AA zero transfer fee card is a con from the AA

chrish2015

Well having read about the zero balance transfer fee card- the card known as an AA Bank of Ireland balance transfer card from the AA on this site I clicked on the link to the AA website and filled in and got approved for the balance transfer card with zero transfer fee and zero card interest for 24 months . It said I was approved for the card and did I want to transfer a balance immediately but by the time I found my card to transfer the balance from it had quickly timed out so that was a Sunday evening. I rang the AA credit card people the next day
and they checked my details and said even though I had been told my card was on its way online yesterday my card would not actually be issued until i had signed a paper form which is strange as i had signed a digitally secure signature which followed with a website message to say my card was on the way. I signed the form when it came through the post and returned it in the SAE and finally today- weeks later my card arrived and when I rang to transfer my balance they said there would be a fee and when I said thats not what the AA website said for the balance transfer card they said it was because I had clicked on a link from the Money Saving Expert website and everybody who had done that had not ended up with free balance transfer card- now I'm not stupid about computers
and I traced my tracks and followed the link from this website and it took me to the AA website and the zero balance transfer application which is what I filled in. Now the AA are trying to blame the fact that loads of people have ended up without the zero fee on the third part website link. they said pay the transfer fee and see if customer services would give it back which is not a zero transfer card apparently the AA says it has happened to loads of people who applied for the zero fee card. I am waiting to hear from the complaints if I send the incorrect card they have issued back they say I can't have a new zero transfer fee card for six months so its like a fait accomplit they want mme to pay for something they advertised as free.

The_AA_Company_Representative

Hi chrish2015, we would very much like to help address this. Please email your details to [EMAIL="chat@theaa.com"]chat@theaa.com[/EMAIL] including reference FOR147458 full name and contact number. We look forward to hearing from you. Kind Regards, the AA

chrish2015

I have e mailed the AA have you received it

Superscrooge

I know it's not much consolation to you, but just to redress the balance.

I applied for the AA balance transfer card a couple of weeks ago and within 4 days I had my card, PIN and the balance had been transferred. I think this is the fastest I have ever experienced from any credit card company!

Nationwide are still faffing about asking for forms to be signed and ID to be taken to the local branch.

chrish2015

Well thats great news for you superscrooge but the AA Credit Card department told me today that's its not just me they have sent the wrong card to ie not the balance transfer card that has been applied for but they have done it to loads of people and the only way for people to rectify it was to pay a transfer fee which was supposed to be free and hopefully they would decide to waive it- but getting money back off financial institutions once you have paid it is never easy- also they are trying to blame because I followed a link from this website for everyone getting a card that charges for balance transfers yes I folllowed a link from this website but I clearly once on the AAs website clicked on apply for balance transfer card and got approved for it- so the fault does not lie with third party sites but the AA site- A complete waste of hours on the phone to the AA credit card dept too

adindas

Hi AA Company Representative

Good decision that you are here as you know there are a lot of real people here are using or will be applying for your products.

People think your company is asking unreasonable portfolios of evidence in term of paperworks compared to other banks in the UK, the discussion is here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5358966

Why AA just recognise a few professionals e.g. Solicitor, Accountant, Bank or Doctor to certify the documents while other banks accept professionals with similar standing such as teachers, Lecturers, Engineers, polices, dentists, surveyors, etc. It is hard to convince people that AA/ BOI is more secure or safe than other banks in the UK.

The organisations dealing with terorism which is ultimate to security the UK passports accept professionals with similar standing to certify and/or countersigning the documents.

So it is hard to understand if AA / BOI just recognise a handful number of professionals to certify the documents. Also it is not wise and selfish to suggest the doctor time to certify the documents while they have much more important job to save the people life. Keep in mind the solicitors, accountants will ask about £15 per page of document. The post office might ask £8 per page but £8 per page is still a lot if you count the number of pages that need to be certified.

As you could see from the thread above people are already registered in electoral role, some are even already have other creditcards and/or current AC with OD facility. Other banks are able to identify them electronically through CRAs and from other online databases so people do not need to send the certified documents anymore but why the AA/BOI can not ?

It is good if you visit the thread and clarify and discuss this matter so the people know the reason behind it ?

The_AA_Company_Representative wrote: »

Hi chrish2015, we would very much like to help address this. Please email your details to [EMAIL="chat@theaa.com"]chat@theaa.com[/EMAIL] including reference FOR147458 full name and contact number. We look forward to hearing from you. Kind Regards, the AA

bearcat16

I could be wrong...but I heard that the reason for the extra paperwork etc is because the AA credit card (also the Post Offuce credit card) are issued by the Bank of Ireland, where there are different (stricter) regulatory requirements.

No idea if that's true though, maybe the AA company rep can enlighten us?

adindas

bearcat16 wrote: »

I could be wrong...but I heard that the reason for the extra paperwork etc is because the AA credit card (also the Post Offuce credit card) are issued by the Bank of Ireland, where there are different (stricter) regulatory requirements.

No idea if that's true though, maybe the AA company rep can enlighten us?

There are some people in this forum have mentioned that but no one has ever provided any evidence that this case is applied to other banks in Ireland ....

There are a lot of other banks in Ireland ....

Are they all demanding the same paperwork’s for people who already have bank accounts with OD facility, Creditcard in other banks?

Are they all demading that the documents could only be certified by "Solicitor, Accountant, Bank or Doctor" and do not accept other professionals with similar standing like what the other banks in the UK and UK passport do?

Do not they identify / verify people electronically??

Any link will be very helpful....

If small banks in Ireland which do not have many branches on other cities, I would imagine people will run away if they were asked such kind of draconian paperwork’s that could cost them a fortune before they even get the benefit of that products … Who could argue that a bank will survive without customers

eskbanker

bearcat16 wrote: »

I could be wrong...but I heard that the reason for the extra paperwork etc is because the AA credit card (also the Post Offuce credit card) are issued by the Bank of Ireland, where there are different (stricter) regulatory requirements.

AA and Post Office badged financial services are provided by Bank of Ireland (UK) plc, which is a UK-registered entity with its own PRA registration and operating under UK banking regulations, rather than the Irish company.

http://www.theaa.com/credit-card/index.jsp:

AA Financial Services Limited (AAFS) acts as a credit intermediary and introduces customers to Bank of Ireland (UK) plc only as its exclusive credit card issuer.

AA Financial Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered Office: Fanum House, Basing View, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 4EA. Registered in England and Wales (912211). The AA Credit Card is provided by Bank of Ireland (UK) plc. Registered Office: Bow Bells House, 1 Bread Street, London EC4M 9BE. Bank of Ireland (UK) plc is incorporated in England and Wales (7022885). Bank of Ireland UK is a trading name of Bank of Ireland (UK) plc.

chrish2015

still no action on this from the AA they really are ridiculous

john1002

It's been mentioned but if you send your contract of employment or any document with more than one page then every page has to be certified and wrote on, the post office say they can't certify every page like this especially when it's say 38 pages.

It's never explained why they are the only institution that seems to need this.

John