Barclays to Virgin ISA transfer rejected

youngretired

I opened an 5.65% ISA 8 with Virgin on the 1st December and requested my Barclays ISA to be transferred upon maturity which was on the 21st. As nothing had happened today and not having received any notification from either Barclays or Virgin of any problems I rang them. 

I spoke to Barclays first to see if there was any issue with the transfer request and upon the member of staff looking into it, she confirmed it had been declined on the 4th December reason being "Customer had not authorised to transfer", I asked why I hadn't been notified of the decline and she said they just tell Virgin. How have others been notified of the decline, as I know alibean121 said they received a letter online? I have online access and I have received 3 letters recently to do with the account, but no decline letter.

I then spoke to Virgin who confirmed that the reason given for the decline was "Account type not transferable". I explained that it was a fixed and I'd requested it to be transferred upon maturity. I asked why I hadn't been notified and was told that a letter was sent in the post on the 14th, I asked why it wasn't online like all other documents and was told that the ISA Team can only do by post. Why it took 10 days before issuing a letter to me I don't know! No letter has been received by myself and no surprise with how the postal system is.

I was passed onto another member of staff who was apparently in the ISA Team, though they didn't have a clue what they were talking about and had to keep asking their supervisor and I was then passed onto another member of staff. This staff member (customer service again I think) was very helpful and sent a request to the ISA Team to resubmit my ISA transfer, as I am currently away and cannot complete a letter form. Fingers crossed this request will got through and then I will be complaining to Barclays for the lost interest.

gwapenut

> How have others been notified of the decline, as I know alibean121 said they received a letter online? 

Skipton sent a secure message on the same day as the decline. Barclays claim they sent a text asking for authorisation as the transfer amount was large, but they are lying as no text was received and they couldn't explain why they sent a secure document stating that everything was fine.

Does anyone else feel like Barclays are gaslighting them whenever they ring up to complain?

gwapenut

By the way, I know complaints have a time limit of 6 months from date of complaint before referral to the ombudsman. But the person I spoke to 9 months ago gaslit me into not having a complaint raised. An I right in thinking that I have a period of years rather than months after an incident, before I run out of time for instigating a complaint?

masonic

gwapenut said:

Does anyone else feel like Barclays are gaslighting them whenever they ring up to complain?

You'll find several similar stories in the Barclays £175 cashback thread over on the bank accounts forum where people have had problems, tried to complain, and been met with evasive behaviour, in one case an initial outright refusal to accept a genuine formal complaint. Very naughty indeed, and this constitutes a regulatory breach!

gwapenut said:

By the way, I know complaints have a time limit of 6 months from date of complaint before referral to the ombudsman. But the person I spoke to 9 months ago gaslit me into not having a complaint raised. An I right in thinking that I have a period of years rather than months after an incident, before I run out of time for instigating a complaint?

The timescale for referring to the Ombudsman is the earlier of the date of the final response from Barclays, or 8 weeks from the date of your initial complaint (If it could reasonably be interpreted as such, whether Barclays did so or not). The 6 months is the maximum time from date of final response to referral to FOS. If Barclays did not issue you with a letter of deadlock, I do not believe this applies.

You have 6 years from the date you became aware of the issue to bring your complaint.

See https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/expect/time-limits

In the situation you describe, I think I'd be tempted to now go to the FOS and use the date of your expression of dissatisfaction as the date you originally complained. Make their refusal to investigate your concerns part of your complaint and see what they say. They might refer it back to Barclays, with instructions to take it seriously, or they may accept it themselves. Either way, it will probably save you from the frustrations of Barclays CS.

gwapenut

The reason I didn't complain at the time was because, in the end, the ISA was still transferred away within a week or so if its maturity date, which is well within maximum timescales. So I decided not to complain as the end result weakened any of my arguments about the obstructiveness and unconventional nature of their procedures.

The same end result is likely to occur for me wife too, which I believe would diminish grounds for complaint. Which is a shame as I would like to see Barclays to be rapped for introducing so much unnecessary stress and chaos for so many people, time after time.

Skipton mentioned at the time that they routinely had problems with Barclays, more so than many other providers

masonic

gwapenut said:

The reason I didn't complain at the time was because, in the end, the ISA was still transferred away within a week or so if its maturity date, which is well within maximum timescales. So I decided not to complain as the end result weakened any of my arguments about the obstructiveness and unconventional nature of their procedures.

The same end result is likely to occur for me wife too, which I believe would diminish grounds for complaint. Which is a shame as I would like to see Barclays to be rapped for introducing so much unnecessary stress and chaos for so many people, time after time.

Skipton mentioned at the time that they routinely had problems with Barclays, more so than many other providers

The question really is whether this outcome would have resulted if you hadn't jumped in and taken swift corrective action? If the answer to that is no, then you are entitled to be compensated for the extra unnecessary work Barclays has caused you. If every customer held them to this standard, they would soon change their practices.

The FCA has been clear in its objection to barriers being introduced by firms to obstruct customers from taking their business elsewhere, so a complaint would be fully justified in my view.

flaneurs_lobster

I have exactly this transfer ready to go, VM ISA opened and transfer request submitted at time of application. Maturity on 30/12.

I have absolutely no doubt that it will proceed flawlessly, on time with no issues at all.

Or maybe not.

gwapenut

flaneurs_lobster said:

I have exactly this transfer ready to go, VM ISA opened and transfer request submitted at time of application. Maturity on 30/12.

I have absolutely no doubt that it will proceed flawlessly, on time with no issues at all.

Or maybe not.

We look forward to some spleen venting from you early in the New Year

Thanks Masonic, I'll raise a complaint on principle. I'm keen to raise the profile of their behaviour.

xylophone

Skipton mentioned at the time that they routinely had problems with Barclays, more so than many other providers

Hm......I had intended to transfer mine to my Skipton ISA because I have found them so efficient in the past.

Perhaps I should be considering one of my other existing providers - choice of four others but one of them is Virgin.......

gwapenut

xylophone said:

Skipton mentioned at the time that they routinely had problems with Barclays, more so than many other providers

Hm......I had intended to transfer mine to my Skipton ISA because I have found them so efficient in the past.

Perhaps I should be considering one of my other existing providers - choice of four others but one of them is Virgin.......

Skipton have handled it well. They informed me promptly, unlike Virgin. But short of sending a courier down to force Barclays to hand over the money, they can't stop Barclays from inventing new requirements involving interactions from me, not Skipton, for the ISA transfer process.