@Curious_George2 wrote:
- Despite the advice one sometimes sees, to shoot the moon with BofA and expect a counter, perhaps some excessive requests get manual review and the human being on the other end decides: "Nah, you're good."
I don't think the amount you request with BoA matters from an approval/denial standpoint. If they're going to approve anything at all, they'll counter with what they're willing to give. If they deny, they deny, whether you asked for $100 or $100,000. If it goes to manual review, that too is not likely to be related to the amount requested.
The amount you request is just a cap. Their computer (or underwriter under manual review) will determine if it wants to give you a CLI at all, and how much it's willing to give, and it will give you up to that amount, and if your request is for less, it will give you what you requested.
In some cases, they'll also rob Peter to pay Paul, or take credit from another account if you have more than one, to fulfill your request. This often happens if you're at their max exposure already.
@4sallypat wrote:Don't feel bad, I was denied CLI on my USB Flexperks after 5 years trying every year.
Then I apped for the Business triple cash and denied with a stellar credit (just closed escrow).
Called the recon line and they said wait for the letters.
What a bunch of un-empowered reps!
I told them I am tired of paying 5 years of AF on my personal to get nothing and cancelled my account.
Great feeling to cut up that card!
BofA I cut up a long time ago - will never do business with them ever.
Good for you. I wish more of us would insist on not just so so customer service but great customer service. Maybe then the big banks would have to adjust. But it is ok, plenty of great places to take your business.
@Crowhelm wrote:
@4sallypat wrote:Don't feel bad, I was denied CLI on my USB Flexperks after 5 years trying every year.
Then I apped for the Business triple cash and denied with a stellar credit (just closed escrow).
Called the recon line and they said wait for the letters.
What a bunch of un-empowered reps!
I told them I am tired of paying 5 years of AF on my personal to get nothing and cancelled my account.
Great feeling to cut up that card!
BofA I cut up a long time ago - will never do business with them ever.
Good for you. I wish more of us would insist on not just so so customer service but great customer service. Maybe then the big banks would have to adjust. But it is ok, plenty of great places to take your business.
BofA *is* a great bank and they have great customer service. At least that's how it's been for me for 30 years! Whether in person speaking to a banker, or on the phone speaking to a CSR, they're always polite, respectful, and treat me like I'm something special. I get offers--I mean enticing offers--from other banks all the time, but won't even consider moving my banking to any other bank.
I realize we all have different circumstances, different finances, and different experiences, but I haven't seen anything personally that would lower my opinion of BofA at all.
@SoCalGardener wrote:
@Crowhelm wrote:
@4sallypat wrote:Don't feel bad, I was denied CLI on my USB Flexperks after 5 years trying every year.
Then I apped for the Business triple cash and denied with a stellar credit (just closed escrow).
Called the recon line and they said wait for the letters.
What a bunch of un-empowered reps!
I told them I am tired of paying 5 years of AF on my personal to get nothing and cancelled my account.
Great feeling to cut up that card!
BofA I cut up a long time ago - will never do business with them ever.
Good for you. I wish more of us would insist on not just so so customer service but great customer service. Maybe then the big banks would have to adjust. But it is ok, plenty of great places to take your business.
BofA *is* a great bank and they have great customer service. At least that's how it's been for me for 30 years! Whether in person speaking to a banker, or on the phone speaking to a CSR, they're always polite, respectful, and treat me like I'm something special. I get offers--I mean enticing offers--from other banks all the time, but won't even consider moving my banking to any other bank.
I realize we all have different circumstances, different finances, and different experiences, but I haven't seen anything personally that would lower my opinion of BofA at all.
Hey, I believe you. I mean if they would treat all people like they treated my family they just couldn't be in business because why would anybody put up with that? I still don't see that as a valid excuse to treat many others like they don't matter. Or that we should feel lucky that they consider doing business with us. All of us can only speak or evaluate any business based on our experiences. And when I hear that somebody has issues with a company I had great experiences with I sometimes fall into that same trap of thinking, well there has to be an issue with that person/customer. But quite often they were really treated unfairly or badly. Why that is? Well, first of all, no business can bat a thousand I guess but also the bigger the company (in this case bank) gets the more likely is it that you run into employees that just don't care. Your branch or even the whole city might have great BOA employees truly concerned about the individual. Plus, after 10 years plus you have a certain status with any financial institution especially if you never had any money issues. True colors always emerge when things are not going too well and only CU's stood by us and if you like believed in us. However, my in-laws who are worth millions were also treated very badly by BOA. And it takes a lot to make my father-in-law change anything but BOA succeeded to make him that mad. With US Bank they have the CEO call them to make sure everything is ok, so you know they are wealthy. Not that I am endorsing US Bank, we had actually an even bigger issue with them way back when. But my in-laws like them, so it is whatever. However, so far I have never heard the same horror stories from the credit unions I did/do business with. Maybe, just lucky but as I said before we make our decisions based on our experiences, and the first time you require service can make or break a relationship.
@Crowhelm wrote:
@SoCalGardener wrote:
@Crowhelm wrote:
@4sallypat wrote:Don't feel bad, I was denied CLI on my USB Flexperks after 5 years trying every year.
Then I apped for the Business triple cash and denied with a stellar credit (just closed escrow).
Called the recon line and they said wait for the letters.
What a bunch of un-empowered reps!
I told them I am tired of paying 5 years of AF on my personal to get nothing and cancelled my account.
Great feeling to cut up that card!
BofA I cut up a long time ago - will never do business with them ever.
Good for you. I wish more of us would insist on not just so so customer service but great customer service. Maybe then the big banks would have to adjust. But it is ok, plenty of great places to take your business.
BofA *is* a great bank and they have great customer service. At least that's how it's been for me for 30 years! Whether in person speaking to a banker, or on the phone speaking to a CSR, they're always polite, respectful, and treat me like I'm something special. I get offers--I mean enticing offers--from other banks all the time, but won't even consider moving my banking to any other bank.
I realize we all have different circumstances, different finances, and different experiences, but I haven't seen anything personally that would lower my opinion of BofA at all.
Hey, I believe you. I mean if they would treat all people like they treated my family they just couldn't be in business because why would anybody put up with that? I still don't see that as a valid excuse to treat many others like they don't matter. Or that we should feel lucky that they consider doing business with us. All of us can only speak or evaluate any business based on our experiences. And when I hear that somebody has issues with a company I had great experiences with I sometimes fall into that same trap of thinking, well there has to be an issue with that person/customer. But quite often they were really treated unfairly or badly. Why that is? Well, first of all, no business can bat a thousand I guess but also the bigger the company (in this case bank) gets the more likely is it that you run into employees that just don't care. Your branch or even the whole city might have great BOA employees truly concerned about the individual. Plus, after 10 years plus you have a certain status with any financial institution especially if you never had any money issues. True colors always emerge when things are not going too well and only CU's stood by us and if you like believed in us. However, my in-laws who are worth millions were also treated very badly by BOA. And it takes a lot to make my father-in-law change anything but BOA succeeded to make him that mad. With US Bank they have the CEO call them to make sure everything is ok, so you know they are wealthy. Not that I am endorsing US Bank, we had actually an even bigger issue with them way back when. But my in-laws like them, so it is whatever. However, so far I have never heard the same horror stories from the credit unions I did/do business with. Maybe, just lucky but as I said before we make our decisions based on our experiences, and the first time you require service can make or break a relationship.
Yes, absolutely, I see the points you're making. I just want to add that BofA came through with flying colors when things went south for me.
When I was hospitalized for six months in 2016, BofA bent over backwards to accommodate my needs. They did things for me over the phone that are normally only done in person. They watched as I closed one CD after another and transferred its funds to my checking account--where it quickly evaporated. The CSRs at BofA were so nice and showed such empathy--they understood that I was *in* the hospital and could not visit a branch, but really needed this stuff done. I just couldn't ask for more. They didn't know then if or when my total amount on deposit with them would ever rebound, but they didn't care. They just treated me like gold and I really appreciated it. That whole experience made my positive feelings about BofA even stronger.
I can't imagine what BofA could've done to make your in-laws that upset, but I don't doubt it happened. As I said, we're all different, we all have different experiences and finances and everything. In my 60+ years I've come across my fair share of companies and/or their CSRs who were really miserable! I know it happens. I'm just saying that, for me, BofA has been wonderful for over 30 years. 
@SoCalGardener wrote:
@Crowhelm wrote:
@SoCalGardener wrote:
@Crowhelm wrote:
@4sallypat wrote:Don't feel bad, I was denied CLI on my USB Flexperks after 5 years trying every year.
Then I apped for the Business triple cash and denied with a stellar credit (just closed escrow).
Called the recon line and they said wait for the letters.
What a bunch of un-empowered reps!
I told them I am tired of paying 5 years of AF on my personal to get nothing and cancelled my account.
Great feeling to cut up that card!
BofA I cut up a long time ago - will never do business with them ever.
Good for you. I wish more of us would insist on not just so so customer service but great customer service. Maybe then the big banks would have to adjust. But it is ok, plenty of great places to take your business.
BofA *is* a great bank and they have great customer service. At least that's how it's been for me for 30 years! Whether in person speaking to a banker, or on the phone speaking to a CSR, they're always polite, respectful, and treat me like I'm something special. I get offers--I mean enticing offers--from other banks all the time, but won't even consider moving my banking to any other bank.
I realize we all have different circumstances, different finances, and different experiences, but I haven't seen anything personally that would lower my opinion of BofA at all.
Hey, I believe you. I mean if they would treat all people like they treated my family they just couldn't be in business because why would anybody put up with that? I still don't see that as a valid excuse to treat many others like they don't matter. Or that we should feel lucky that they consider doing business with us. All of us can only speak or evaluate any business based on our experiences. And when I hear that somebody has issues with a company I had great experiences with I sometimes fall into that same trap of thinking, well there has to be an issue with that person/customer. But quite often they were really treated unfairly or badly. Why that is? Well, first of all, no business can bat a thousand I guess but also the bigger the company (in this case bank) gets the more likely is it that you run into employees that just don't care. Your branch or even the whole city might have great BOA employees truly concerned about the individual. Plus, after 10 years plus you have a certain status with any financial institution especially if you never had any money issues. True colors always emerge when things are not going too well and only CU's stood by us and if you like believed in us. However, my in-laws who are worth millions were also treated very badly by BOA. And it takes a lot to make my father-in-law change anything but BOA succeeded to make him that mad. With US Bank they have the CEO call them to make sure everything is ok, so you know they are wealthy. Not that I am endorsing US Bank, we had actually an even bigger issue with them way back when. But my in-laws like them, so it is whatever. However, so far I have never heard the same horror stories from the credit unions I did/do business with. Maybe, just lucky but as I said before we make our decisions based on our experiences, and the first time you require service can make or break a relationship.
Yes, absolutely, I see the points you're making. I just want to add that BofA came through with flying colors when things went south for me.
When I was hospitalized for six months in 2016, BofA bent over backwards to accommodate my needs. They did things for me over the phone that are normally only done in person. They watched as I closed one CD after another and transferred its funds to my checking account--where it quickly evaporated. The CSRs at BofA were so nice and showed such empathy--they understood that I was *in* the hospital and could not visit a branch, but really needed this stuff done. I just couldn't ask for more. They didn't know then if or when my total amount on deposit with them would ever rebound, but they didn't care. They just treated me like gold and I really appreciated it. That whole experience made my positive feelings about BofA even stronger.
I can't imagine what BofA could've done to make your in-laws that upset, but I don't doubt it happened. As I said, we're all different, we all have different experiences and finances and everything. In my 60+ years I've come across my fair share of companies and/or their CSRs who were really miserable! I know it happens. I'm just saying that, for me, BofA has been wonderful for over 30 years.
Yup, I totally get why you feel the way you do about BOA. And believe me, I would be upset as well if someone told me how horrible BECU is, since they did so much for us, also way above and beyond anything, one should expect. So did a smaller credit union called Industrial Credit Union or ICU. The only reason we are not still with ICU is they couldn't give us a 30-year mortgage. I guess too small, they only operate in one county or two in WA. That is how we ended up with BECU. Actually, the ICU savings account is still open with $100 in it. Guess I should close that, lol. But yeah you obviously have zero reasons to not feel great about your relationship with BOA. Overall though I think BOA like many of the big banks are heading in the wrong direction. We the customers should be always #1 because without us they would be out of business. But I admit, if credit unions ever get really big they could be plagued by those same issues very easily.
My denial letter from BofA arrived. It's kind of interesting. They cited two reasons:
- "Trend in balance compared to credit line on one or more of your accounts with us and/or our affiliates."
- "Balance relative to your credit line on one or more of your accounts on your credit file."
Reason 1 is true, but to such a small degree that I'm surprised they object. I have two credit accounts with BofA and none with its affiliates. On the card with a $50k limit, my statement balances the last six months have been approximately: $0, $0, $0, $0, $200, $1000. On the card with a $30k limit, it's $0, $0, $0, $0, $0, $600. Undeniably, those are trending up. I still view them as very low -- 2% each. But in the eyes of at least one credit analyst, that trend signals risk.
Reason 2 is tougher to interpret. My highest reported Util on a card is 8%. On a loan it's 92%. I can easily see someone thinking the loan's Util is too high, but all the other CLIs they've given me in the past two years came when that same loan had an even higher Util. I typically assume they focus on cards, but it would surprise me a lot if they considered 8% on a card too high. Their language doesn't specify which type of credit account they mean, so who knows?
I wouldn't have guessed that going from 0% to 2% on a card's Util would be an obstacle to a CLI, but so be it. I will get all cards' Utils closer to zero and try again in a month or two. 
Sorry to hear, but best of luck in the future friend!
