La Redoute sneakily left my credit account open

AliceBanned

Hello


I specifically asked La Redoute to close my account and remove line of credit after paying the account off.


I have just found out today that three months later the account is active (I had agreed to receive marketing materials only) and they have put a credit line of £195 on it without informing me!!:mad:


It is such bad customer service. That affects my credit file. I definitely did not want any catalogue accounts. I perhaps should ask them to remove me from the marketing materials too. I have the discipline not to spend on it but I think they will sneakily offer me credit I don't want again!!

Ben8282

You say that you agreed to continue to receive marketing materials. That suggests to me that there may have been some sort of misunderstanding and that you did not completely close the account as you believe. Contact them again, remove your agreement to receive marketing materials and advise them that you wish to completely close the account.


I fail to see how the continued existence of a catalogue account with a nil balance and an unused credit limit of £195 can be adversely affecting your credit file at this time.

AliceBanned

Well it is one account that I didn't agree to and of course it can adversely affect my credit rating. It's the principle that matters here as well. I clearly requested that they don't offer me a line of credit and I close my credit account. I am closing lines of credit gradually because they do have an adverse affect if there are too many. I'm paying them off and closing them one by one and without informing me they added a new line of credit so I think it is pretty bad actually.


I don't think it was a misunderstanding at all. I think it is their attempt at trying to sell.


They have emailed me and sorted it out now and apologised. But there was no way I could be aware them changing my account without informing me, as I was told only marketing materials would be sent to me. Yes I could refuse to have the marketing materials but I did want to continue with them, not the credit.

Thrugelmir

AliceBanned wrote: »

Well it is one account that I didn't agree to and of course it can adversely affect my credit rating.

Absolutely no reason why is should. Not least that there's no such thing as a credit rating. Lenders will rate you against their own criteria.

Did you close the account in the prescribed manner? Being a contractual matter sometimes a letter needs to be sent.

AliceBanned

In terms of mortgage lenders, having any credit available to me will look like I want it so that I can (potentially) spend it. That is not the way I want to be ultimately nor the way I want to appear. It might not make a massive difference but it will make a difference - it is a catalogue account. Catalogue accounts say something about people's spending habits, right?


No I didn't write to them but when I discussed on the phone they agreed and did not say I needed to do anything more. Poor communication on their part. But they have sorted it out now.


Believe me, I love their clothes - would really like to go and buy some new things and charge it to a catalogue account. But I'm not doing it any more. I am repaying my debts so there is no point borrowing more. It's not a big deal - just that that is my intention and it has not been respected - if it does have consequences for anyone it can only be me, not the company lending to me. I'm not saying they are huge consequences but I am saying added up all my spending habits provide a poor picture at the moment to potential mortgage lenders, and that is what I am trying to change. It's important to me, of course because it is my life.:D

Ben8282

In another thread started less than a month ago you mention 2 defaults, late payments on your Barclaycard and the fact that you are thinking of entering into a DMP. Now you are speaking of mortgage lenders and getting a mortgage.
If you are so concerned about damage to your credit rating, you need to address the other issues and not create a problem over what may well be the only positive thing on your entire credit report!

solentsusie

I agree with Ben8282.

As you state you are a DFW with a current outstanding debt of £10,983 I think this would be of more concern to a mortgage lender than a possible credit line of less than £200.

Good luck with sorting out your debt issues and getting on the property ladder, just send LaRedoute a letter requesting the account is closed.

AliceBanned

I'm already on the property ladder.

AliceBanned

Ben8282 wrote: »

In another thread started less than a month ago you mention 2 defaults, late payments on your Barclaycard and the fact that you are thinking of entering into a DMP. Now you are speaking of mortgage lenders and getting a mortgage.
If you are so concerned about damage to your credit rating, you need to address the other issues and not create a problem over what may well be the only positive thing on your entire credit report!

It isn't about that - as mentioned in my first post it is the principle of it. I am trying to manage my finances the way I think is right. I'm not perfect, but I've not committed a crime I just have debts which I AM dealing with so I didn't come on here for a patronising lecture.


You haven't read my posts properly or understood and it is really a bit nitpicking when people go back over previous posts and start a character assassination when I wrote to make one point about how bad it is to ask for something and for financial organisations to do as they please. You've missed the whole point.


It is not a positive thing to have catalogue accounts, alongside so many credit cards. AS I said, I am slowly paying off all of them. I can't do it overnight.

AliceBanned

solentsusie wrote: »

I agree with Ben8282.

As you state you are a DFW with a current outstanding debt of £10,983 I think this would be of more concern to a mortgage lender than a possible credit line of less than £200.

Good luck with sorting out your debt issues and getting on the property ladder, just send LaRedoute a letter requesting the account is closed.

I can resolve the £200 overnight but what I'm supposed to pay off the rest as well? You also have completely missed the point but then there are people who come on here to be judgmental about other people's problems.

Lemonsqueezer78

AliceBanned wrote: »

It isn't about that - as mentioned in my first post it is the principle of it.
.

Actually you didn't really mention "principles" in your first post. You mentioned them in your second post. The first issue you raised in your initial post was the negative effect on your credit file.

Do you think its possible that it's not people missing the point - but perhaps instead it was just that the point was a little unclear?