Vanquis Direct Debit

Innocent_Guy

Just explain the situation and claim for inconvience and phone charges? Say you had to call their 0845 number for hours :-)

digitalphase

I did try their cheaper local numbers but they were all busy. Had to phone from mobile so their 0800 number wasn't free. I dread to think what my phone bill will be be as I was on hold for ages :mad:

Really annoyed with Vanquis :mad:

izools

How about this:

REF: 4023 xxxx xxxx xxxx

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to you today following a verbal complaint made to your company a couple of days ago.

Unfortunately I need to complain for several reasons:

1. When altering my Direct Debit payment from my old bank to my new bank you cancelled the incorrect direct debit when my old bank contacted you - you took instruction from my old bank to cancel the direct debit with my new bank.

2. You have as a result charged a £12 late payment fee, for a fault that was caused by your incorrect direct debit administration.

3. Your error caused excessive call charges to your company in order that I made payment and rectified the issue that was not my fault

4. You refused to refund the £12 fee when I spoke to you verbally demanding I put this request in writing.

So far, I have taken the following action to attempt resolving the issue:

1. I contacted the Bank to ensure that sufficient funds were in my current account and to establish if there was any reason for my new bank not to honour the direct debit. My bank confirmed that there is no reason for them not to have honoured the direct debit, and they confirmed that you did not claim any money this month

2. I checked my Vanquis statement to ensure that it confirmed the amount would be taken by direct debit. My Vanquis statement, and separate correspondence from your company, states you were going to take payment by direct debit from my new bank this month

3. I contacted you by telephone for which I had to pay national rate call charges, to bring the account up to date and find out why you did not take payment by direct debit as you said you would. I was advised by two different representatives of your company that the fault was yours but you would not rectify the issue unless I wrote to you

As a resolution to this matter, I expect you to:

1. Refund the £12 late payment fee
2. Refund the call charges incurred through your mistake (Estimated £10)
3. Ensure that no late or missed payment marker is reported to any credit reference agency in respect to my account with you

I provide 28 days for you to carry out my reasonable and lawful requests in respect to this matter and I expect your full and final response in writing within this timeframe.

Failure to comply with my reasonable and lawful requests will result in action being taken through your regulatory bodies to ensure your legal and moral obligations are met.

Yours Faithfully...

That aught to do it!

izools

Oh, the address to write to is:

Customer Action Team
Vanquis Bank
Fifty Pembroke Court
Chatham Maritime
Kent
ME4 4EL

digitalphase

Excellent! Thanks very much for that! I take it that's the letter that you sent for your husband's account?
I'll post it off at lunch time

izools

Lol no the letter I sent for my OH's account was for totally different problems! And was MUCH more long winded. I'm just so used to having to correct problems with card companies and the such like I can type up stuff like that at the drop of a hat.

A well practised Meldrew I am!!

digitalphase

Hehe thanks Will let you know how I get on. Hopefully they won't even mark my file as I was only a day 'late'. I will get that charge refunded.

Funny how they won't even admit responsibility even though it's clearly their fault - how on earth could it possibly be mine? Whatever time I cancelled my old DD they would have cancelled the new one, whether it was now or a few months down the line! IDIOTS :mad:

izools

digitalphase wrote: »

Hehe thanks Will let you know how I get on. Hopefully they won't even mark my file as I was only a day 'late'. I will get that charge refunded.

Funny how they won't even admit responsibility even though it's clearly their fault - how on earth could it possibly be mine? Whatever time I cancelled my old DD they would have cancelled the new one, whether it was now or a few months down the line! IDIOTS :mad:

Just look at their complaint address - Chatham in Kent!

Chav Central - you'd know if you'd ever been there. I'm supriused they don't pick up the phone going "Vanquis bank, innit. What'cha want?"

As I say, they don't need to employ competent staff because they know most of their customers have nowhere to turn. Once I've had my Vanquis account open a year I'll be closing it, assuming Cap1 give me a Classic that is

digitalphase

:rotfl:Yeah they do sound quite chavy!

Sent letter off, with a few minor adjustments, this lunch time. Sent it recorded delivery so I'll know when they've got it

digitalphase

Just wanted to update this thread as Vanquis finally responded to my letter.

They sent the same reply twice, not sure why, but anyway to cut a long story short they have admitted they were wrong and will be refunding my charge and not putting a late payment marker on my file :beer: I've checked my file and they reported a green 0 so I am happy. They say to forward my mobile phone bill to look into reimbursing my phone bill.

Just wanted to say a huge thanks to izools for their letter, thank you! :D:D