Barclaycard dispute and complaints procedure?

batman2000

Quick question, I hope!

I have been in dispute with Barclaycard regarding a charge made to my dear old dad's account (I have power of attorney). Today, the disputes department finally accepted responsibility and agreed to refund the charge. But only if I closed the complaint I raised!

Is this the usual practice?! It feels like they have held me to ransom.

So... I agreed to close the complaint on the proviso that if the refund doesn't materialise (and I've had false promises in the past) then I'll raise another complaint. I also asked for the resolution to be sent to me in writing.

Any thoughts? The refund should take 5 working days, fingers crossed.

[Deleted User]

Sounds right.

You complain, they fix it, you close the complaint.

All good.

batman2000

Thanks

Call me cynical, but I haven't seen the refund yet... they've made false promises on a few occasions, but this is the first time I'd escalated it to a complaint.

I guess I'll just have to wait and see! *patience*

Nasqueron

You can always escalate to the FOS if they muck you around

Weybridge78

Yes, they are keen on closing the complaint (or as some of their representatives called it, a "concern") ASAP.

chattychappy

It mirrors what often happens in civil procedure in the courts.

People can turn up in court and agree a settlement. The judge "stays" the action on the terms agreed (which usually involves one party paying the other a sum of money). If the money isn't paid, then you go back to court and request a judgment which is pretty automatic. Unlike the original dispute where they may have been an arguable case either way, if the settlement terms haven't been complied with, a judgment is easy to get.

Same here. You drop the complaint on the basis of the agreed action. If Barclays don't stick to what they now promise, you will have them banged to rights.

Chino

Weybridge78 wrote: »

Yes, they are keen on closing the complaint (or as some of their representatives called it, a "concern") ASAP.

How do you know this? Are you the OP posting under a different account?

chattychappy

Institutions do have to record and report to regulators information as to how quickly they resolve complaints.

Weybridge78

Chino wrote: »

How do you know this?

I'm a Barclaycard customer and have been for two years. I've raised complaints with them, therefore am using my own experience.

Chino wrote: »

Are you the OP posting under a different account?

This is laughable. I have a life. So no, I am not the "OP posting under a different account." Amazing what contributing to the forum can get you as a response!

batman2000

Sorry for the delay, and thanks for the replies.

No, Weybridge and myself are not the same person!!! I agree with Weybridge though, that Barclaycard are very keen to close the complaint, even before the action has been taken.

chattychappy, I really appreciate your explanation. If Barclaycard had used similar language ('stay' or pause, for instance) then I wouldn't have been alarmed. It was the request to 'close' the complaint and the undisguised laugh when I suggested they shouldn't that irked me!

Anyway, I had another phone call from them yesterday to say that the refund has been made. I haven't checked yet since I don't have online access to the account (long story) but feel hopeful :-).

What a lot of fuss and stress though, for £60. This has been going on since January. Two different advisors initially promised me a refund would be made... then they backtracked, and the disputes team was quite aggressive about it. Then they couldn't 'find' the phone calls to listen to (involving more phone calls and a lot of inconvenience). If I'd been advised in the first place that I wouldn't get a refund, then I would have paid it (begrudgingly, but still paid it). But the lies/misinformation made it a point of principle in the end. And the refund was deserved according to their own online guidance... so, there we are! I'm glad it's over! (Fingers crossed!)

seatbeltnoob

they're not used car salesmen, if they tell you they'll refund then they'll refund. Stop being paranoid.