Abbey Zero card - declined - why??

JimDavies_2

I have just received confirmation that I have been accepted for an Abbey 0%:j . My question is: Will this card provide the same exchange rate in $US as my current method of sending my Son's College fees via a wire transfer. I can pay by Credit card from the UK direct into the College Account, but in the past have always used a wire transfer, because of the Credit Card charges (2.75%). I send approximately $6000 twice per year in fees to the College Bank Account. Wire transfer fees are £25 and the reciving bank also charge roughly $30 per transfer.

Kavanne

I was also declined and received a letter about 3 wks after I made the app. online saying credit scoring. The online app had said they couldn't give me a decision straight away. Disappointed, am trying to get away from Nationwide but until I get a 0% commission abroad credit card I can't

bethanyrayne

HamiltonL wrote: »

As somebody who works for Abbey, here's my twopenny worth.

I notice myself that applications done online occasionally never appear on our system. I have no idea why that is as much as you do. We normally ask the customer to apply again. This isn't necessarily the reason why he has been declined though.*

The reference number is for the benefit of the underwriters. It is a record of your application, and we have no use for that number. We just compile a simple search using personal information (surname, DOB etc).

The Abbey card agreement packs usually take upto 14 days to get sent out, perhaps delayed by upto a week. Anyone waiting more than that needs to contact us and we're refer it straight away to the back office to chase it up asap.

*Best to write to the Abbey Underwriters to find out exactly why the application was declined. You should receive a letter shortly, but I am happy to PM the address if requested.

@ HamiltonL

I applied and got agreement through the post saying I was accepted conditionally.

I read the forms and corrected the address as they had got it partially wrong.

Will adding the correct address in ball point affect the agreement and whad does conditional really mean?

HamiltonL

We do occasionally hear from people who have a partially incorrect address. It should be fine, but if you have a chance this week, pop down to the Abbey branch with two forms of ID with address on and they can check if the misprint is on the system or just on the letter. If it is incorrect on the system, it can be modified in seconds. Otherwise just send it back, although feel free to correct the error on the form in ink (initialed of course), if it is just a mistake on the letter.

Conditional is nothing usually to worry about. The underwriters will have largely completed the review of your application. You just have to return the terms and conditions and you should get the card fairly soon. I'm finding although it's taking a while to get these agreements out, there is no such delay getting the cards sent out once the agreements are returned. You should get your card in about a fortnight (PIN first).

ldn-100

I did an online application for the Zero Credit Card and did not hear anything for almost a month. Separately I applied for a current account online. I got a letter asking me to bring ID into the branch for the current account. When I came into the branch they had no record of my applications and the reference on my letter did not correspond to anything on their computers.

In branch a new application was put through for the current account and was accepted there and then. The member of staff asked if I wanted the Zero Credit Card and put an application through for that too. This was sent to the underwriters.

Several days later I received two letters from Zero Credit Card. One declining my original application and the other accepting my application made in branch. I closed my Abbey current account soon after I opened it as there were various problems with it and customer service was very poor.

The bottom line is, for whatever reason my application was only accepted either because I applied in branch or because I had just opened a current account.

HamiltonL

Are you sure it was the one in branch that was accepted? Usually there is a slight variation in the reference numbers which identifies how they were made e.g. at the branch, online etc. I think the one made online was accepted but just took a long time to get the details out to you, and so this one done in branch was declined because you already had an application accepted.

I could be wrong though. It's possible as you say that applying for something else pushed applications for other products forward?

I think the early applicants for the Zero card got the agreements very quickly, but then huge demand for the card caused an inevitable backlog with the underwriters in recent weeks. I may be biased, but I'd still go for it if you're planning ahead.

HamiltonL

nightwatchman wrote: »

Some time ago I applied for the Abbey card and I was accepted.
I had DD arranged for the minimum payment. However the DD did not gone through, and they charged me £12.00 for late payment.
I call CS and I ask why that happened and they replied that the DD it takes on month :wall: :shocked: to go through and I should have made a manual first payment.
However as a gesture of good will they refund the £12.00 late payment fee.
Advice for all new Abbey CC customers is to arrange for a manual first payment as well as a direct debit.

Not sure if Zero cardholders will have had their first due date yet. I think the first batch have only recently got their first statements. But the same would apply to Zero cardholders, not just customers on the standard Abbey card (purchases APR 0 for 3 months, Balance Transfers 0 for 13 months).

Was the DD set-up when the account was opened? I assume you stated on the application that you wanted a Direct Debit for the minimum payment?*

If it is set-up at the start it should come out for your first statement. If it isn't, it's best to pay your first statement manually even if you set it up a few weeks before the due date. We always advise customers to do this over the phone.

If you requested it to be set-up with the application but it wasn't done, we would be happy to refund a late charge even though we have no proof that the customer requested this to be done. My advice though, to save calling up to query the late fee, would be to check the mandate is set-up with your bank (Abbey or another bank), or to call up customer services. I am sure other banks follow the same policy, as these aren't just restricted to Abbey. The same with Direct Debits which can take upto six weeks to function once set-up.

*And for MBNA Abbey customers, please state on applications if you want the Direct Debit set-up. A fair number of MBNA customers who transfer to Abbey Santander assume it's just a shift to a different card with the same company so expect the details from their MBNA account to be set-up on their Abbey account. That is not the case. Treat it like applying for any new card.

ldn-100

HamiltonL wrote: »

Are you sure it was the one in branch that was accepted?

Definitely. The letter declining the online application was dated before the day I went in the branch.

joewa

Hi
I applied for the zero card via internet.hadnt heard anything for two weeks,phoned up was advised no decision was made as thet were busy.Next week later called up to complian and was advised was accepted and pack would be out .All in all it tiook nearly five weeks and i needed it for holiday
got it four days before i was due to go
I addition credit limit was very very low compared to what i have had in the past

Volcane

Kavanne wrote: »

I was also declined and received a letter about 3 wks after I made the app. online saying credit scoring. The online app had said they couldn't give me a decision straight away. Disappointed, am trying to get away from Nationwide but until I get a 0% commission abroad credit card I can't

Have you tried the Post Office card, usually an instant decison?