Barclay’s £175 Switch Offer July 2024

dealyboy

@DJDools said:

@SickGroove said:

Any issues signing up, photo id needed / debit card details needed from old account etc?

Yes. Have tried twice now, and failed each time. Despite being a dinosaur and living in my current cave for more than a decade, it says it can't verify my ID (used my driving licence and had to do a video looking to the right and repeating some numbers) and that I have to visit a branch, which I am unable to do. (And don't want to, frankly.)

... me too ... tried several times on Tuesday (9th Jul) with my driving licence for my ID. Each time after the photo/video/audio/numbers live check I got 'Document not accepted' 'We're sorry but we can't accept this document. Please try again with a different ID'. I don't have any other (passport or the biometric ID) ... and that's where my problems began.

The only option available was 'I do not have ID', this presented a list of documents for personal ID and one for address verification. I chose my state pension award letter for 2024/2025 for the ID as it is a 'benefit' and my council tax assessment letter for my address. Note: These were the only two documents that I could use as the lists included 'paper driving licence' (abolished in 2016), bills, statements and obscure documents ... of course I don't receive paper bills or statements. I then arranged an appointment in branch.

The app said I should call a specific number to make the appointment (it is the customer service number for customers with account details) and to bring 'Photo id' and 'Proof of your UK address'. I went with my driving licence and the two documents. I was photographed alongside my driving licence and the documents were photocopied, a new Know Your Customer (KYC) profile was created for my Barclaycard (I was not asked) and I was able to continue in the app. I entered my monthly and annual income upon which I was referred to a branch, I was advised my application had been declined for reasons unknown.

Subsequently I have been refused the return or destruction of the photocopies of my documents which have been uploaded to Barclays systems and the details (including my NINO) have been incorporated into the KYC profile, this profile may be used for sales purpose. The documents, I understand, will be destroyed after 6 years. This is of course despite the fact I have no accounts with Barclays, or products apart from the Barclaycard. I have been told by Barclays that this is correct and is a regulatory requirement.

I raised a complaint on Wednesday (10th), but was informed yesterday (12th) that this actually had only been a 'concern' and had been closed after 24 hours. I have raised a new complaint, including the unexpected closure, and expect a call from a complaints handler.

I didn't expect such problems and issues. I am not a Barclays customer, I have a driving licence and have an excellent credit file. The website states that a photo driving licence is acceptable as proof of ID and there needs to be 3 years proof of address which can be uploaded if applying online, it states that this will be used solely for verifying the address. I don't know whether an address document is needed if applying in the app. As I have ID (driving licence) the state pension document should have been disregarded, it having been brought in only because I was forced to choose the 'I don't have ID' option.

Ironically the one thing I am not disgusted by is the the fact that I have been declined, it is probably an error but that is a matter for them. If a bank does not want a customer (for commercial reasons maybe) that is a matter for them.

gerrard88

Can you remove the rewards account before sept?

PowerSavingMode

dealyboy said:

@DJDools said:

@SickGroove said:

Any issues signing up, photo id needed / debit card details needed from old account etc?

Yes. Have tried twice now, and failed each time. Despite being a dinosaur and living in my current cave for more than a decade, it says it can't verify my ID (used my driving licence and had to do a video looking to the right and repeating some numbers) and that I have to visit a branch, which I am unable to do. (And don't want to, frankly.)

... me too ... tried several times on Tuesday (9th Jul) with my driving licence for my ID. Each time after the photo/video/audio/numbers live check I got 'Document not accepted' 'We're sorry but we can't accept this document. Please try again with a different ID'. I don't have any other (passport or the biometric ID) ... and that's where my problems began.

The only option available was 'I do not have ID', this presented a list of documents for personal ID and one for address verification. I chose my state pension award letter for 2024/2025 for the ID as it is a 'benefit' and my council tax assessment letter for my address. Note: These were the only two documents that I could use as the lists included 'paper driving licence' (abolished in 2016), bills, statements and obscure documents ... of course I don't receive paper bills or statements. I then arranged an appointment in branch.

The app said I should call a specific number to make the appointment (it is the customer service number for customers with account details) and to bring 'Photo id' and 'Proof of your UK address'. I went with my driving licence and the two documents. I was photographed alongside my driving licence and the documents were photocopied, a new Know Your Customer (KYC) profile was created for my Barclaycard (I was not asked) and I was able to continue in the app. I entered my monthly and annual income upon which I was referred to a branch, I was advised my application had been declined for reasons unknown.

Subsequently I have been refused the return or destruction of the photocopies of my documents which have been uploaded to Barclays systems and the details (including my NINO) have been incorporated into the KYC profile, this profile may be used for sales purpose. The documents, I understand, will be destroyed after 6 years. This is of course despite the fact I have no accounts with Barclays, or products apart from the Barclaycard. I have been told by Barclays that this is correct and is a regulatory requirement.

I raised a complaint on Wednesday (10th), but was informed yesterday (12th) that this actually had only been a 'concern' and had been closed after 24 hours. I have raised a new complaint, including the unexpected closure, and expect a call from a complaints handler.

I didn't expect such problems and issues. I am not a Barclays customer, I have a driving licence and have an excellent credit file. The website states that a photo driving licence is acceptable as proof of ID and there needs to be 3 years proof of address which can be uploaded if applying online, it states that this will be used solely for verifying the address. I don't know whether an address document is needed if applying in the app. As I have ID (driving licence) the state pension document should have been disregarded, it having been brought in only because I was forced to choose the 'I don't have ID' option.

Ironically the one thing I am not disgusted by is the the fact that I have been declined, it is probably an error but that is a matter for them. If a bank does not want a customer (for commercial reasons maybe) that is a matter for them.

It really isn't good enough for a so-called professional outfit of its size. Having Googled for fun, I see this is not a recent issue. We were perhaps the unlucky (?) ones. Who knows. Like I said, I can't go to a branch, so it's bye from me. 

PowerSavingMode

gerrard88 said:

Can you remove the rewards account before sept?

The switch reward offer is incumbent of having the Blue Rewards added, but it seems you can always ditch Blue Rewards once you have received the switching bonus, or if you don't want the bonus.

CompulsiveSaver

Out of interest, can you just ring them up and ask if you have had a current account with them in the past?

I have transferred current accounts so many times I can't remember all the current accounts I have had, more recently I have taken notes on opening dates as many are adding the last bonus date. I had Barclays accounts many years ago, but the only thing that sticks in my mind is that when a regular saver matured (it had a recent rate), I went into branch to get the maturity balance and the bank clerk got in to a big strop that I didn't want to put the maturity sum into their other accounts.

paul_c123

I raised a complaint on Wednesday (10th), but was informed yesterday (12th) that this actually had only been a 'concern' and had been closed after 24 hours. I have raised a new complaint, including the unexpected closure, and expect a call from a complaints handler.

Interesting that they didn't identify and action the complaint first time - this is a big red flag for the FOS. And yes, a non-customer can raise a complaint. 

dealyboy

@paul_c123 said:

I raised a complaint on Wednesday (10th), but was informed yesterday (12th) that this actually had only been a 'concern' and had been closed after 24 hours. I have raised a new complaint, including the unexpected closure, and expect a call from a complaints handler.

Interesting that they didn't identify and action the complaint first time - this is a big red flag for the FOS. And yes, a non-customer can raise a complaint. 

Thanks Paul. I must admit it was a bit of a surprise to me yesterday when I phoned to add a complaint and was advised that the original complaint (10th) had not been a complaint. Well it was a complaint to me, the advisor registered it as a complaint reading it back to me, gave me a reference number and advised me I would receive a letter. This is the first I've heard of raising a complaint as a 'concern' with anyone.

The 'complaints' advisors I have spoken to seem to be novice generalists, one had been there three months, one two months and the one who took a second separate complaint on Thursday 11th, two weeks. The latter took 1h 40m and several times put me on hold to speak to the 'experts team', a repository of experienced people, but does appear to have done a good job. This complaint was added to on the 12th. I now have access to a proper complaints team on a special number, these are 2nd level specialists who deal with escalations of complaints. My complaint is being dealt with at a high urgency level as it is considered a GDPR matter, so a complaints handler will phone me in a couple of days and I will receive a letter, apparently standard complaints are answered by letter in up to 30 days.

I spoke to the Information Commissioner's Office on the 10th and received excellent advice, they offered to raise a complaint for me with the following points ...
- Barclays have the required photographic ID (driving licence)
- The application was declined and I am not a customer
- If a new profile had been required for the Barclaycard why had I been able to use it with no issues and no request had been received to update my profile
- If the regulations stated that my confidential documents had to be held, I should be provided with a paragraph reference to the applicable one
- There must be a legal basis for processing personal information
... I said I would give an opportunity to Barclays by raising a complaint with them first.

I am seeking to have the photocopied documents returned or destroyed with a written statement to that effect. I am also seeking to have my KYC profile removed and the previous Barclaycard profile reinstated.

I must say I think there must have been a typo in MSE's service rating of Barclays Bank as 30% 'great', maybe accidentally hitting the '3' key.

IAMIAM

Am I right in thinking if you apply for the premier account and get accepted you dont need to have the blue rewards to get the switch offer....

HillStreetBlues

IAMIAM said:

Am I right in thinking if you apply for the premier account and get accepted you dont need to have the blue rewards to get the switch offer....

Correct.††††††††††††††††††††††††

PowerSavingMode

IAMIAM said:

Am I right in thinking if you apply for the premier account and get accepted you dont need to have the blue rewards to get the switch offer....

Seems so:

"It’s only available to new customers who download the Barclays app and use it to either:

• Open a sole Barclays Bank Account and join Blue Rewards (eligibility, conditions and a £5 monthly fee applies) or
• Open a sole Premier Current Account (terms, conditions and eligibility requirements apply)"