Co-operative bank - am i paranoid?

panicsetin

Hi all,

I opened a bank account with Co-Operative about 18 months before I started my DMP (it took me that long to be brave enough to take the plunge but the account was opened way before in readiness). I was given a full account with debit card and cheque book (although only asked for a basic account). I have managed the account perfectly with no charges or anything. However my debit card expired recently and although they issue me with a new one it is blue rather than gold in colour (have they just changed design?) and more worryingly it is only valid for one year which I have never come across.....

Do the co-op credit check existing customers who are running their account well? Is the fact my card is only valid for a year a reflection on how they see me as a customer? I know my credit rating is shot to bits but I am happy with my account with them and am now concerned that they are going to turn around and say they dont want me as a customer.....

Any thoughts? Am I just being paranoid? (which I am a lot these days when it comes to finance!)

Thanks

GeorgeUK

I think a little paranoia, but it's definately worth asking why the card is valid for only a year. That is a bit strange.

Might be worth phoning up customer service to enquire.

wenders27

Hi this happened to me with HSBC, and like you I was a bit worried. It turned out that HSBC were changing all of their accounts from switch to visa which is why they had only given me a card with a year till expiry, it helped them in the long run admin wise. I did ring and check but customer services were at the time unable to help me and I only found out later on when the change happened.

I hope this helps

panicsetin

Hi,

Thank you both for your response.....

I will keep my fingers crossed that it is something simple like they are changing their system or something. I wouldn't have expected my poor credit rating to have affected this account as I have not applied for an overdraft or anything (in fact last time I spoke to them they offered me a guaranteed loan which I found rather amusing as I was defaulting left right and centre because of my DMP).

Does anyone know whether your bank routinely credit check you; regardless of how you operate your account?

thewad

Yes, before I even considered DMP I got a new card from Yorkshire Bank with only 12 months on it.
They still use Maestro but think they're going to be changing to Visa debit soon hence the short expiry date.

John

pugsley_h

thewad wrote: »

Yes, before I even considered DMP I got a new card from Yorkshire Bank with only 12 months on it.
They still use Maestro but think they're going to be changing to Visa debit soon hence the short expiry date.

John

I remember reading a few months ago, that Co-op were changing from Electron to Visa Debit. They issued new cards which said that had the Visa debit logo on them - but the first 4 numbers on the card were still the numbers that identify an Electron card not a Visa Debit card. This means that there are a few places that won't accept them. I am sure I remember reading a post where someone had phoned the Coop to check with them, and that the coop said that they were going to be changing the numbers so that they were full Visa Debit cards - and this is why they had short expiry dates.

Hope I did actually read that - and that I didn't dream it lol :rotfl::rotfl:

Toe-Jam

whats the first 4 digits of the card, if its 450875 they have downgraded your card to electronic use only if its anything else your card is fine.

thewad

Sometimes have difficulty with my Yorkshire bank card buying online.
The YB cards have 19 numbers instead of the usual 18.

elsie52

Hi,

We have had our Co-op account for over 2 years, and we were both issued with a gold visa debit card. exp date 2011......OH lost his wallet and when they issued another card to him, it is a blue one, and also only 1 year .

Ames

I had short expiries on my Yorkshire Bank cards while they were changing over to Mastercard debit cards. If your credit rating were a problem I think they'd have just not given you a debit card at all.