Virgin fee - my experience

cronshd

Hi

This is a follow-on from a previous post.

My Virgin card had run the course of it's free SBT period - and (thanks to YB) I got this extended at a 0.9% rate.

At the time, YB asked if there was a fee - and I said I didn't ask - so I didn't know if there was.

Anyway, it turns out they did charge a fee. (£35)

So, I called up Virgin about this, and asked politely about the charge. I explained that it had not been mentioned at all (which it hadn't) - and asked they review their tapes of the call. No need said the agent - I trust you - and he said he would refund the charge immediately, which they did.

Virgin have excellent customer service.

frivolous_fay

They are also very hard-nosed about their T&Cs.. just a warning.

I made the mistake of making a payment late. (Set up the bill payment wrongly) It's in Virgin's T&Cs that if you make a late payment, ie. break the terms of the credit agreement, they have the right to terminate any special interest rate on your account. (And they will)

I only realised I'd forfeited my 0% when I got hit for £20+ interest for the second month running... doh!

Needless to say, I transferred my outstanding balance sharpish, and cancelled the card shortly after. The assistant asked why I was closing the account, so I told her. She checked my account and confirmed what had happened.. but didn't dangle any carrots to try to make me keep the account.

Just thought I'd mention it as it's the first time this has happened to me

cronshd

Hi Fay

Yes - that is a salutary lesson.

Personally, I always set up direct debits. Then, the only issue becomes remembering the closing dates for the 0% offers to pay off the remaining balance.

The other thing which I would set in future as a criteria for choosing a card is:

1. A web facility to manage the card
2. The quality of that facility (ease of use, range of services).

I just cancelled my M&S More card because it is just such a painful experience dealing with a call centre (not their fault - it's the management).

frivolous_fay

I have a bit of a mental block about only paying off the minimum amount each month. I prefer to pay a fixed amount, say, £100, so that I can reassure myself that I am, at least, making a bit of a dent in the debt! I also like dealing in nice round numbers :-)

This is probably why I don't bother with the direct debits. Egg insists on one, which is fine, as I use it as a mule card and for occasional spending.

Interesting that you should mention the M&S card, as I've just maxed out my shiny new 5k limit on my first proper stooze. I was extremely keen to set up a direct debit (I usually deal in slightly smaller figures and I didn't want to slip up again ;-)) but they told me they could only set it up for the minimum payment, not a fixed amount.

I could use my online banking to set up a payment to go out every month, but the date due varies each time slightly...

/ponder

No_6

If you are using it for a stooz,
you only want to pay the min,
more money left in your savings account,
earning interest.

regards
6

frivolous_fay

Yeah... thats the logical argument... sadly I'm into hypotheticals ;-)