borrowed.
As the debt gradually reduces over time, the figure of capital paid increases and the interest amount paid reduces, so although the monthly repayment stays the same (assuming interest rate remains unaltered) the debt starts to reduce more quickly as the term of the mortgage progresses.
At the end of the term, provided you have made your payments on time, you will have paid off your mortgage.
The Society usually offers this type of loan on a Standard Variable or Discounted Rate basis.
Interest only Mortgages
An interest only mortgage allows you to make monthly payments that just cover the interest on the money you have borrowed. These payments do not pay off any capital of the sum originally borrowed.
This means that you’ll need to repay the full mortgage amount in one lump sum at the end of the mortgage or when you sell the property. You will have to agree with us at the outset how this will be achieved.
We can only provide this facility where we are satisfied that you will be able repay the mortgage at or before the end of the term.
The Society usually offers this type of loan on either a Standard Variable, Discounted Rate basis and Fixed Rate basis.
Part Capital and Part Interest Mortgages
Also known as a Part & Part Mortgages, this type of Mortgage is a combination of 2 different repayment types.
(1) Repayment (where you re-pay both the capital and interest elements of your mortgage in full).
(2) Interest only (where you only re-pay the interest element of your mortgage and the capital balance remains outstanding at the end of your mortgage term).
With a combination of the two, you repay the full interest element and a percentage of the capital balance. The remaining capital balance will be outstanding at the end of the agreed term. For this outstanding balance, as with Interest only, you will need to ensure you have a satisfactory repayment strategy in place.
For example:
As an example, a part and part mortgage of £200,000 may have £150,000 on repayment and £50,000 interest-only. You’d then repay the £150,000 over the term of your mortgage. The remaining interest of £50,000 would be paid at the end of the agreed term.
The higher the percentage set on Interest only, the higher the balance outstanding will be at the end of the mortgage term.
The Society usually offers this type of loan on either a Standard Variable or Discounted Rate basis.
Your first full monthly repayment Direct Debit payment will be collected on the 23rd of the month following completion of your mortgage.
Your first mortgage payment will be higher than your regular payments as it includes initial interest. Initial interest is made up of the interest from the start of your mortgage to the end of that month which is added to your first monthly repayment.
Please note that the due date of your first mortgage payment cannot be changed.
Following the first payment, you can choose to have your payment collected on the 5th, 23rd or the 27th of the month.
If changing your date, please ensure you still make a payment when due, while the change is being implemented. To change your payment date, please contact us to make arrangements.
We will require at least 5 working days to amend your direct debit payment date.
This can be considered, subject to criteria and your ability to make the monthly repayments required following the change.
If you are having difficulty making your mortgage repayments, please contact us as soon as possible and a member of our highly trained staff will discuss this with you.
Yes. You can repay up to an additional 10% of your outstanding mortgage balance each year, starting from the date of original mortgage completion, or the start date of your latest interest rate deal using the balance outstanding, without incurring an early repayment charge.
If you do make an overpayment, then the amount you owe and the interest you are charged will reduce from the date the overpayment is credited to your account.
Early Repayment Charges are applied if overpayments of more than 10% of the balance outstanding, or full mortgage repayment, Early Repayment Charges are applied.
You can send us your new bank details using a Direct Debit Mandate form. You can find this form here Direct Debit Mandate Form.
You can send this to us via email to: customeroperations@harpendenbs.co.uk or via post to: Harpenden Building Society, FREEPOST SB165, Mardall House, 9-11 Vaughan Road, Hertfordshire, AL5 4HU
If the interest rate on your mortgage is about to change, we will write to you at least 7 days before the change to confirm your new interest rate and monthly repayment.
We will send your annual mortgage statement to you at the beginning of each year. The statement will cover the period from 1 January to 31 December of the previous year. It will show you the balance of the mortgage, payments and interest charges and any fees accrued over the year.
You will receive a statement for each mortgage account that you have with us.
If you would like to order a statement at any other time of the year, you can request a copy by letter, telephone call or email. Your most recent mortgage statement will be sent out to you, free of charge, on annual basis; any additional copies of this or previous statements can be requested. The cost for additional statements can be found on our Tariff of Fees.
You may need a certificate of mortgage interest for tax purposes. It gives details of the interest charged to your mortgage account during the previous tax year.
Please contact us and we will arrange for a certificate of interest to be sent to you.
Please note that we cannot produce a certificate of mortgage interest for tax paid until the relevant tax year has ended.
If you want to redeem your mortgage, you will need to request a redemption statement to know exactly how much you need to pay, as interest is calculated daily on your mortgage account. The redemption statement will also include any fees or charges due. If you require a redemption statement, please contact us.
If you have a residential mortgage and you want to let your property, you’ll need to apply for a consent to let. Please contact us to discuss.
If you sell part of your land or any outbuildings on land that you own, that portion of the property that forms part of our security on the mortgage is released. This is known as a release of part security and is often handled on your behalf by a solicitor. This process may involve having the property valued again.
Get in touch if you’d like to discuss a release of part security.
You can add or remove someone from your mortgage with our approval, and subject to our mortgage lending criteria and affordability. This is known as a transfer of equity.
Please contact us to discuss if you’re thinking of adding or removing someone from your mortgage.
Yes, under certain circumstances. The mortgage term is the number of years you agreed to pay off the loan you borrowed when you first took out your mortgage with us. As your circumstances change, you may want to change the term of your mortgage, making it either longer or shorter.
Doing this will have an effect on your mortgage monthly payments, and any term adjustment agreement will be subject to our lending criteria and affordability.
Please get in touch if you'd like to discuss changes to your mortgage term.
Please complete our Change of Details Form.
You can send this to us via email to: customeroperations@harpendenbs.co.uk or via post to: Harpenden Building Society, FREEPOST SB165, Mardall House, 9-11 Vaughan Road, Hertfordshire, AL5 4HU
Terms and conditions may have to be changed from time-to-time. We will write to you regarding any changes and give you at least one months’ notice before they take effect. If there have been significant changes in any one year, we will send you a copy of the new terms and conditions, or a summary of the changes.
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