MBNA & Disgraceful Treatment

Camaro3

Hi,
I have had problems with MBNA with regard to payments and would like some advice. I received my June statement and made a payment by debit card but when the July statement arrived there was no mention of the payment, this then incurred late fees & interest. I phoned MBNA after checking with my bank and was told that they had received the payment but had credited it to another account! They assured me that they would put matters right within 10 working days.
When the August statement arrived, more late fees and no amendment so i rang again, don't worry they said we will sort it. I have since had phone calls from MBNA telling me i owe money and they have passed the account onto a DCA (Aegis BPO) who have written to me several times as well as phoning me at all hours to demand payment.
I finally wrote to the complaints department at MBNA who have written back cancelling fees etc but i'm not happy because they have passed my details on to a DCA even though i had made the payments.They have told me to go to the Financial Ombudsman if i am still not happy.
Can someone please give me advice on the following: are MBNA legally allowed to harass me and/or send my details to collect a payment which has already been made? and, is this defamation or harrasment?

Any

I have to say we had some problems with MBNA as well, so I think they have serious mess in their records.
My husband had MBNA card which I paid off last month as soon as the statement arrived. They got the cheque and cleared it. Week later, we got letter from AEGIS BPO demanding the payment as apparently we are late. At first I thought it was fraud, because the credit card number was wrong - the last digit was different, the due date was different then on the statement and we paid it week earlier. However the amount was correct-the same amount to the penny as on the statement. We called MBNA and they confirmed that they got our payment and that it is mistake of the system. We didn't hear from them yet - but after Camaro's post I will be looking out for next statement!

Paul_Herring

If you are not out of pocket, the debt is back with MBNA instead of Aegis, and there are no marks on your credit reports as a result of MBNA's mistake, what more do you actually expect from them?

bengal-stripe

Camaro3 wrote: »

They have told me to go to the Financial Ombudsman if i am still not happy.

Then do it!!!

Paul_Herring

bengal-stripe wrote: »

Then do it!!!

... and complain about *what* exactly? OP didn't say what was currently wrong at the moment, and without that you cannot reccomend any sort of action.

Camaro3

In answer to your questions, i'm after an appology and some sort of goodwill gesture by MBNA (if i am late with payments MBNA can demand late payment fees etc so if this is their mistake why can't i do the same?). In all of this i have not done anything wrong. I made the initial payment (my bank confirmed this), they have, i beleive harrased me both by letter & phone call. They have also passed my details to a third party in order to gain a payment which they already had.
As a final thought some of the phone calls were received by my wife and the "agents" were less than polite with her. The upshot of which is that my wife has MS and has since been admitted to hospital because of a relapse. Her consultant has told us what he believes caused it, Stress.
I would also like to ensure that nobody else has this sort of treament metered out to them.

Paul_Herring

i'm after an appology and some sort of goodwill gesture by MBNA (if i am late with payments MBNA can demand late payment fees etc so if this is their mistake why can't i do the same?)

And have you written to them explicitly pointing out that this is what you require?

I would also like to ensure that nobody else has this sort of treament metered out to them.

I'd rather aim for the more realistic goals like world peace and portable fusion generators.

Camaro3

Thanks Paul, yes i did write to them, their answer was we will refund the charges, no Good will gesture. We reserve the right to pass your details to a DCA at any time we wish (it's in our terms & conditions even if it is our error and you do not owe anything). This is your new balance, this is our final word on the matter and if your not happy go to the Financial Ombudman. By the way, i work in retail in a small family firm and i have to say if i talked to a customer like that then my boss would be far from happy! I think they need to work on their customer relations.

YorkshireBoy

Then the suggestion given by bengal-stripe in post #4, although blunt, is what you should do isn't it?

The FOS will, where appropriate, consider making awards for distress and inconvenience.

Paul_Herring

Thanks Paul, yes i did write to them, their answer was [...] this is our final word on the matter and if your not happy go to the Financial Ombudman.

Off you go then.

Camaro3

Many thanks all, i will try to construct a letter to the Financial Ombudsman and see what comes of it.