Virgin Money to MBNA More Rewards Balance Transfer

tomski1987

Hi all, just after some help and guidance from any previous experiences.

I've opened a Virgin Money 0% Fee Balance Transfer card to transfer £3500 balance from my MBNA More Rewards Amex/Visa card. Everything that has happened so far is leading me not to trust anything Virgin tell me so hence me posting.

On the original application I requested the BT to the Amex card (as I always see this as the lead card but I guess it isn't really). When the confirmation was received stating card accepted and opened the balance transfer section was blank.

Phoned Virgin to query and told there was no bal tfr requested, asked them to look again and told it was declined due to it not being a UK card... Bit of a peculiar one and confirmed with MBNA themselves that it is a UK underwritten card. Managed to convince the Virgin Money lady that it is a UK card but she couldn't see why it hadn't worked other than the MBNA Amex having 15 digit card number. She also couldn't resubmit it (despite nowhere in the application suggesting there was a problem) until I'd received my card.

By now I'm accruing interest on the MBNA card (something I'm not overly pleased with as paying interest is not moneysaving and I've never paid a penny in my life!... I could clear the card from savings if wanted to).

Received the card yesterday, registered online and resubmitted the request using the MBNA Visa card number, nothing to indicate a problem until this afternoon an email stating the card number was incorrect.

Called up just now, they can't tell me the full number (so it could be my error - I doubt it as I was being super careful seeing as this has been a problem from start to finish!)so suggestion from them is to just resubmit.

Asked him whether it being MBNA was a problem as I've read various things about the historic links between Virgin & MBNA - he confirmed on the phone it shouldn't be and would look after the payment from start to finish.

Sorry for the long post but a couple of questions....

1) anyone with any experience of this transfer either to put my mind at rest or to allow me to make other arrangements asap!

2) if it doesn't work where do I stand... nowhere on their site or in the T&Cs did it state they can't do to an MBNA (if indeed its a problem) nor did the application suggest a problem (in fact I've still yet to have any communication other than me calling up to tell me the first one to amex had failed!) + the lad tonight has said there should be no problem with this transfer (he knows its mbna)... they offer a 'Money Transfer' at 4%, chance of them doing that free as a GOGW? I guess a £140 hit for them is better than a £550 ombudsman fee?

3) Have I been mis-sold if the MBNA piece is a problem as nowhere on the app (which included a bal tfr request) or T&C stated this and I'd have gone elsewhere if I'd known... probably can't now as credit file will show a new £4000 card!

Appreciate your help guys. Thanks

[Deleted User]

You can BT between the two.

There's no case for mis-selling. Even if there was, your refund would only be the amount you paid for the card. How much was that?

tomski1987

Thanks for your reply zx81. Is that based on previous own experience/knowledge?

My case for mis-sell (if indeed there is a problem between Virgin/MBNA) would be that under BCOBS "A firm must provide or make available to a banking customer appropriate information about a retail banking service"

If there is a problem with transferring between the 2 then I've not been given that info at the outset and would have picked a different card from the start... which I probably can't do now as Virgin are on my credit file.... I'm just concerned that after these problems I've read lots about MBNA and Virgin being a problem...

[Deleted User]

The t&cs of the card will typically tell you that you can't BT to a card in the same stable (if there are any). Any other failure to BT will be caused by the other card not accepting the payment, which is outside of the control of the other card. They're not required to list all cards where there may be an issue.

BTs weren't possible previously due the Virgin card being MBNA run - that link has now been removed.

BlondBoy

I had a slightly similar problem with Virgin, trying to BT an Amex balance. Was told their systems can't cope with the 15 digit card number, and to ask Amex for 'their 16 digit MasterCard number'. Which I don't think exists.

Ended up doing a money transfer from Virgin to my current account and paying off the Amex from that. You might want to try that ASAP. But would agree it's not really mis-selling. Just an operational problem with Virgin that means you've had to pay interest to MBNA, sadly.

tomski1987

Thanks BlondBoy... Money Transfer will cost 4% (£140 ()

YorkshireBoy

tomski1987 wrote: »

I guess a £140 hit for them is better than a £550 ombudsman fee?

The £550 case fee isn't charged in all cases...only when the case can't be settled by their frontline staff and it's referred to an adjudicator. Last time I checked, only one in six went as far as that. Can't see your complaint getting that far.

Re the "Amex/Visa" MBNA card, I still have a Virgin Atlantic card account, which comes with two cards...an Amex and a Visa. I always use the Visa card when BTing as that has the usual 16 digits. Is yours the same set up?

tomski1987

Hi YorkshireBoy, yes same set up on the MBNA More Rewards cards

YorkshireBoy

tomski1987 wrote: »

Hi YorkshireBoy, yes same set up on the MBNA More Rewards cards

So why not give Virgin the 16 digit Visa card number?...and split the £140 saving. You can give my share to Charity.

tomski1987

Tried the visa on attempt 2.... thats the one that failed due to 'an incorrect card number'

YorkshireBoy

tomski1987 wrote: »

Tried the visa on attempt 2.... thats the one that failed due to 'an incorrect card number'

Apologies. Missed that in your OP. Since you did that online, maybe call them and get the CSA to try it through their system instead.


Just some reassurance for you...I've made many successful BTs from my VA Visa card over the last 2 years (all done via the phone with probably 6 or 7 different card providers, and some of them twice!), the latest just a couple of weeks ago.