Charged Interest on 0% interest card - Amex

D3xt3r5L4b

jbarns said:

D3xt3r5L4b said:

Calling people’s trolls and keyboard warriors because you don’t like or agree with their (factually correct) answers won’t bode well for you on here either. Or elsewhere for that matter. 

I'm pretty certain calling the trolls and keyboard warriors, trolls and keyboard warriors, will make no difference whatsoever.  But thank you for your insight...

It still won’t change the correctness of their answers 

cymruchris

I don’t work for American Express. Just sharing a view. Something you’ve come here for. You don’t agree with the views shared. That’s fair enough. I think my view is a fairly sensible response to the situation you’ve presented - but if you don’t agree that’s ok. Continue with your action, and then pop back here in a few months and let us all know how you got on. 

adamp87

It’s possible where you were entering details before was perhaps an ID check maybe and not a DD Mandate?

Check with your bank they have any record of DD otherwise if you haven’t any letter confirmations/emails (which you do with DD usually) I think you’ll lose your case, especially as they’ve had an internal complaint addressed against you.

Thats what I would advise, as there’s no proof either way and as it stands the terms & conditions of the interest were broken hence the fee. If you can find proof of the direct debit instruction/confirmation then you’ll have a case.

I think Court you’d lose to be honest & would be a waste of time & money.

Keep us updated how you get on with the bank though

Voyager2002

I had a comparable experience with a different outcome...

The Amex website is confusing, so I was sure that I had set up a direct debit. Anyway, the payment was not taken and so I had forfeited my right to the interest-free offer. I telephoned, was polite, and they reinstated the offer.

In this case: had the first payment remained unpaid then the customer would clearly have been in breach and there would have been no question of retaining the offer. Since the payment is on the record it is very clear that the 'phone call was made, and it is probable that if the customer had asked politely the offer would have been reinstated (which is what the poster recalls). It is possible that the agent promised this but was negligent or over-worked and so the promise was never actioned.

It is hard to believe that the customer would have continued paying only the minimum if he knew that interest was being charged, suggesting that the agent did indeed promise to reinstate the offer. However, it is equally hard to believe that he did not check for an entire year.

Anyway, taking something such as this to court would be a good way to lose a lot more money.

jbarns

That's interesting Voyager2002.  In addition to what you are saying and as I have already said in this thread, I had asked the agent whether this would affect me and he had said it wouldn't.  This call recording has been lost, how convenient! In addition and what I hadn't mentioned, there is a late payment charge showing on the statement as well as a late payment charge refund. Just one point on court, which I will do if I don't get anywhere with the ombudsman.  County court is geared to the layman, it's actually quite cheap as long as you represent yourself.  I've used this vehicle before and had success.

jbarns

adamp87 (especially as they’ve had an internal complaint addressed against you.)
What do you mean by this comment?

D3xt3r5L4b

jbarns said:

That's interesting Voyager2002.  In addition to what you are saying and as I have already said in this thread, I had asked the agent whether this would affect me and he had said it wouldn't.  This call recording has been lost, how convenient! In addition and what I hadn't mentioned, there is a late payment charge showing on the statement as well as a late payment charge refund. Just one point on court, which I will do if I don't get anywhere with the ombudsman.  County court is geared to the layman, it's actually quite cheap as long as you represent yourself.  I've used this vehicle before and had success.

You can’t go to the FOS until you have exhausted Amex’s complaints procedure and get a letter of deadlock. 

born_again

jbarns said:

  This call recording has been lost, how convenient! In addition and what I hadn't mentioned, there is a late payment charge showing on the statement as well as a late payment charge refund. Just one point on court, which I will do if I don't get anywhere with the ombudsman.  County court is geared to the layman, it's actually quite cheap as long as you represent yourself.  I've used this vehicle before and had success.

Just to give you a idea on call recordings. They are not kept for any length of time. Most banks have a fixed amount of space dedicated to them. So more call's & longer call's = shorter time they are kept.
Given the pandemic and if Amex are like the rest of the banks. They will be lucky if they have any left for last year. Some might not even Have Jan or Feb left from this year.
Calls are not kept for 6 years like physical data.

adamp87

jbarns said:

adamp87 (especially as they’ve had an internal complaint addressed against you.)
What do you mean by this comment?

Sorry I didn’t make myself at all clear there, one word too many haha.

I meant that as they’ve already knocked back your complaint 

jbarns

Did he?  Oh well I guess you're right.  haha I think they need to take his picture down from the top of the site then...