Virgin Balance transfer

Legacy_user

My husband has just received his new CC from Virgin but they sent a letter asking him to give more information before they can process the balance transfer he asked for during the online application. Does anyone have any idea what they might want. It's simple to call them but I want to be forearmed just in case.

fatboyonadiet

Probably nothing major, maybe some of the details are wrong or need confirming. Maybe your limit isn't high enough?

Also make sure you won't get charges as this will be his first BT so a charge shouldn't occur.

Reaper

Sorry - impossible to say. It could just be he forgot to enter a key detail like the sort code. They might also just want to confirm that it is a genuine request and not some hacker trying to pay off his credit cards with your money.

Or it could really be to tell you about one of their seemingly random rules - e.g. I was told 95% of the total limit max for a BT, but then did a later BT that took it up to 98%, and others have been allowed to do 100%.

Or some people have been told that you can no longer SBT to a bank account, but others have been allowed to do so.

You'll have to phone up and find out, but I wouldn't worry about it.

Martinslovechild

I made no mistakes on my app form and I got the same letter. I figured that it would be to attempt to sell me payment protection insurance, and guess what? I was right!!!

Ned_Kelly_3

I've just been accepted for a Virgin card and was told on the phone by Customer Service Adviser that cheques are part of their 0% 9-month introductory offer and there is no fee if you use them straightaway. Presumably this is just as good as doing an SBT. Couldn't I just write a cheque to myself?

YorkshireBoy

Ned_Kelly wrote:

I've just been accepted for a Virgin card and was told on the phone by Customer Service Adviser that cheques are part of their 0% 9-month introductory offer and there is no fee if you use them straightaway. Presumably this is just as good as doing an SBT. Couldn't I just write a cheque to myself?

DO NOT USE THEM - they ALWAYS attract a fee from Virgin.

On the reverse of the form you have signed (or are about to sign) is the summary box which contains a charges section, which includes the statement...

"2% handling fee (min £2, max £35) for credit card cheques, and some balance transfers"

Always read the small print (and the dozens of other posts on this subject over recent weeks on this forum).

HTH
YB

Ned_Kelly_3

Thanks YB, I'll heed your warning. Just as a matter of interest, given that I recorded the call, noted the time and took the name of the person I spoke to, where do you think I would have stood if I'd argued my case for no fee after the event?

YorkshireBoy

Ned_Kelly wrote:

Thanks YB, I'll heed your warning. Just as a matter of interest, given that I recorded the call, noted the time and took the name of the person I spoke to, where do you think I would have stood if I'd argued my case for no fee after the event?

Sorry, can't help you with this one as I'm just starting out with this CC/stoozing thing. One of the experts will no doubt be able to help you here.

What I will say though is that I attached a covering letter to my return signature slip which basically said that because MBNA staff appeared to be confused over specific Virgin T & C's (as opposed to other MBNA administered cards), I was applying based on information given to me by Ms X and Ms Y on Z day at so and so time where they stated that ALL BT's FROM CURRENT ACCOUNTS CARRIED OUT DURING THE ENTIRE 0% 9 MONTHS OFFER PERIOD WOULD BE FEE-FREE. The letter went on to say that this information was given to me just before I gave them my current account details so that they could carry out my SBT as soon as they received my form back.

HTH

By the way, don't want to appear thick, but how did you record the call?

EDIT: Needn't have written all the above, The Man himself has posted. See http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=40701

Ned_Kelly_3

YorkshireBoy wrote:

Sorry, can't help you with this one as I'm just starting out with this CC/stoozing thing. One of the experts will no doubt be able to help you here.

What I will say though is that I attached a covering letter to my return signature slip which basically said that because MBNA staff appeared to be confused over specific Virgin T & C's (as opposed to other MBNA administered cards), I was applying based on information given to me by Ms X and Ms Y on Z day at so and so time where they stated that ALL BT's FROM CURRENT ACCOUNTS CARRIED OUT DURING THE ENTIRE 0% 9 MONTHS OFFER PERIOD WOULD BE FEE-FREE. The letter went on to say that this information was given to me just before I gave them my current account details so that they could carry out my SBT as soon as they received my form back.

HTH

By the way, don't want to appear thick, but how did you record the call?

EDIT: Needn't have written all the above, The Man himself has posted. See http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=40701

I do a bit of frelance journalism (not finance, sport) and I have a device which plugs into the back of your phone. It's handy for interviews.