Bloody accounts departments

Back in June a certain publishing company sent out a blanket email to its contributors with a self-employed questionnaire attached. The email read, "Dear new contributor..."

Having filled one of these in a few years ago I thought nothing of it, until payments were stopped. Naturally it took me a few weeks to realise this, so by the time I realised something was up I hadn't been paid for over a month. I spoke to Joe who pointed me towards the aforementioned questionnaire - he'd had the foresight to contact Future about this to be told it was for all contributors. Shame they didn't state this on the original email, or even send a follow-up email. Anyway, not filling this in put people's payments on hold - again, no follow-up warning or notification.

The need to fill this in - complete with bank details - prompted me to switch to a new bank account, as I've been unhappy with the Halifax for some time, specifically over its decision to switch all high-interest accounts to current accounts unless you phoned or visited them, and now its decision to make it impossible to make a payment or a transfer on the same day. So I dutifully filled in the questionnaire, complete with new bank details (which I had to wait for) and fired it off.

After firing off various follow-up emails I finally got a response two payment cycles later to be told they still hadn't processed it. I got a little uppity and it was miraculously fixed - except now I've discovered it wasn't fixed at all. Sure, the payments have started again (and it was a massive payment that arrived this morning), but they're still going to the wrong account.

I'm furious because I want to close this old account, but I can't do so until people get their act together. Another reason for switching bank account was to make it quicker to transfer money between accounts as other accounts are held with my new provider, but thanks to this accounts department I shall have to pay interest on my credit card and wait a few more weeks to find out if they've finally processed the damned questionnaire they sent out in the first place!