Fluid credit card charging interest over 0% period

investme

Hi
Firstly, I know - not the best lender, currently on a mission to clear my CC debt and my score was low when I applied - 9 months break on interest was better than none.

Anyway, that aside I applied and was accepted for a card back in September with a 9 month 0% offer. I balance transferred immediately on receiving the card and was away. 
The next bit is my own fault for not checking sooner, but I logged in today and actually paid attention for the first time to find they've not applied the 0% promotion and have been charging me 34% interest since day 1! 

As it happens, I have some cash I was just about to use to clear this anyway so i've just paid it off to avoid any further charges. I've dropped them a secure message to explain and request an immediate refund of all charges. Does anyone else have any experience with fluid? Are they going to try and screw me over here? I have my credit agreement in front of me which clearly says 0% for 9 months.

I had a similar issue with Lloyds recently, where I waited until the end of a promotional offer as dated on a statement before balance transferring to avoid interest. When the statement came in, they had cleared the lowest interest portion first and left the highest one. The exact opposite of what their T&Cs state. Fortunately they did resolve this for me, but Lloyds are Lloyds... not fluid. 

Thanks

[Deleted User]

investme said:

Hi
Firstly, I know - not the best lender, currently on a mission to clear my CC debt and my score was low when I applied - 9 months break on interest was better than none.

Anyway, that aside I applied and was accepted for a card back in September with a 9 month 0% offer. I balance transferred immediately on receiving the card and was away. 
The next bit is my own fault for not checking sooner, but I logged in today and actually paid attention for the first time to find they've not applied the 0% promotion and have been charging me 34% interest since day 1! 

As it happens, I have some cash I was just about to use to clear this anyway so i've just paid it off to avoid any further charges. I've dropped them a secure message to explain and request an immediate refund of all charges. Does anyone else have any experience with fluid? Are they going to try and screw me over here? I have my credit agreement in front of me which clearly says 0% for 9 months.

I had a similar issue with Lloyds recently, where I waited until the end of a promotional offer as dated on a statement before balance transferring to avoid interest. When the statement came in, they had cleared the lowest interest portion first and left the highest one. The exact opposite of what their T&Cs state. Fortunately they did resolve this for me, but Lloyds are Lloyds... not fluid. 

Thanks

0% on what?  Purchases?  Balance Transfers? Money Transfers? Have you only transferred a balance to the card, you haven't used it for any purchases?

SnowTiger

investme said:

I applied and was accepted for a card back in September with a 9 month 0% offer. I balance transferred immediately on receiving the card and was away. 
The next bit is my own fault for not checking sooner, but I logged in today and actually paid attention for the first time to find they've not applied the 0% promotion and have been charging me 34% interest since day 1!

  Have you been making (at least) the minimum payment every month?

[Deleted User]

Banks have to apply funds in a way to help you best - for 2 balance transfers, even if one has 30% and one has 15%, if the 15% one runs out in 6 months and the 30% one in 9 months, they will apply the funds to the 6 month one first to clear that to prevent you paying interest on that. Did you pay minimum (or more) every month to clear the balance? The normal reason they will cancel a promo rate is not paying the minimum or paying late

investme

Sorry should have been clearer. One balance transfer, the 0% on the agreement is 9 months for balance transfers. Always on time with payments. No other spending has occurred. It seems to be a common issue if you look on trust pilot, every other review says the same. Here is one of their responses. It looks like they just try their luck and hope people don't notice.

Reply from Fluid

12 Dec 2020

Hi Jess,

Sorry to hear that your have being charged interest on the account when it is meant to be 0%.

It sounds like the balance was placed onto your interest barring plan incorrectly on the account and this is why interest is being added. We do always offer 0% with a new account so this should not be happening with you.

Please give us a call so that this can be raised and we can place the balance onto the correct 0% plan and remove any interest if needed.

Take care,
Raine

[Deleted User]

Looks like you just need to give them a call and they'll sort it. 

They're not 'trying their luck'.

investme

Just done that. Apparently it's happening a lot - I know 'trying their luck' is a bit cynical, but looking at reviews it's not a new thing. Anyway, not relevant.

They are refunding the payment I made (at my request) so I can continue to use the 0% offer and use the cash to clear higher rate debt which was my original intention before I panicked and cleared the whole balance. Plus crediting my account balance with the interest and I have requested a formal complaint be raised. If anyone else is having this issue don't let it slide. 

lanarkshire

Did you ever get a telephone or email contact to escalate a dispute with Fluid?

I am unable to balance transfer due to their "technical issues" and Fluid are being no help to resolve this.