Vanquis credit card - accepted

Shaza40

Apologies if this isn't the right place -

My husband was accepted and got the card through etc. Now he cannot speak (due to an operation on his throat for cancer) so he thought he could just activate either online or by touch phone (neither of which they offer).

So i phoned up, explained the situation and they said i could speak on his behalf providing he filled out a consent form. Duly did this and returned it. Phoned and phoned to which they said (after 10 days of returning the form), it can take up to 14 days to process as the department is very busy!

Now more than a month on, they are still saying that they need to speak to him (despite what i've told them) so am now returning the card back to them with a letter of complaint.

I was wondering if this is quite common as I assume they needed to speak to you so they could get your bank details and to sell stuff to you, but what was to stop him getting a neighbour or family member to speak for him over the phone (obvs him providing them with the details)? I mean, how would they know it was him or not? Not that we would do this but I'm sure other people have. It seems very unfair that people with speech impediments must be prone to things like this happening?

Anyone else had this experience?

[Deleted User]

It's a firm rule of Vanquis' operation, as they deal in the more risky end of the market.

May be worth raising a formal complaint, but they may not shift.

eskbanker

Are they saying that they just haven't received/processed the consent form yet or that they are unable to deal with it full stop? The former would be frustrating but presumably temporary whereas the latter would definitely be worth raising a formal complaint about if it's a form they've issued....

Shaza40

eskbanker wrote: »

Are they saying that they just haven't received/processed the consent form yet or that they are unable to deal with it full stop? The former would be frustrating but presumably temporary whereas the latter would definitely be worth raising a formal complaint about if it's a form they've issued....

they are saying both, ie that they haven't received it or its with the department and the records haven't been updated yet! they wouldn't commit to either. phoned them up just now to see if it was on the account yet and got told pretty much both answers.


my husband has written the complaint and we are sending back the card.


the guy tried to say that our complaint wasn't valid as it quite clearly states on the site that they need to speak to the card holder and fair enough it is but its not when you complete the application form. so I put it to him that if we got a family member or neighbour to impersonate my husband, how would they know its him or not? he kinda stuttered at that and said they just would!!

Shaza40

Deleted_User wrote: »

It's a firm rule of Vanquis' operation, as they deal in the more risky end of the market.

May be worth raising a formal complaint, but they may not shift.

thanks, I know they wont shift but he would feel better firing off a complaint.


never had any trouble with his bank, investments etc once he signed for consent form!

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

Sounds like Vanquis may be running foul of the Disability Discrimination Act.

giblet10

Echoing F&N above they seem to be in breach of DDA. A complaint should solve this, even to Vanquis, who are still accountable to you as the customer and the law of the land.

I don't know your situation, but applying for Vanquis usually (but not always before anyone jumps to respond) means you're struggling to get 'high street' cards - so don't send it back in anger just yet - Vanquis massively helped me re-establish myself on the credit reference agencies only three years ago..and now every bloody card provider wants to be my friend (apart from American Express, who said they never want to play with me again).

Good luck. Don't give up.

Shaza40

Thanks giblet. Whilst we will send a complaint, judging by the phone call, they wont budge which is their right to do. As we had bad credit when my husband lost his job, we have successfully got rid of the debt and thought we should try to rebuild our rating again but obviously its not going to be through Vanquis.


Going to send the card back, no point in keeping it if it cant be used. Still annoyed with them and my hubby will feel better now that the complaint has been posted.


Will see what they say and thank you to everyone for your responses and advice.

Morglin

To be honest, we had the same problems, at times, when DH's disability was at it's worse, and he could barely speak.

We either applied for them in my name, with him as additional cardholder, or if it had to be in his name, we got one of our adult sons to ring, as him, and activate them.

Thankfully, most cards recently have been online activation, and, DH's disability, voice wise, is much improved.

Lin

Shaza40

Morglin wrote: »

To be honest, we had the same problems, at times, when DH's disability was at it's worse, and he could barely speak.

We either applied for them in my name, with him as additional cardholder, or if it had to be in his name, we got one of our adult sons to ring, as him, and activate them.

Thankfully, most cards recently have been online activation, and, DH's disability, voice wise, is much improved.

Lin

Glad to hear of improvement with the disability, unfortunately it wont be the case for my hubby...such as life.


This was the argument I had with them, we could have got anyone to activate the card for him and how would they know it was him or not?? Surely our case isn't that unusual and they could have gone down the online or touch pad activation route? Don't matter now anyway.


Anyways, done and dusted now, thank you one again.