Streetcar T&C change - caught out!

[Mamohau]

Hi,

I joined Streetcar early this year, hiring a car and then paying at the end of the month when the monthly statement is issued - online. I then didn't use it for about four months, when my husband joined. The £12.50 for him joining was debited straight away from my bank account and although I thought it strange that they could do this without my specific permission (not just on my husband's - we use different names) I thought it was a one-off membership issue. Then we took out a car for 24 hours which amounted to just under £100 and knowing that the account wasn't due for a week or so didn't transfer the money as my salary would be in by them.

Unbenowst to me Streetcar had changed the T&C and it was now a Pay-As-You-Use. The money was therefore taken directly from my bank account on the next banking day; the charges from my bank were more than the cost of hiring the car:mad: That took my budget into a whirlpool and I'm just in a spiralling situation with bank charges and am now reorganising/deferring all my direct debits to get back control of the situation.

It seems that Streetcar sent out e-mails (in the newsletter and in a separate e-mail) which I didn't receive for some reason - I've got 6 months of e-newsletters missing, but I didn't notice as I don't tend to read newsletters (except Martin's of course).

There's nothing on the website warning of this change to the T&C either.

So:
Can the T&C change without me having confirmed my acceptance of this? After all the new conditions might not be acceptable. :confused:

Or does caveat emptor apply?

Don't they have to make some effort, beyond e-mails, which might not be read for some reason (eg long holiday). Surely this is a major change and should be one of the few things they use paper post for? After all they handed out enough leaflets around London during the recent on-street promotions.

Any advice welcomed. Thank you very much. :wave: :wave:

[Conor]

You'll find in their terms a clause allowing them to do this. I take it you never read the T&C when signing up?

Whether they can open up a DD in just your husbands name on a joint account depends entirely on the bank.

Also, you may want to have a rethink with how you run your finances if you keep an account so low that a single unexpected £100 bill gets you into bank charge territory when you've money sat in another account.

[Mamohau]

Hi Conor, thanks for that. I did read the T&C but that was nine months ago and I just don't remember everything I've read, there's a hell of a lot going in my life. I don't intentionally keep the accounts so low, but all the money goes on household bills, on direct debits, so I lose track sometimes despite planning. The money is in my husband's high interest account and not mine so I transfer only when I know I will run short. It's a complicated family situation which I'm resolving by putting all the direct debits on his account and he can try managing it all for a change. I try hard to stay in control, but unexpected charges like this then throw a large spanner in the works, especially as the Halifax doesn't take them straight away but seems to wait until it's just before pay day so I get more charges. Ah well. just have to take more care.

[tomstickland]

Contact the bank and as them if there's "anything they can do" about the charges. It's worked for me in the past. Halved one time and refunded another time.

[cia00wpm]

i think zipcar is great!

if you are thinking of joining, get yourself some free driving credit - google 'free zipcar driving credit'

[vikingaero]

i think zipcar is great!

if you are thinking of joining, get yourself some free driving credit - google 'free zipcar driving credit'

Spammer! :mad: