Axa won't pay my £80 Topcashback money

Quentin

callum9999 wrote: »

I would be shocked if the FOS didn't reject the complaint outright and therefore not charge AXA.

Topcashback is NOT their agent. Nor do Topcashback guarantee a cashback payment. AXA has no direct relationship whatsoever with Topcashback.

Whatever TCB's role, insurance is a regulated business, and insurers cannot possibly get away with not paying out inducements they offer to customers via their introducers/agents etc.


Axa will pay out the £80 they are trying to renege on rather than get involved with a FOS complaint that will cost them £550 + management time dealing with it.

MarkBargain

callum9999 wrote: »

AXA has no direct relationship whatsoever with Topcashback.

What sort of relationship is it then, as Axa is (supposedly) paying commission through the purchase of their policies to Topcashback. The rate changes up and down, and Axa is promoted at various levels on the Topcashback website at different times.

If you look at the Topcashback website today, BT Broadband is paying £210 and they get an advert on the Topcashback front page. At that level, could companies really just not pay out and get away with it? It has to be a material factor when customers are taking decisions about what supplier to use.

dunstonh

TopCashback is a trading style of UKC Systems Ltd - Part of Top Online Partners Group Ltd. UKC Systems Ltd are an Introducer Appointed Representative of Seopa Ltd, who are authorised and regulated by the FSA, number 313860

If topcashback are doing wrong then you complain to them. Not AXA.

callum9999

Quentin wrote: »

Whatever TCB's role, insurance is a regulated business, and insurers cannot possibly get away with not paying out inducements they offer to customers via their introducers/agents etc.


Axa will pay out the £80 they are trying to renege on rather than get involved with a FOS complaint that will cost them £550 + management time dealing with it.

AXA don't offer any inducements via TCB. TCB offer it, and they don't guarantee it.

I find that incredibly hard to believe. Particularly as I doubt they will get a £550 fee from the ombudsman or spend any management time dealing with it.

MarkBargain wrote: »

What sort of relationship is it then, as Axa is (supposedly) paying commission through the purchase of their policies to Topcashback. The rate changes up and down, and Axa is promoted at various levels on the Topcashback website at different times.

If you look at the Topcashback website today, BT Broadband is paying £210 and they get an advert on the Topcashback front page. At that level, could companies really just not pay out and get away with it? It has to be a material factor when customers are taking decisions about what supplier to use.

It's an affiliate link that will be run through AXA's marketing department. They place adverts on sites and then pay the site a commission when people buy through them. Topcashback pass that commission onto you. If they don't get the commission then they have nothing to pass over.

It is a material factor, but TCB specifically tell you not to make it one so if you do it's your own fault. They can indeed "get away with it" as BT aren't promising to pay you anything. TCB promises to pay you the commission they receive from BT. If there is an error - either your fault or with the affiliate manager - then TCB get nothing so you get nothing. Those are the terms and conditions you agreed to when you signed up to them.

Quentin

dunstonh wrote: »

If topcashback are doing wrong then you complain to them. Not AXA.

Axa are to blame for withholding the agreed cashback.


They won't want to get involved in a FOS complaint when it will be much cheaper for them to pay what they owe to quickly end the issue.

Quentin

callum9999 wrote: »

It's an affiliate link that will be run through AXA's marketing department. They place adverts on sites and then pay the site a commission when people buy through them. Topcashback pass that commission onto you. If they don't get the commission then they have nothing to pass over.

It is a material factor, but TCB specifically tell you not to make it one so if you do it's your own fault. They can indeed "get away with it" as BT aren't promising to pay you anything. TCB promises to pay you the commission they receive from BT. If there is an error - either your fault or with the affiliate manager - then TCB get nothing so you get nothing. Those are the terms and conditions you agreed to when you signed up to them.

Why would BT get involved?


This is irrelevant to Axa not paying out!


The OP is Axa's client, nothing to do with BT!


The FOS is an easy route for the OP to use to point out to Axa he ain't going to go away!

callum9999

Quentin wrote: »

Why would BT get involved?


This is irrelevant to Axa not paying out!


The OP is Axa's client, nothing to do with BT!


The FOS is an easy route for the OP to use to point out to Axa he ain't going to go away!

They wouldn't... The person I was talking to brought up BT so I talked about BT...

You can whinge about going to the FOS all you like, it's not going to make the slightest difference. AXA know full well that this is not under their jurisdiction, so won't just throw money at them to avoid it.

AXA made NO promise of getting cashback. They don't even mention it as a possibility.

MarkBargain

callum9999 wrote: »

If there is an error - either your fault or with the affiliate manager - then TCB get nothing so you get nothing.

There didn't seem to be an error though when Topcashback confirmed "your visit has been recorded" when the Axa website opened. I wonder if keeping screenshots of each step would make any difference, as surely there should be some way to hold firms to offers they make without them escaping any liability because of T&Cs.

Some websites (but not Axa) even have a Topcashback/Quidco landing screen, i.e. the supplier's website with the Topcashback logo on it, showing how closely they work together such as this one:

http://www.morethan.com/affiliate-home-insurance-quote3?cid=mo_web_affiliate_home_acquisition_MoreThanAffiliates2014&utm_source=Tradedoubler&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=MoreThanAffiliates2014

deutsch

This would be an interesting case study for the ombudsman newsletter! Has there been a past case like this?

What kind of precedent would this set for complaining? I.e if companies just gave into paying the cashback rather than £500+ fees. If it did reach FOS would they be in favour of the customer even with all the clear information on the cashback website stating that it's not guaranteed / certain things are to be followed. (I.e new customer, no previous quote via aggregator, held policy for certain amout of time etc).

"Unfortunately due to strict confidentiality rules the network will not provide the name of this entity recognised as the last referrer". Could you not ask for them to release this under data protection act? Might have to pay a fee?

Quentin

Axa are the ones who haven't paid out.


They are currently up £80.


If the OP issues a complaint and escalates it and the FOS agree to deal with it, then Axa have to pay £550 to the FOS.


And deal with all the correspondence.


At the end of it, they will be down £550 if the complaint is upheld. Or down £470 if the complaint is rejected. (As well as all the time spent dealing with the issue).


Or they could pay up the £80 they owe direct to the OP and end the matter on receipt of the complaint.


What would be the correct business decision over this?


This issue is discussed on the topcashback thread:


eg https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/64976936#Comment_64976936




If all this fails it has cost the OP a stamp to send in his complaint and (if it is ignored) a free phone call to the FOS.