Co-operative Refer a Friend Switching Offer £125 (Nov 2022)

pfpf

i'm one who got the offer last time and was very tempted to move and reapply when it came back, wish i'd switched out straight away last time but didn't expect the offer back so quickly.
i'll keep mine and switch the OH out for next time then at least i have a chance being able to refer someone.

IanManc

soulsaver said:

bristolleedsfan said:

soulsaver said:

WillPS said:

AmityNeon said:

soulsaver said:

I've had a Co op ac for years.

However I've now opened a new account with them and intend to do a switch in. I'm hoping to get a referral bonus even though I'm an existing customer as IMO the terms do not exclude this.

I fully expect an argument from them, which equally I fully expect to win.

Anybody else tried? Failed or succeeded? 

There's an ongoing FOS case from when they refused to pay their previous incentive. If you hold a Co-op current account on or after the offer start date, they will not consider you a new customer even if you close the account before applying again. Their terms are vague and sloppy, hence the FOS involvement.

I think @soulsaver seems to believe they're eligible despite already holding an account, which I think they're on a hiding to nothing on since it's pretty clear in their terms that these are excluded.

I agree the case of closing any accounts and shortly after opening a new one is not adequately excluded as the terms are written. Frankly I'm not minded to try it on since the opportunity cost of not having an account to refer people to, even temporarily, is rather higher than the reward from proving a point via the FOS.

Where does it say in the terms that you can't already be a customer?

Crystal clear  "Recommended Friend "To qualify for this offer as an eligible new customer you must" .....

It doesn't say those words in the terms. 

It does say those exact words in the terms.

Section A Clause 2 of the terms begins "To qualify for this offer as an eligible new customer you must:" and then it goes on to list the requirements that the new customer who is recommended as a friend must comply with.

https://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/assets/pdf/bank/currentaccounts/refer-a-friend-terms-and-conditions.pdf

When this is absolutely explicit in the terms and conditions it is a complete nonsense to argue that a new customer doesn't need to be a new customer.

bristolleedsfan

soulsaver said:

bristolleedsfan said:

soulsaver said:

WillPS said:

AmityNeon said:

soulsaver said:

I've had a Co op ac for years.

However I've now opened a new account with them and intend to do a switch in. I'm hoping to get a referral bonus even though I'm an existing customer as IMO the terms do not exclude this.

I fully expect an argument from them, which equally I fully expect to win.

Anybody else tried? Failed or succeeded? 

There's an ongoing FOS case from when they refused to pay their previous incentive. If you hold a Co-op current account on or after the offer start date, they will not consider you a new customer even if you close the account before applying again. Their terms are vague and sloppy, hence the FOS involvement.

I think @soulsaver seems to believe they're eligible despite already holding an account, which I think they're on a hiding to nothing on since it's pretty clear in their terms that these are excluded.

I agree the case of closing any accounts and shortly after opening a new one is not adequately excluded as the terms are written. Frankly I'm not minded to try it on since the opportunity cost of not having an account to refer people to, even temporarily, is rather higher than the reward from proving a point via the FOS.

Where does it say in the terms that you can't already be a customer?

Crystal clear  "Recommended Friend "To qualify for this offer as an eligible new customer you must" .....

It doesn't say those words in the terms. 

https://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/assets/pdf/bank/currentaccounts/refer-a-friend-terms-and-conditions.pdf

soulsaver

It (still) doesn't say you have to be a new customer: It is telling you how to qualify. What they want to call that qualification is their prerogative. The words are telling how they define an 'eligibity'; calling it a 'new customer eligibility' doesn't change that.

From the words. if you satisfy 1,2,3 & 4 - you're an 'eligible new customer' to them according to the terms, whether you've held an account before, during or not.

If they meant - "You must be a new customer on or after the commencement date of this offer" that's what they should put. 

And they've had a 2nd chance to clarify it at it and didn't choose to.

IanManc

soulsaver said:

It (still) doesn't say you have to be a new customer: It is telling you how to qualify. What they want to call that qualification is their prerogative. The words are telling how they define an 'eligibity'; calling it a 'new customer eligibility' doesn't change that.

From the words. if you satisfy 1,2,3 & 4 - you're an 'eligible new customer' to them according to the terms, whether you've held an account before, during or not.

If they meant - "You must be a new customer on or after the commencement date of this offer" that's what they should put. 

And they've had a 2nd chance to clarify it at it and didn't choose to.

No. The terms and conditions clearly state that they apply to a new customer and then set out what the new customer needs to do to get the offer.

The requirements which a new customer has to comply with to get the offer are not a definition of a new customer.

Stop digging.

On the upside, at least you're not still insisting that "It doesn't say those words in the terms" in relation to "To qualify for this offer as an eligible new customer you must" when the words clearly are in the terms for everyone to see. That at least is progress.

soulsaver

The exact words I referred to are that you have to be a new customer. It doesn't say that. Arguing that it does is the waste of time.

WillPS

Utterly meritless. Given you've benefitted to the tune of at least £750 from 'the other end' of this offer it blows my mind that you'd stick two fingers up to them in such a way.

IanManc

soulsaver said:

The exact words I referred to are that you have to be a new customer. It doesn't say that. Arguing that it does is the waste of time.

The webpage outlining the offer which provides the link to the terms and conditions clearly states:

 "To be eligible for the offer, the person you’re referring must:

• Not have a Co-operative Bank current account of any type.....".

This means that the person referred must be a new customer. It says this immediately above the link to the terms which repeat that the offer applies to a new customer, and gives the conditions the new customer needs to adhere to in order to be eligible for the offer.

The terms and conditions say that to take advantage of the offer you need to be a new customer, and then sets out what that new customer needs to do to get the offer. 

Which part of "new customer" do you think means "existing customer"?

The webpage and terms and conditions are explicitly clear and do not bear any interpretation that existing customers are new customers.

First you denied that the words were in the terms and conditions at all when they clearly are, and now you appear to be saying that references to "new customer" don't mean "new customer".

You cannot win this argument because the whole forum can see the webpage and the terms, and that they don't say what you are pretending they say. I really hope you take this to the Ombudsman because he could probably do with a laugh.

Ed-1

IanManc said:

soulsaver said:

The exact words I referred to are that you have to be a new customer. It doesn't say that. Arguing that it does is the waste of time.

The webpage outlining the offer which provides the link to the terms and conditions clearly states:

 "To be eligible for the offer, the person you’re referring must:

• Not have a Co-operative Bank current account of any type.....".

This means that the person referred must be a new customer. It says this immediately above the link to the terms which repeat that the offer applies to a new customer, and gives the conditions the new customer needs to adhere to in order to be eligible for the offer.

The terms and conditions say that to take advantage of the offer you need to be a new customer, and then sets out what that new customer needs to do to get the offer. 

Which part of "new customer" do you think means "existing customer"?

The webpage and terms and conditions are explicitly clear and do not bear any interpretation that existing customers are new customers.

First you denied that the words were in the terms and conditions at all when they clearly are, and now you appear to be saying that references to "new customer" don't mean "new customer".

You cannot win this argument because the whole forum can see the webpage and the terms, and that they don't say what you are pretending they say. I really hope you take this to the Ombudsman because he could probably do with a laugh.

It's clear from the webpage that a new customer can't have a Coop current account already. But what's not clear is whether someone who previously held a Coop current account at an earlier date now qualifies as a new customer, and whether there is a cut-off date of the start of the offer.

AmityNeon

They will refuse to pay the incentive if you already hold a Co-op current account, final response/decision. This also applies if you held a Co-op current account on or after the offer start date and subsequently closed it before applying for a new current account.

These are part of their 'behind-the-scenes' terms.

Raise a complaint to the FOS.
Hope you win.
End of story.