Money Circle dormancy fee charges

martinajane12

I was gifted money into my account on Circle Pay. It's a bit like PayPal. I had at least £230 in there. I recently went on my email after being severely ill for a long time and I was informed in my emails that Circle Pay has been discontinued and about their dormancy fee. To my shock the company is taking out a yearly fee of £30 for an online account that is doing nothing to warrant them taking any of my money. It's my money not theirs. When I challenged this, as I want my full money back, they said I can withdraw my money minus the fees, once I provide them a mass of information which will take me time to get together due to still being very unwell with the disability called ME / CFS chronic fatigue, which means I have no energy to get everything they require quickly and am mostly house bound, sometimes bed bound (this potentially meaning I get another yearly fee in the meantime! They require lots of forms of ID and information from my bank like the bank number. Don't worry they are not asking for my bank card info). I am not happy to be charged any fees, I think they have no right to do this. I have not been informed of this by postal address (though this is an online service), but communication by email assumes that all customers are going to see this before being charged - I think they hope people like me won't notice because it means they get thousands of pounds for doing nothing.

I challenged Circle Pay and they will not budge. Is there anything I can do, because I think they have stolen my money! So far they have taken at least £60 for doing nothing!

Their response was to say I was told Circle Pay was closing (by email) and that the dormancy fee is for the technical side of keeping my account, which is all nonsense because they are not actively having to maintain it or do anything that warrants a fee.

 It's an online account that when I had it I never paid a penny for it, and it was active then without them feeling a fee was needed. However a fee is charged after they close though my account is sitting there, still the same as it was. To me it's obvious they are just doing this to grab my money freely.

Additionally I have explained to them not everyone sees email they can get missed as was my case / emails also go to junk box / I have chronic health problems and have not checked my emails due to genuine severe illness which I could prove (otherwise of course I would have done something about this 2 plus years ago) / they did not send me adequate notification by soley emailing me assuming that is enough when potential fees are involved.

Additionally I am too ill at the moment to be gathering the information they require so am concerned. I have asked them to put any fees on hold until I can get the information but I don't trust they will help me given their response so far.

I'm really angry they can do this because they have no right. What are my rights please? I have asked CAB but they said, Circle Pay informed me by email which seems reasonable given they are online and gave no way to help further on revoking these fees.

Aylesbury_Duck

What terms and conditions did you agree to when you set up the account?  I suspect they allowed them to charge the fee.  I'd go back and check because if you did agree, then you're going to have a hard time claiming back what seems like a reasonably low annual fee.

I'm afraid I agree with CAB.  It's an online service so it's reasonable they've been contacting you by email.  Were you contacted?  Have you been back over your emails (including spam folders) to see if they emailed you?

jon81uk

Why didn't you withdraw the money years ago? How do I cash out money from my Circle account? – Circle Help Centre

It does cost to run these services, the internet doesn't magically run for free, servers, line rental everything costs money. 

The changes came in over a year ago Circle Pay Dormancy Fee – Circle Help Center

born_again

Aylesbury_Duck said:

What terms and conditions did you agree to when you set up the account?  I suspect they allowed them to charge the fee.  I'd go back and check because if you did agree, then you're going to have a hard time claiming back what seems like a reasonably low annual fee.

I'm afraid I agree with CAB.  It's an online service so it's reasonable they've been contacting you by email.  Were you contacted?  Have you been back over your emails (including spam folders) to see if they emailed you?

Even if they didn't I would expect like PayPal (and their now charging for non use) that they will have sent a email advising of this & the usual if you do not respond in X day we take it you are happy.

IvanOpinion

Why do you think they should offer you a service for nothing?  if you missed emails then that is your fault not theirs.  How would you have liked an ecommerce company to send you information, and did you check to see if they offered alternatives means of communication and request that to be used?
What exactly do you mean by a 'mass' of information?  Usually it is only 2-3 items.  It looks like you have until the end of September to sort this out.

martinajane12

Aylesbury_Duck said:

What terms and conditions did you agree to when you set up the account?  I suspect they allowed them to charge the fee.  I'd go back and check because if you did agree, then you're going to have a hard time claiming back what seems like a reasonably low annual fee.

Were you contacted?  

I don't know the terms, if I had seen anything about closure fees I would not of signed up. Yes I said in the message they contacted me.

martinajane12

IvanOpinion said:

Why do you think they should offer you a service for nothing?  if you missed emails then that is your fault not theirs.  How would you have liked an ecommerce company to send you information, and did you check to see if they offered alternatives means of communication and request that to be used?
What exactly do you mean by a 'mass' of information?  Usually it is only 2-3 items.  It looks like you have until the end of September to sort this out.

Because as I said it's dormant, they are not providing a service that I see, as I said.
I don't think it is my fault completely for the reasons I gave.
I would of liked an e-commerce company to of posted me too for the reasons I gave including not everyone sees an email from them.
I'm not aware of alternative forms of communication offered.
It's a mass of info way more than 3 things, but it's not relevent, point is as I said it is going to take me ages to get together because I'm ill.

How did you work out you think I have till the month of Sept by the way?

martinajane12

jon81uk said:

Why didn't you withdraw the money years ago? How do I cash out money from my Circle account? – Circle Help Centre

It does cost to run these services, the internet doesn't magically run for free, servers, line rental everything costs money. 

The changes came in over a year ago Circle Pay Dormancy Fee – Circle Help Center

Did not withdraw money because of severe illness I did not see the email to say the account is closing and you will be charged yearly.

You mention running costs, I did not think of these. However I'm still wanting my money back because I think they are charging a lot and it's not fair I did not see the email.

Yes I know the charges came in over a year ago which is why I said it is £30 a year and so far they have charged £60.

George_Michael

martinajane12 said:

Because as I said it's dormant, they are not providing a service that I see, 

If they are holding your money in their account, they are providing a service.

martinajane12 said:

How did you work out you think I have till the month of Sept by the way?

Because the next dormancy fee is going to be charged on the 1st October.
Circle Pay Dormancy Fee – Circle Help Center

For Customers located in the United Kingdom or European Union:

A recurring dormancy fee may be assessed on all accounts with a balance on or after October 1st of each year. 

powerful_Rogue

martinajane12 said:

IvanOpinion said:

Why do you think they should offer you a service for nothing?  if you missed emails then that is your fault not theirs.  How would you have liked an ecommerce company to send you information, and did you check to see if they offered alternatives means of communication and request that to be used?
What exactly do you mean by a 'mass' of information?  Usually it is only 2-3 items.  It looks like you have until the end of September to sort this out.

Because as I said it's dormant, they are not providing a service that I see, as I said.
I don't think it is my fault completely for the reasons I gave.
I would of liked an e-commerce company to of posted me too for the reasons I gave including not everyone sees an email from them.
I'm not aware of alternative forms of communication offered.
It's a mass of info way more than 3 things, but it's not relevent, point is as I said it is going to take me ages to get together because I'm ill.

How did you work out you think I have till the month of Sept by the way?

Because it's there on the website.

For Customers located in the United Kingdom or European Union:

A recurring dormancy fee may be assessed on all accounts with a balance on or after October 1st of each year.

davidmcn

martinajane12 said:

jon81uk said:

Why didn't you withdraw the money years ago? How do I cash out money from my Circle account? – Circle Help Centre

It does cost to run these services, the internet doesn't magically run for free, servers, line rental everything costs money. 

The changes came in over a year ago Circle Pay Dormancy Fee – Circle Help Center

it's not fair I did not see the email.

It's hardly their fault that you weren't reading your emails.