Complaint about Barclays

Mizz_Pink

Hi,

I received a letter from Barclays to my old address (parents house), about renewing my card protection policy, which expires end of June. Which I knew nothing about. I phoned the dept and they said the policy was taken out in 1997 on an Electron card. I had a Connect card for years and this £20 a year has been debited from myaccount every year since 1997 when i dont even have an Electron card.
I really want to complain, and try to get this money refunded. Its obvious Barclays isnt communicating with the Card Protection company, as they didnt even have my recent address.
Whats the best way to tackle this? bearing in mind Barclays are not the best company to get through to on the telephone.

Thanks

louise1234_2

What are you wanting to complain about??

Due to Data Protection Act - I doubt barclays would pass your address on to a company you made a card payment to.

Are you unhappy at the policy being renewed?? I suspect most of these policies have auto-renewal in the terms and conditions - very sneaky, but it's likely you have agreed to it. ANd you have seen it coming out every year......

I seems strange they are still taking the payment out on an old card, but they have probably covered themselves somewhere.

Sorry for not being much help, but I suspect you have had agreed to auto-renew this policy, and I'm not sure on what basis you think it should be refunded.

Eliza252

if you got the time go into the bank as a first step and see a personal banker - express your concerns - if they try and brush it off make sure you get an address to write to and complain. Send a letter to barclays and the card protection company - make sure you have as much paper work to hand as possible and that you've read all the small print concerning the matter before you wirte the letter, you want to sound as informed as possible,

It may be as simple as the fact that you ticked a box on your original form without realising the consequences, even if you did you can still complain that you have recieved no paperwork from the company since and this is very bad service!

Tell them that you are prepared to take further action if you are not happy with the reply you a recieve (a refund, that is!). Buy a book of stamps cus it may take more than one letter. From personal experience phone calls are expensive, time consuming and usually fruitless - although you can always give it a try - with barclays you can call their lost and found debit card number which is free and then claim ignorance and ask to be transferred - it doesnt work everytime, but worth a go!

Mizz_Pink

Thanks Eliza for your constructive comments, I have found the phone number for the complaints dept so I am going to try them first and then put it in writing if the recommend I do that.

Louise,
What I am complaining about is, when i originally opened the account in 1994 I was given an Electron card which was then upgraded to a connect card. Barclays , it seems , have not communicated this with the protection company. Also how am i expected to know that this policy needs renewing when all correspondance is sent to an address I havent lived at for 4 years ?
Barclays havent been communicating to the Card Protection company. If i dont make a complaint then Barclays and any other Bank will be free to take money out of peoples accounts for no reason.

Mizz_Pink

Thanks Eliza for your constructive comments, I have found the phone number for the complaints dept so I am going to try them first and then put it in writing if the recommend I do that.

Louise,
What I am complaining about is, when i originally opened the account in 1994 I was given an Electron card which was then upgraded to a connect card. Barclays , it seems , have not communicated this with the protection company. Also how am i expected to know that this policy needs renewing when all correspondance is sent to an address I havent lived at for 4 years ?
Barclays havent been communicating to the Card Protection company. If i dont make a complaint then Barclays and any other Bank will be free to take money out of peoples accounts for no reason.

louise1234_2

It's probably just me, but I don't think your bank should give out your new card details & address to other companies. Even if it is a policy you took out via the bank, it should be your reponsibility to give them new card details & change of address.

I not saying its right, it is very sneaky and underhand that you unwittingly sign up for policies like this, which they renew (or send lettters saying if you don't contact us we will renew).

I really don't think you have cause to complain that they didn't give your card details out to another company. Or your new address. The data protection act prevent them from doing this I suspect.

However I suggest you complain about renewal of policy. The may well say it is in terms and conditions etc, but it is worth explaiing your disatisfaction at the unethical practise.

We have all been caught out on things like this, and for one, know I donlt read the small print as properly as I should.

Mizz_Pink

I have phoned Barclays and to my suprise sposke to a lady who was very helpful and efficient. She said that my account comes with free card protection. She has logged a formal complaint and asked for any premiums that have been paid to be refunded, taking note that the correspondance have been going to the wrong address.

Will hear in 5 days

Cheers

Heinz

Mizz_Pink wrote:

I have phoned Barclays and to my suprise sposke to a lady who was very helpful and efficient. She said that my account comes with free card protection. She has logged a formal complaint and asked for any premiums that have been paid to be refunded, taking note that the correspondance have been going to the wrong address.

Will hear in 5 days

Cheers

I'd love to hear the outcome of this - can you post it on here please?

I'd be even more delighted if it turned out your 'Complaint about Barclays' turned out to exactly the opposite as a result of their service - and you had to ask for the thread to be moved to the '5 Star' Service board!

Lucie_2

Mizz_Pink wrote:

I have phoned Barclays and to my suprise spoke to a lady who was very helpful and efficient.

Noooooooooo! Do you know her name? I'm going to ask for her in person next time I ring Barclays, because 9 times out of 10 they are utterly useless. I try to avoid calling if all possible.

Hope they sort this out for you without too much hassle.

Mizz_Pink

Have heard from Barclays already !!!!!..............just to say thanks for putting in this complaint and they will contact me by 29th June.

Watch this space

dunstonh

What I am complaining about is, when i originally opened the account in 1994 I was given an Electron card which was then upgraded to a connect card. Barclays , it seems , have not communicated this with the protection company. Also how am i expected to know that this policy needs renewing when all correspondance is sent to an address I havent lived at for 4 years ?

I can see where louise is coming from. The card protection company is very unlikley to be a part of Barclays. Therefore they shouldn't advise them of the change of address.

If i dont make a complaint then Barclays and any other Bank will be free to take money out of peoples accounts for no reason

The reason was there. You had this policy, you didn't request to cancel it, the money continued to be paid. You didn't notify them of address change.

When buying products from a bank, you must remember that the provider of these products is often a subsidiary or a third party so once the policy/product is set up, the bank more or less washes its hands of it.

I hope you get your money back, and I believe there is a good chance you will as you have been dual insured and where that happens, one of the providers will refund their premiums (or agree to share cost with new provider). However, just remember next time that the bank account is one thing and the other bank products are something else.