New Questions and Answers From Barclaycard

MSE_Martin

OK.  Having asked you for your questions I put them to Barclaycard.  Essentially there have been no changes to the terms and conditions for the 0% card with £1 or 1p minimum spend.  As such i won't alter the article just post them here.

Remember though these relate to the original offer, most leaflets now available are for the new 0% for life with a £50 min spend offer. As noted in the main articles, that is a very different propostion and for almost everyone should be avoided.

These are senior BC answers so they are authoritive.

Martin's Question: Q. Some customer service reps are saying all the balance transfers must be made within one month.  Originally you informed us it was within three months?  How should people ensure they are still allowed to make their balance transfers in time if customer service says no?
BC Answer: It is definitely three months from the date of the account being opened.

Martin's Question: Q. What is the maximum balance transfer limit and how does this work?  Is this a limit for an individual balance transfer or the total of balance transfers together?
BC Answer: £5,000 is the total limit for this offer - tho' we may restrict it to less for some customers.

Martin's Question: Q. Many people are getting different information each time the call the call centre or branch.  Is anything being done to address this inconsistency and ensure staff are all aware and give the same line?
BC Answer: The reason call centre staff sometimes get confused is because historically, we have had many different versions of offers out in the market at the same time.  While they do all get the same "line", when you've got 5, 10 or even 15 different versions of the 0% offer going at one time, it's difficult for people to know which specific offer they are dealing with.  With our 0% offer now pretty much standardised whether you apply through branch, over the telephone or on-line, the customer service teams should have a much easier job.

I hope you find this useful

Martin

sylblake

Sorry if this sounds stupid but are they saying that if you have a credit limit of £9,500 you can only balance transfer £5000 of this, if so what is the point of giving you a higher credit limit.

MSE_Martin

No I believe the point it is making is if you have a £9,500 limit, you can only have £5,000 of it at the 0% for life balance transfer rate. The rest would be at the standard balance transfer rate.

However that is the official policy - unfortunately it doesn't necessarily mean its exactly how BC will work.

Martin

sylblake

Thanks, I will see what happens. I gave a c/c with a balance of £7000 on the original form so will wait and see how much of this they pay off.

Galstonian

Well I asked for more than 5k and it was transferred. But they've started to charge interest on it. I have been told that the original transfer shoulf have been split as the system does not accept > 5K on 0% but you can still have more than 1. True? Who knows, certainly not the vast majority of BC staff.

sylblake

So what are they or you doing about it? Have they stopped the interest on the amount above £5K. I am getting worried now.

Galstonian

Sorry, the sad tale is all on another thread, they are going to fix it but given the level of incompetence I suspect not soon. I've asked for written confirmation that they will fix it and they say they've sent it but I'm still waiting. It doesn't really matter as I can prove that I have met all terms and conditions to get the 0% deal. The 5K rule is not publicly stated anywhere.

Glassie

Hi there, I have managed to obtain the 0% £1 min spend application form. Having read other posts stating that the money can be credited to your personal account, how is this indicated on the application form, as they are asking for the credit/store card details.

System

Apologies if I am confirming what you already know but it may help to identify if we are all getting different offers.

I have received my card today with a credit limit of £7,700 ( the 0% offer with £1 spend per month)

When |I completed the form i requested balance transfers of £7,000 Hence, I presume the credit limit).

Attached were the Terms and Conditions confirming that :
If you request a balance transfer on your application form offering a balance transfer rate of 0% when you use your card, we will charge no interest on the balance transfer.

I therefore presume that no interest will be charged on the £7,000?

There is no mention on the T&C about this max £5000.

I therefore expect to pay no interest on the £7000 for life!

I am about to arrange the £1 transaction to a charity.

Galstonian

Sign up for internet access to you account. Look at the balance transfer. Does it say "promo" beside it? If not the chances are that you are in the same boat as me.

Also, the requested transfer and credit limit are not usually related, it may be coincidence or may be an operator punching the wrong buttons (surprised?).

You are only allowed to BT up to 90% of your limit initially but you may be able to transfer the rest (minus a small amount to allow for spending as per T&C).

Barclaycard customer services is a bit like the Outer Limits, you are never really sure what is real and what is fantasy.

SpencerCourt

My 0% for life of transfer with minimum £1 per month spend card arrived a week ago, with an £8,400 credit limit, and I immediately rang Barclaycard and transferred two balances from other cards, £4,000 from First Direct and £4,300 from Bank of Scotland. Their operator (whose name I recorded) confirmed that these would be 0% for life of balance. Having just now seen your brilliant web-site but warning of a £5,000 limit I rang Barclaycard a few minutes ago and was told that the rate has been recorded as 0% so will be charged on that basis, but that the operator was wrong in agreeing to anything over £5,000. Asking where the terms and conditions specified a £5,000 limit remains unanswered (but equally I was assured that there would be no benefit to me in paying off the excess £3,300).