Barclays Charges

Mrs24

Hi, I have followed the procedures explained on here to make a claim for charges over the last 6 years. I have today received a response and they have offered me £188. The amount of charges total over £3000. I received a phone call about 2 weeks before x as saying because I haven't used my reserve hardly at all during the last year they do not see I'm still in financial hardship. I have run up credit card bills in the last 2 years instead of using my reserve. Of which I can not pay, I send copies of the credit card statements with a covering letter to explain that's why I haven't used my reserve. There is no mention of these in the letter so I'm now doubting if they received this letter. Can anyone advise me of my next step, do I need to go to the ombudsman now. Or resend my last letter. Many thanks

dunstonh

I have followed the procedures explained on here to make a claim for charges over the last 6 years. I have today received a response and they have offered me £188. The amount of charges total over £3000.

You do realise that the guide here is obsolete and retained for information only?

I received a phone call about 2 weeks before x as saying because I haven't used my reserve hardly at all during the last year they do not see I'm still in financial hardship.

Which is a reasonable response as someone in hardship would be pushing limits or be over limits.

I have run up credit card bills in the last 2 years instead of using my reserve. Of which I can not pay, I send copies of the credit card statements with a covering letter to explain that's why I haven't used my reserve. There is no mention of these in the letter so I'm now doubting if they received this letter.

Have you made a hardship claim to the credit card companies?

Can anyone advise me of my next step, do I need to go to the ombudsman now.

You can go to the FOS now but remember that the FOS have no power to make them pay anything. They just make sure the bank have considered your hardship claim fairly. Financial hardship is based on current hardship (not historic). Hardship actually means hardship. So, if your credit cards are over limits and your overall spending only shows basics and no luxury items then they would normally consider it. If not, then you are going to have a hard time showing you are in hardship.

You rarely get back charges going back 6 years like you think. It tends to be up to the last 12 months or a suspension of current charges for a period of say 6 months. Is the £188 a similar figure to what you have paid over the last 12 months?

Mrs24

The £188 is made up of last years charges £138 and £50 inconvenience payment. Thanks for your reply think I will take the offer from what you've said I'm lucky to get that