First direct Balance Protector Premium complaint

Iangb

Many thanks for reading my post.
I started a direct complaint against FD in Dec 15 regarding their balance protector that I thought that I had taken out in 2006. I received a call last week from FD, when they told me that the policy was started in 1993 and continued until I cancelled the card in 2013. I had paid off the balance in 2006 and although I now remember having the premium before then, I tried to cancel it on many occasions, usually when my wife saw the statements. The lady asked me all sorts of questions about what happened back in 1993, most of which I didn't remember. I told her that back then I had a good job with 6 months full and a further 6 months half pay, should I have been unable to work. Both of us worked and we had no kids, so basically I didn’t want, need or ask for it. The lady stated that if I wanted to cancel it, I would have had to inform them by post as you were unable to cancel by just making a phone call. I was told to expect a response within a week.

I received a letter a few days later stating that my complaint had not been upheld as the policy had been sold without advice based on the fact that the premium was shown on my monthly statements and that I was advised of any changes by post. They enclosed a grainy, illegible photocopy of my original signed agreement. FD bid however recognise that they failed to cancel my premium, when asked to do so in 2012 and offered to refund my premiums for that period, to the sum of £340!

I have called first Direct again, to clarify a few points and was told that they had no records of their phone calls or any of my statements prior to 2006 and that all their sales were non advised. I asked if I had to opt in or out to take this premium as the photocopy was so bad. I was told that I would have had to tick the box to opt out. My argument has always been that I do not, ever, remember asking for, or agreeing to take out, this premium and that I actively tried to have it removed. First Directs response seems to be that they have no records of this and that their policy was never an advised sale.

My latest update is that I received a call yesterday telling me that my complaint has been reviewed by a manager and was not upheld again. However, as a gesture of goodwill, I was offered repayment of my premiums from 2006-2012. When I asked what this was based on, I was told that they would refund back to the date that I stated that I first tried to cancel my premium, without any admission of wrong doing. I do not know what the offer is yet but to give some context, I had usually had a balance on my card and only paid it off in full in 2006 and again in 2012. The balance was often up to £5-7k. My last premiums in 2012 were about £60/month.

I’m not sure what to do next and would welcome any advice. Do I push harder with FD directly, as I have agreed to call them when I receive their offer, or go directly to the FO? What do I say to them next time? I am aware that some complaints that span this sort of length of time are substantial and although I’m not desperate for the money, waiting 1-2 years for the FO is not great.

magpiecottage

It is very much your call. However, FOS tends to frown upon having to tick boxes to opt out of things,