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

StevenGude

flaneurs_lobster said:

StevenGude said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Dustybee said:

I've just had an email refusal of the bonus as a referred friend.  I already had a bonus from the last referral but had switched out the account so had no current account with co-op at the time of this current bonus.  

Interestingly the referrer refusal email says that 'my friend' has been referred by someone else and therefore they only pay the first referral friend.  Which is a nonsense because there has only been one referral friend on both referrals and they were the same person.

Would be interested if anyone else has had the bonus paid with the same circumstances.  I read earlier in the thread some were trying again as nothing in the T's & C's said this wasn't valid.

Just been bounced too. Co-Op are playing hardball. The only clause in the T&C I can see that is relevant is

3.6 The Recommended Friend is entitled to only one payment even if they switch more than one account to us or if more than one Recommender refers them.

If they take this to mean a payment from a previous offer then I'm bang to rights.

Have you received the payment in this offer period?

My understanding is that the above refers to this offer.

Previous offers, although the same amount, should be considered as separate as they were ended, not paused.

Payment was for the previous offer, was paid 16/01. Can't remember when the current (just ended yesterday) offer started.

The crucial statement you make is "my understanding is....". That's not what the clause says.

They don't refer to any other offer. Just because the payment is the same, doesn't mean they can claim its the same offer. The T&C have materially changed- they have added several terms.

I'm quite happy to test it with the ombudsman. I may lose but I'm happy to give it a go.

Dustybee

flaneurs_lobster said:

3.6 The Recommended Friend is entitled to only one payment even if they switch more than one account to us or if more than one Recommender refers them.

If they take this to mean a payment from a previous offer then I'm bang to rights.

I take the 3.6 clause to mean switching more than one account into the same co-operative current account. Even if you've just opened it.

I think we can all agree that it's open to interpretation and so they have left themselves open to complaints.  

Bridlington1

StevenGude said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Dustybee said:

I've just had an email refusal of the bonus as a referred friend.  I already had a bonus from the last referral but had switched out the account so had no current account with co-op at the time of this current bonus.  

Interestingly the referrer refusal email says that 'my friend' has been referred by someone else and therefore they only pay the first referral friend.  Which is a nonsense because there has only been one referral friend on both referrals and they were the same person.

Would be interested if anyone else has had the bonus paid with the same circumstances.  I read earlier in the thread some were trying again as nothing in the T's & C's said this wasn't valid.

Just been bounced too. Co-Op are playing hardball. The only clause in the T&C I can see that is relevant is

3.6 The Recommended Friend is entitled to only one payment even if they switch more than one account to us or if more than one Recommender refers them.

If they take this to mean a payment from a previous offer then I'm bang to rights.

Have you received the payment in this offer period?

My understanding is that the above refers to this offer.

Previous offers, although the same amount, should be considered as separate as they were ended, not paused.

There's at least 2 people on this forum, myself included who have run into this issue and have complaints with the FOS as a result.

Back in May I was referred to Co-op for the £50. When they launched the first £125 switching offer I switched my Co-op account to Bank of Scotland. I then opened a Co-op current account once the switch had completed and switched a donor account I had laying around back to Co-op.

Once the switch had completed  I had an email telling me I wasn't eligible for the £125 because I had "already benefitted from this offer". I complained and Co-op who told me that they would not give me the £125 because I was classed as an existing customer and therefore ineligible, so a different reason to the one they'd originally given. 

I took the complaint to the FOS back in December and in January received an email telling me that a case handler would be in touch within the next 4 months. 

Either way if my memory serves me correctly there have been several people in this thread who have received £50 during the first Co-op offer, switched out before they launched the first £125 offer then successfully received £125 as well so if you fully switched out before they launched the 2nd £125 offer you should be eligible for £125 again.

It is my opinion based on the above that it is not you having received a refer a friend offer in the past that's causing issues but the definition of an "existing customer", which is not defined in the Ts&Cs. In the original £50 offer it stated clearly:

The Recommended Friend must:
• Not already hold a Co-operative Bank current account of any type as of 1 June 2021

The £125 offers did not include a term like this and thus the issues arise.

Bridlington1

bristolleedsfan said:

StevenGude said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Dustybee said:

I've just had an email refusal of the bonus as a referred friend.  I already had a bonus from the last referral but had switched out the account so had no current account with co-op at the time of this current bonus.  

Interestingly the referrer refusal email says that 'my friend' has been referred by someone else and therefore they only pay the first referral friend.  Which is a nonsense because there has only been one referral friend on both referrals and they were the same person.

Would be interested if anyone else has had the bonus paid with the same circumstances.  I read earlier in the thread some were trying again as nothing in the T's & C's said this wasn't valid.

Just been bounced too. Co-Op are playing hardball. The only clause in the T&C I can see that is relevant is

3.6 The Recommended Friend is entitled to only one payment even if they switch more than one account to us or if more than one Recommender refers them.

If they take this to mean a payment from a previous offer then I'm bang to rights.

Have you received the payment in this offer period?

My understanding is that the above refers to this offer.

Previous offers, although the same amount, should be considered as separate as they were ended, not paused.

It is same £125 offer merely a different offer period.

It is a different offer, merely with the same £125 payout.

grizzlegrizzle

I know someone who was declined a bonus on the basis that 'they'd benefitted from this offer before'. Big gap between closing and opening accounts - definitely closed long before start of new offer period but Co-op seem to refer to all refer-a-friend offers as the same offer. Interested to hear how you all go with complaints. 

Ed-1

Bridlington1 said:

StevenGude said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Dustybee said:

I've just had an email refusal of the bonus as a referred friend.  I already had a bonus from the last referral but had switched out the account so had no current account with co-op at the time of this current bonus.  

Interestingly the referrer refusal email says that 'my friend' has been referred by someone else and therefore they only pay the first referral friend.  Which is a nonsense because there has only been one referral friend on both referrals and they were the same person.

Would be interested if anyone else has had the bonus paid with the same circumstances.  I read earlier in the thread some were trying again as nothing in the T's & C's said this wasn't valid.

Just been bounced too. Co-Op are playing hardball. The only clause in the T&C I can see that is relevant is

3.6 The Recommended Friend is entitled to only one payment even if they switch more than one account to us or if more than one Recommender refers them.

If they take this to mean a payment from a previous offer then I'm bang to rights.

Have you received the payment in this offer period?

My understanding is that the above refers to this offer.

Previous offers, although the same amount, should be considered as separate as they were ended, not paused.

It is my opinion based on the above that it is not you having received a refer a friend offer in the past that's causing issues but the definition of an "existing customer", which is not defined in the Ts&Cs. In the original £50 offer it stated clearly:

The Recommended Friend must:
• Not already hold a Co-operative Bank current account of any type as of 1 June 2021

The £125 offers did not include a term like this and thus the issues arise.

But how can it be? If they received the bonus for switching in the previous £125 offer then they were an eligible new customer then. If Coop are taking this new offer period as being a continuation of the last £125 offer then they'll be an eligible new customer now as well if the date they can't have held a Coop current account is still the start of the first £125 offer.

It must be the fact they've received a bonus for switching before. The implication in the terms is under this offer. If the first £125 offer period is part of the same offer then they are relying on that clause.

Dustybee

What an extremely poor messaging system Co-operative Bank have.

I tried to reply to their original refusal email and it was bounced back as undeliverable.

I then logged on and sent a secure message.  I haven't received a confirmation of receipt and there is no saved messages tab either incoming or outgoing.  If this ends up with the Ombudsman it would have been nice to have the copy of the message exchange.

WillPS

Ed-1 said:

Bridlington1 said:

StevenGude said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Dustybee said:

I've just had an email refusal of the bonus as a referred friend.  I already had a bonus from the last referral but had switched out the account so had no current account with co-op at the time of this current bonus.  

Interestingly the referrer refusal email says that 'my friend' has been referred by someone else and therefore they only pay the first referral friend.  Which is a nonsense because there has only been one referral friend on both referrals and they were the same person.

Would be interested if anyone else has had the bonus paid with the same circumstances.  I read earlier in the thread some were trying again as nothing in the T's & C's said this wasn't valid.

Just been bounced too. Co-Op are playing hardball. The only clause in the T&C I can see that is relevant is

3.6 The Recommended Friend is entitled to only one payment even if they switch more than one account to us or if more than one Recommender refers them.

If they take this to mean a payment from a previous offer then I'm bang to rights.

Have you received the payment in this offer period?

My understanding is that the above refers to this offer.

Previous offers, although the same amount, should be considered as separate as they were ended, not paused.

It is my opinion based on the above that it is not you having received a refer a friend offer in the past that's causing issues but the definition of an "existing customer", which is not defined in the Ts&Cs. In the original £50 offer it stated clearly:

The Recommended Friend must:
• Not already hold a Co-operative Bank current account of any type as of 1 June 2021

The £125 offers did not include a term like this and thus the issues arise.

But how can it be? If they received the bonus for switching in the previous £125 offer then they were an eligible new customer then. If Coop are taking this new offer period as being a continuation of the last £125 offer then they'll be an eligible new customer now as well if the date they can't have held a Coop current account is still the start of the first £125 offer.

It must be the fact they've received a bonus for switching before. The implication in the terms is under this offer. If the first £125 offer period is part of the same offer then they are relying on that clause.

Given their own vocabulary on this is that each offer "ended" on Dec xxth and Feb 28th, I think they'd come rather unstuck trying to make this case.

Dustybee

I've received a reply to my 'please review your refusal' message.

They state "the terms and conditions state you cant have

another incentive as you opened an account with us November 2022 and closed the following month after the initial RAF £125.00 was paid"

As the terms and conditions are not that explicit, the next step is the Ombudsman then.

Bridlington1

If only they'd just given a cut off time as to what counts as a new customer in their Ts&Cs as they did with the original £50 offer. They would have saved themselves, the FOS and many others a heck of a lot of time and effort.