Card Terms and Conditions

philc_2

Hi!

Does anybody know what the legal requirement is for card issuers to tell you that T&Cs have changed. For example, do they have to send you stuff or can they just e-mail it or make it available on their website to fulfil their obligation?

(I've searched for this, but things seem a little wonky at the moment so no joy.)

Cheers!

Phil;-)

Rafter

I think they have to issue a 'notice of variation'. The T&Cs are the contract between you and the bank. I think when you sign up you given them the right to change the conditions given x days notice in writing.

Someone like Egg can probably just do this by e-mail as an internet bank.

They certainly can't just make changes on their website without telling you and giving you some notice.

R.

YorkshireBoy

Rafter wrote:

They certainly can't just make changes on their website without telling you and giving you some notice.

As I recall Egg did exactly this when they introduced the 95% BT rule earlier this year. In fact, they hid it away at the end of their FAQ section. As I posted at the time...how many established Egg cardholders check the FAQ section?

On a general point, all card T&C's contain a section (usually called "changes" or "alterations") where they state they will "notify" you giving 'x' days notice. This notification can be by various means - letter, statement, e-mail, telephone, website*, etc. In fact, they can use any contact details you gave them when you signed up for their product.


* When logging off from the "your accounts" area on the Egg website, I have been prompted with the following message..."there have been some changes to your account T&C's, please click here to see what they are".

philc_2

Thanks to you both!

Yes, it's egg I'm in a strop with, I'm afraid.

I have an egg card from before the time they introduced a BT fee on new cards (April I think) and I have received no variation of terms by post, I am sure, and also not by e-mail to say there is a 2% fee for BTs. I now see this condition has changed on the T&Cs on their site. They have tried to say there was a communication about T&Cs in June I think and also their 1.9% interest with 2% BT fee offer was communicated with the September statement, however I didn't have a September statement as there was no balance to pay and they seemingly don't send them if there's nothing on the card.

I did a transfer on the website and they rather helpfully did not confirm it was going through as a promotional thing with a BTfee. I have been told different things by different people at egg and they are not budging and being a right PITA to be honest.

I thought a pre-April 2005 egg card could be used as a quickie mule or am I wrong? I also think it's a bit odd they can just say 'all BTs in October will be done on different terms' and not seem to communicate it as properly as a normal variation to T&Cs.

Phil ;-)

Clariman

My Egg anniversary was in September. I asked them in advance, by secure messaging, if there would be a BT fee if I BT-ed in my anniversary month. They confirmed that there was no charge since my card was a pre-May 2005 card.

Clariman

YorkshireBoy

philc wrote:

...their 1.9% interest with 2% BT fee offer was communicated with the September statement, however I didn't have a September statement as there was no balance to pay and they seemingly don't send them if there's nothing on the card.

I did a transfer on the website and they rather helpfully did not confirm it was going through as a promotional thing with a BTfee. I have been told different things by different people at egg and they are not budging and being a right PITA to be honest.

I thought a pre-April 2005 egg card could be used as a quickie mule or am I wrong? I also think it's a bit odd they can just say 'all BTs in October will be done on different terms' and not seem to communicate it as properly as a normal variation to T&Cs.

I see where you are coming from now!

Check out this link where someone else was complaining about a similar problem - except they were notified of the 1.9% APR, 2% BT fee offer by letter...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=102378&highlight=cobblers

You say Egg "don't send statements if there's nothing on the card". I didn't think Egg *sent* statements full stop?

I haven't spent on my Egg card this month, but I was still notified by e-mail that my statement was ready - which I then checked to make sure it correctly stated my zero balance to pay.

So, to clarify, you expected to do a fee-free BT at 15.9% APR, and yours went through at 1.9% APR with a 2% BT fee - without *any* notification?

philc_2

Hi YorkshireBoy!

YorkshireBoy wrote:

You say Egg "don't send statements if there's nothing on the card". I didn't think Egg *sent* statements full stop?

I haven't spent on my Egg card this month, but I was still notified by e-mail that my statement was ready - which I then checked to make sure it correctly stated my zero balance to pay.

Of course, you are right about the statements - I have just used it so little I figured they hadn't sent them because I couldn't find any! However I have not used the card since May and I am almost certain I have had no e-mails asking me to view my statement online since the last time I had a balance on it.

YorkshireBoy wrote:

So, to clarify, you expected to do a fee-free BT at 15.9% APR, and yours went through at 1.9% APR with a 2% BT fee - without *any* notification?

Absolutely, in a nutshell, spot on, yes. ;-)

They have said this offer was e-mailed, however I do not recall seeing it until they e-mailed it again on the 17th October - and there was no information on the site until I logged in a couple of days after my transfer and it came up with one splash page mentioning it. The site just seems to say 15.9%.

I have asked why this information cannot be stated clearly on the BT page when you commit to it, however they haven't commented on that.

The T&C changes I have inmy possession from them mention nothing about a fee for transfers, although it is obviously (or in fact not - several levels down) now there on the website.

They just sent me down the rapid 'complaint' route and said 'no' before they had even really clarified what my query was. :-/

philc_2

Sorry, just to add this which made me laugh as somebody else got hold of part 2 of a secure message I sent them:

"The 1.9% promotional balance transfer e-mail wouldn't have been sent to you with your statement. [Umm, I was told it was]

You wouldn't have received this e-mail regarding this promotional rate balance transfer because your solicitation status is set so that you don't receive any promotional correspondence or marketing information from us, as this is what you requested.

I'm afraid we're still unable to refund the charge for you as the promotional rate was on your account when you requested the balance transfer."

LOL! "Sorry, we didn't tell you, but we did it anyway." Umm... Is it me or is something wrong here?

Chadsman

Egg charged me a fee earlier in the year. I said but you didnt tell me there would be a fee when I requested the BT. They said oh ok we'll let you off it this once