Problem with Advantage Gold Account

jcalow

I had an Advantage Gold Account with Natwest and over a year ago after a number of problems with Natwest decided to open a new account with Halifax. However I forgot that my account was in fact an Advantage Gold Account (something they had talked me into when I turned 18) where you get various perks (which I have never used) for a monthly fee of £12.95 and I forgot to close the account. I left the account in March of last year £10 in credit, they have today sent me a collections letter for £360 of charges and £12.95's! This is the first I have heard of this as I get no paper statements and had forgotten I even had the account. There is no activity on the account apart from charges and £12.95 fees. What should I do? I have spoken to Citizens Advice and they have said I should write to them. I called the collections department on the letter and they were very uncooperative, repeatedly claiming that I owe them £360 and they have now called me 4 times this evening trying to get me to agree to a payment plan.

marshallka

jcalow wrote: »

I had an Advantage Gold Account with Natwest and over a year ago after a number of problems with Natwest decided to open a new account with Halifax. However I forgot that my account was in fact an Advantage Gold Account (something they had talked me into when I turned 18) where you get various perks (which I have never used) for a monthly fee of £12.95 and I forgot to close the account. I left the account in March of last year £10 in credit, they have today sent me a collections letter for £360 of charges and £12.95's! This is the first I have heard of this as I get no paper statements and had forgotten I even had the account. There is no activity on the account apart from charges and £12.95 fees. What should I do? I have spoken to Citizens Advice and they have said I should write to them. I called the collections department on the letter and they were very uncooperative, repeatedly claiming that I owe them £360 and they have now called me 4 times this evening trying to get me to agree to a payment plan.

I would write a letter to them and say how sorry you were that you forgot to cancel the "advantage" and that you would "ask" that they, as a matter of goodwill, write it off. You can only but try.

Failing that if they write back (by ringing you are actually only speaking often to a call handler) and refuse then take it to FOS to look into. I would certainly write though and head it to "complaints" and "ask" nicely. (send recorded delivery too). They might reverse it for you by going through the correct complaints procedure. No promises but better than a phone call.

stclair

I would recommend you ask them to refund the charges as a GOGW.

However as you forgot the close the account you can not hold natwest liable.

As you would have still recieved statements every month notifying you of the charges.

I would follow the complaints procedure and taking it from there:

https://www.natwest.com/secure/global/contact_us/complaints_procedure.htm