Union Card

Milarky

That's strange. are you going through Google.com/co.uk etc or a built-in search feature? I have looked and can't see any way that the cached links could be turned off.

Here is a Google search (for the Terms and Conditions pages):

http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=Bank+of+Scotland++%22We+make+a+handling+charge+of+2.5%22&num=100&hl=en&lr=&as_qdr=all

click on it and then on the 'Google search' button and see what sort of display you then get...

Sorry I can't be more techie than that..

koru

Thanks. Your link does give me the cache links, like google used to do for me. After a bit of trial and error, it looks as if this is a difference between google.co.uk (which I generally use) and google.com (which you used). If I go to google.co.uk, then click on the Go To google.com link, then do a search, I get all the caches.

So, google are short-changing the UK! Oh well, at least I know where to find it if I need it.

charlie12

Got my card, activated, and they told me that the 3% fee applies to all balance transfers regardless of what the T&Cs were when I applied. They wouldn't budge.

The terms that apply are the T&Cs that I signed, which does state the 3% fee for all transfers. I figured as much, but it was worth a try.

I think they changed the paper* T&Cs around the end of August, as I applied early September. From reports I've read it appears that they are still honouring the paper T&Cs (so some August applications might have fee-free BTs or capped to £50)

I was going to cancel but then I figured I may as well slow-stooze for 9 months. I only spend a couple of hundred pounds a month on card purchases, but I will use the card to make purchases and then sell those items on eBay. That'll "convert" my full credit limit to cash within a few months, and I'll also profit a little too.

The 3% fee is particularly extortionate as I could send a Nochex payment to a friend and get the cash that way, and it would cost 2.9%! That 2.9% includes the merchant fees and Nochex's cut. It would be even less with the higher tier accounts with Paypal.

* the terms that you sign and send back.

mattbass

Got mine today aswell. Not phoned them yet, gonna pluck up courage. They told me fee free when I applied. But if not no good to me as slow stooze as already have one on the go. Damn :mad:

mattbass

Well what can I say? 2 Fee free balance transfers worth £4k, double checked!!!:j

charlie12

mattbass wrote:

Well what can I say? 2 Fee free balance transfers worth £4k, double checked!!!:j

Well done!

I think I'll try again then... The T&Cs you signed stated the 3% fee, right?

I spoke to 2 people, one on the activation line and the other was in the special lending department - neither would budge

How did the conversation go?

Milarky

See this discussion also covered on Stoozing.com here:

http://www.stoozing.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1157218225;start=all

I shall take the card but ask for a fee free balance transfer. I take the point about the printed terms you actually signed but I feel there is a point of principle here: The online information at the time of application said one thing - it said what the HBOS offer was (i.e. no fees) It then asked you to submit to a credit check and if approved it stated:

Thank you for your recent application. We are delighted to tell you it has been approved...

Within the next ten working days [it was 2] you will receive a letter from us confirming this. All you need to do is read, sign and return the signature form to us.

I am not sure how to proceed but it will probably be along the lines of:

- You invited my application via the advertised terms on your site
- You then tell me that the application was not for what you were genuinely offering on the day
- I suggest that you are repsonsible for procuring my interest via the terms which you allowed to remain set out on your site beyond the time which you say you ceased to have these terms
- I suggest that you cannot fail to honour these terms simply by substitution of other terms and then ask me to agree to those other terms
- Your online approval message clearly implies by the words 'all you have to do is.. ' that the terms pertaining to the application are those that will then be offered. Indeed it would be strange were it otherwise.

(and so on)

It is open anyone being offered HBOS's new terms in these circumstance to a) get the card and b) raise or threaten to raise a formal complaint. If HBOS think you will go through with a complaint you may not have to as they may not be confident that they have covered all the bases (In fact how can they be confident when they have obviously been rolling out changes at the last minute) There is a chance that they may buckle rather than allow the matter to escalate to a formal complaint. On the other hand they appear to be under pressure to field any enquiry about the imposition of a fee in the same stock manner (''It's in the terms you signed etc'') regardless. Don't get me wrong. HBOS have the right to apply changes to their cards -it is just the way in which they have done it. They could have accepted applications under the old terms until they verified the site had updated to the new terms but instead are being far stricter.

(I'll let you know how I get on)

mattbass

charlie12 wrote:

Well done!

I think I'll try again then... The T&Cs you signed stated the 3% fee, right?

I spoke to 2 people, one on the activation line and the other was in the special lending department - neither would budge

How did the conversation go?

Conversation was nothing special at all. Activated card and she spent a while trying to sell me cover etc. Then she said about balance transfers. One had gone through but one hadnt. I asked if the one that had gone through had a handling charge and she said "no charge". "Did I want to do another"? I will do another if there is no handling charge. "There is no charge" She said!

That was about it.

Its the standard card not the platinum and the paper t&cs had the 3% part in.

koru

In case it is of any help to anyone, BOS have, in response to a lengthy letter, refunded the BT fee for me, "as a gesture of goodwill". So, if you stand up for yourself, they do back down.

But it is still annoying that by phrasing it that way, they imply that they were in the right, and they are just waiving the fee because they are nice people. In other words, they think it is perfectly OK to make an offer, then surreptitiously change the terms in the small print, and hold you to it.

I'm tempted to make another application, wait for the terms and conditions to be posted to me, then simply cross out the terms allowing them to charge any interest, and send it back and see if they notice. If they don't raise an objection, I will consider them to have accepted my revised terms and will hold them to it.

Milarky

koru wrote:

In case it is of any help to anyone, BOS have, in response to a lengthy letter, refunded the BT fee for me, "as a gesture of goodwill". So, if you stand up for yourself, they do back down.

Despite what I suggested others do (and challenge where you feel they have switched the terms after applying) I have been able to follow my 'plan B' relatively successfully and 'slow stoozed' about half my credit limit already - and will get the rest hoovered up within the first month (see here for a description of my scheme) Meanwhile, I also applied for the PO credit card by post in the final week before the T&Cs were changed. We will see what becomes of that one - but the fact that I haven't received a rejection yet is mildly encouraging...