littlewoods direct- beware!!

starsinmycrown

Hi, i just want to post a warning to people about littlewoods "flexible accounts". I opened mine about two years ago, and when you open an account to buy something, they appear to quite literally open an account for you. when i logged in a found i had 500 credit limit. Now not wanting to go down that particular spiral, i have always paid on my debit card. Before christmas, when i was in a rush or tired or whatever and not using that account for two years i clicked "BUY" and found the £70 was added to my bloody account, not my card. I thought, oh best leave it be, i'll pay it off next month. I went away for christmas and sorted through what appeared to be junk mail etc etc. i'm a catalogue holder with littlewoods so didnt particularly pay much attention to the purple envelope from them. When i opened it, i thought dammit! i have to pay £10 for that thing. my payment was also late, hence a charge. This is in december.

Now, by january, with these "admin charges" plus this months payment, and them LOWERING my credit limit to pretty much what i owe £120, and jacking up my APR. i owe £115!!!!!!!!!!!! Very sneaky.

Please let this be a warning to people about how unscrupulous they are. I don't have much cash anyway and this is a nightmare to pay off. My friend once filed for bankruptcy on the basis of catalogues when she said she was only buying essentials for the kids. i understand why now! I'll be paying off my apalling APR and staying the hell away, and i hope this is a warning to anybody tempted! x

JoolzS

I think your warning is for people not to be idiots.

Blaming Littlewoods for your idiocy just proves that any idiot can get a catalogue account.

Julie

HHH_2

that is a really unhelpul comment julie

Broken_hearted

Whilst I am not overly fond of Littlewoods I would urge anyone to open all the mail they receive (even junkmail) as there may be a hidden bill.

aliasojo

starsinmycrown wrote: »

Before christmas, when i was in a rush or tired or whatever and not using that account for two years i clicked "BUY" and found the £70 was added to my bloody account, not my card. I thought, oh best leave it be, i'll pay it off next month.

And therein lies your first mistake. You should have either logged into your account online and paid immediately with your bank card or phoned them up to take payment.

Whilst I think Julie was a little harsh, she does have a point. I think the only person to blame for this is yourself OP, sorry. I dont think we need a warning about Littlewoods, your post serves more as a reminder to aways be careful in your financial dealings.

iB1

* Always open your letters
* Always read the small print

You can't go far wrong from there

deanos

When you order from Littlewoods there are 2 options "Pay By Account" and "Pay By Card" not rocket science really.

When you order for the first time you also get these options, so if you choose "Pay By Account" you choose to open a credit account and would have filled in the questions to apply for the account, its not something you do by accident

pineapple

I opened an account just to use a £10 gift voucher. I specifically ordered items costing £10 as you had to do that to open an account. And that was the amount of the gift voucher. My online account showed a balance of nil as I had paid for P & P from my debit card. The following month I found that they had debited my account by £10 in addition to the P &P. When I rung to complain I was given some reasoning that I couldn't follow - it was something to do with the goods having been reduced to £9.85 - and was told they would 'look into it'. I still have not been credited with £10. What a shower.
I did not sign and return the credit account form they sent me and have no intention of getting anything else from them.. But each month I get an account statement telling me my credit is still £700 (dream on, Littlewoods) with a giro to complete for 0.00 owing. Honestly I am getting to the point of sending them a cheque for 0.00 (or would this be too childish?)

justruth

In fairness to Littlewoods, I had a catalogue and an account with them some years ago, and unfortunatley for me just before leaving my ex ran up the account buying a new cooker for her mum and 2 new bikes for her brother and sister and some power tools for her step dad. I even went around to the house not knowing and admired them.

I eventually found out after she had left and contacted Littlewoods, who acknowledged that the goods were never delivered to my address but my ex's. I sent them a letter confirming that this was done fraudulently and they were really brilliant with me. The debt was not held against me, they dealt with everything and I never had to worry about it.

cool_pinkie

I think the OP wanted to warn people and didn't except a lecture!

I have had Littlewoods try to charge me for items I never even bought so I say beware too.

Merlinexcalibur

I don't really want to but I am with Deanos on this. It's not anything negative, but there is some naivity when opening a catalogue account online. Littlewoods - if you pass the very quick credit check once you register - always open up a credit BEFORE you even sign a credit agreement. Because, once you've ordered something then, clearly, you are receiving it on credit. Pay per week used to be the term. Now it's 'flexible credit accounts'.