Warning BarclayCard

logical1

I closed a Barclaycard account in February. Their letter to me included “you will be welcome back if you ever chance your mind”. Approx two weeks ago I applied for a new card. The application was accepted after 3 days and a card arrived within 5 days. I made two payments on line with this to a major holiday company and a major car insurance company. The two payments amounted to approx 25% of the credit limit. After the pin number arrived (about three days later) I attempted to use the card in a retailer and was told that it was not working. The following day I received a letter from Barclaycard to say that they had taken a close look at the account as part of their regular procedures and, as it no longer met their lending criteria they had closed it. The letter went on to say that they could not disclose the details of the criteria as they are “confidential company information”. This means that within less than two weeks of accepting the application they had closed the account without any discussion or prior warning.

Whilst I accept that their terms allow them to close the account I feel that they owe the account holder a full explanation and at least some prior warning. I do not feel that they are acting in the spirit of the agreement if they abruptly close an account less than two weeks after opening it simply because they have changed their mind. After all I may have closed other cards on the basis that I now had the Barclaycard credit available, or perhaps even worse, been out of the country on holiday, having taken only the one card for any spending requirements.

My purpose in writing this is to warn others that they should not rely on being able to use a Barclaycard when the company are prepared to close an account without notice, or explanation, at any time.

I should add that I have never had any credit issues.

saverjustice

Why close one and apply for another?

logical1

The new one offered 12 mth interest free on purchases

saverjustice

Ah, thereby hangs a tale

Degenerate

You've reapplied too soon for their "new customer" offers policy, normally it's 6 months. That should have been down to Barclaycard to tell you at the time of application though - the way you have been treated is shabby.