Cancelled card - but I think they owe me money

amancalledmartin

Hi all

Just wondered if anyone had any experience of having a store card account closed down when there should still be a balance on there?

Longish story but bear with. In Oct 2008 I applied for a Debenhams store card. I rarely use them but it meant 20% off what I was buying at the time, which was a significant amount. Paid it off in full the next month. Some of what I bought was Christmas presents which didn't fit so I took them back after Christmas (admittedly a fair while after I'd bought them in Oct) and they agreed to refund the amount to my Debenhams card.

Not had cause to use the card until pre-Christmas this year but when I did they said it was expired. Rang the customer services and they said the account had been closed because the balance was 0 and I hadn't used it for a while. When I questioned the balance they said I'd have to put a claim in writing. Now I had another Debenhams card in 2004 and it's possible I gave that card to be refunded on instead of the new one, but surely after 4 years it wouldn't have been current if the new one isn't after only two?

So the question is, where the hell is the £60 or so that was refunded onto the card in 2009 and what are the chances of me getting it back?! I've written to Santander Cards but I don't hold out much hope because I've got no proof.

jonesMUFCforever

Good luck!

YorkshireBoy

amancalledmartin wrote: »

I've written to Santander Cards

Did Santander run the Debenhams card back in 2004? Maybe not?

The old account may still be showing on your credit report (which you can obtain for £2) providing it was still open at the beginning of 2005. The report will also show a contact address for the original provider.

ironlady2022

Surely they cannot close an account unless at £0. Have you kept old statements? Would you have had the amount transferred to your current account.

Dr_Cuckoo3

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

Did Santander run the Debenhams card back in 2004? Maybe not?

GE Capital - sold to Santander

mayling03 wrote: »

Surely they cannot close an account unless at £0. Have you kept old statements? Would you have had the amount transferred to your current account.

Yes they can , I've had cards closed (discontinued) with a few pounds / pence credit balance

Some cards are discontinued eg Style Card , Time Card , Harrods card , BHS Store card - they do not automatically send a cheque for the credit balance - indeed they keep quiet about it

Nevertheless , I have successfully claimed repayment by cheque from Santander (EX-GE Capital) by phone and found them easy to deal with

Dr_Cuckoo3

amancalledmartin wrote: »

Now I had another Debenhams card in 2004 and it's possible I gave that card to be refunded on instead of the new one, but surely after 4 years it wouldn't have been current if the new one isn't after only two?

If you gave that card to the staff when obtaing your refund then the refund will have gone to that card - check your receipt for the card number

amancalledmartin

Thank you for your answers, guys. The problem I have is that I don't have the receipt anymore - it's too long ago. Otherwise I'd feel a lot more confident about fighting my corner.

Presumably if Santander bought GE Capital then they're still the right ones to write to about both cards. Oh well. Letter is in the post so let's see what happens.

It's definitely a lesson to me to check card balances and paperwork on a far more frequent basis!