Reclaim Barcays Premier Charges

Barclays_claimant

Hi,

Help and advice required

Just been told on the phone by a Barclays Bank employee that as my Barclays Additions account in the 1990's was upgraded by them to a Barclays Premier account in 2001, my claim against them for any packaged bank products ended from the point they upgraded me!

They have just sent me a cheque for my full Additions account costs for the period it was open, plus statutory interest of 8% per annum, but when I questioned the upgrade to Premier and the subsequent extra account costs, they've told me Premier Account wasn't a packaged account as it didn't come with the extra benefits. My account fee increased from £6 per month to £15 per month for Premier so I don't understand what benefit I would have had from the upgrade if it came with no additional features. I was specifically told at the time by my manager that the Premier Account was for clients whose annual salary was in excess of £75,000 or had £100,000 in savings and that other products would then be available to me if I took up the Premier upgrade i.e. preferential loan rates and an increased overdraft facility. I wasn't earning £75,000 per annum and certainly didn't have savings anywhere near £100,000 so was really surprised they offered Premier as an upgrade on my Additions account in the first place.

My Premier account was open for about 5 years at £15 per month between 2001-2006 but can't remember what the benefits were advertised at at the time.

Can anyone shed some light on this and/or whether it's just Barclays fobbing me off against any further claim? Maybe it was genuinely just an expensive gold edged debit card I agreed £15 per month to?

Thanks.

dunstonh

Just been told on the phone by a Barclays Bank employee that as my Barclays Additions account in the 1990's was upgraded by them to a Barclays Premier account in 2001, my claim against them for any packaged bank products ended from the point they upgraded me!

It is correct that a change in the account type from one packaged account to another packaged account does trigger the 3 year timebar clock. (i.e. you need to complain within 3 years after that change)

They have just sent me a cheque for my full Additions account costs for the period it was open, plus statutory interest of 8% per annum, but when I questioned the upgrade to Premier and the subsequent extra account costs, they've told me Premier Account wasn't a packaged account as it didn't come with the extra benefits.

In which case, they are not activating the time bar. If they were, they could refuse the account complaint as being more than 3 years.

I wasn't earning £75,000 per annum and certainly didn't have savings anywhere near £100,000 so was really surprised they offered Premier as an upgrade on my Additions account in the first place.

Lots of banks did that. It was just part of the marketing. It devalued the the service and caused banks to then introduce a higher level which they then repeated the devaluing again. Gold accounts used to be popular but then had to move to platinum and then black because they kept on devaluing them by giving them to people who strictly speaking didnt meet criteria. That is not a mis-sale reason though.

Can anyone shed some light on this and/or whether it's just Barclays fobbing me off against any further claim? Maybe it was genuinely just an expensive gold edged debit card I agreed £15 per month to?

I dont know the account well but if it is a fee based account with preferential services offered by Barclays then it is not a packaged bank account. In effect, you were paying them for the prestige.

purplehayes

Hi

I think my situation is similar to yours, although Barclays did not try that specific tactic with me. I had a Flexible Option current account until 1996, when they upgraded me by letter (with no alternative) to Additions. Shortly afterwards, they started sending me Barclays Premier bank statements. In 2011 I visited a branch to convert my account to a joint account and they made me upgrade again to Additions Active as the only way to keep my overdraft. In July I complained about both upgrades in one letter

They initially rejected my claim but I refuted their arguments point by point in a letter. They've just sent me another letter upholding both claims and have agreed to pay me about £3300 in charges and interest.

My advice: do this in writing not by phone. Don't rely on any questionnaire (although you should complete it just in case). Dispute each statement they make one-by-one where you disagree. If they argue that the Premier upgrade ends the initial Additions upgrade, complain about both of them in the same letter, and be clear about which you are referring to at each point; they might be a bit vague on this, they were with me. Tell them that you will complain to the Ombudsman if they don't uphold your complaint in full.

I think they have a small number of over-worked people who are cutting and pasting standard text. They will fold in the face of a well argued complaint because they don't want the Ombudsman involved.

I'm happy to send you a copy of my successful letter if you like.

[Deleted User]

purplehayes wrote: »

I think they have a small number of over-worked people who are cutting and pasting standard text.

This is simply not true.

purplehayes wrote: »

I'm happy to send you a copy of my successful letter if you like.

How will that help the OP? Your circumstances are not the same.

There are loads of template complaint letters available already on this site and many others.

Please don't assume that the Banks fold simply because of a well written complaint letter.

stick_lady_love

purplehayes wrote: »

Hi

I'm happy to send you a copy of my successful letter if you like.

I would very much appreciate a copy of the letter if you wouldn't mind sending it to me?

[Deleted User]

stick_lady_love wrote: »

I would very much appreciate a copy of the letter if you wouldn't mind sending it to me?

Since, as a new user, you can't yet send or receive private messages it'a a forlorn request you made.
In addition, I'll just repeat what I originally said in response to that poster's kind "offer"

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

Your circumstances are not the same.

There are loads of template complaint letters available already on this site and many others.

Please don't assume that the Banks fold simply because of a well written complaint letter.