Crack the EGG - claim back your Credit Reference Fees!

UK007BullDog

ALL YOU FOLKS WHO RUSHED TO THE EXPERIAN AND CO TO CHECK OUT YOUR CREDIT FILES AND WHO HAD TO PAY FOR THE PRIVILEGE SHOULD COMPLAIN TO EGG AND ASK FOR THE MONEY BACK, IF YOU HAVE A PERFECT CREDIT RECORD.

Why should you have to cough up the cost of checking your credit file because of the falsely worded letter scaring you into checking your credit files? :mad: If you were able to check for free then you are lucky. But most of us here have checked our files some time before and would not be able to use the free report.

So claim it back! Or at least try.

UK007BullDog

bump

Anyone try this as yet?

lisyloo

because of the falsely worded letter scaring you into checking your credit files?

I didn't get the letter but I'd really like to see the wording you refer to.

You time must be very invluable to you if you think it's worth claiming £2 back.

YorkshireBoy

lisyloo wrote: »

...I'd really like to see the wording you refer to.

Both letters (Egg Card & Egg Money) have been reproduced here...

http://www.stoozing.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1201865990/46#46

lisyloo

I'm afraid I can't see any justification to claim back the fee or to get upset.
"account conduct" might siply mean you aren't making any money for them.
I can't see naything that implies something negative about the account holder.

You can of course get free trial from Equifax or Experian if you haven't got them before.
You can get free creditreports from Call credit with https://www.annualcreditreport.co.uk.
You can alos get 2 free Equifax reports with a capitalone card.

Otherwise I'd say getting your reports every 6 months or so ought to be part of your normal financial practice, so I can't see any justifiication for trying to charge Egg.

If you put your time to better use (clean windows, clean someone car) then you can probably earn more than £2 in the timescale you are going to waste complaining, so I'd say do something constructive instead.

YorkshireBoy

lisyloo,

When this kicked off 10 days ago people on here were saying they'd obtained their credit reports immediately, ie they'd paid for the circa £16.95 service - only to find nothing (in their opinion) amiss with their reports.

I think it's this higher fee that the OP is suggesting people reclaim, not the £2 fee for a statutory report. OP, perhaps you could confirm?

lisyloo

I can't personally see the justification for needing that service, but perhaps someone can update us if they try a complaint.

Personally I think they will be turned down flat, but I'd be interested to know if anyone takes it to the ombudsman or through the courts.

YorkshireBoy

lisyloo wrote: »

I can't personally see the justification for needing that service, but perhaps someone can update us if they try a complaint.

Personally I think they will be turned down flat, but I'd be interested to know if anyone takes it to the ombudsman or through the courts.

You know what, lisyloo? I think Egg would reimburse (in the form of a credit to the account) if people made formal complaints.

After all, I'm sure Egg wouldn't want (up to) 161,000 customers escalating their complaints to the FOS...especially since it now looks like they will be investigated by the OFT for the same 'letter'.

CannyJock

I read a post a while back that stated that it costs companies around £ 200 per FOS complaint. Wasn't clear if this was just an estimate on their internal admin costs or if there's some charge they have to pay to have complaints dealt with. Anyone know?

YorkshireBoy

CannyJock wrote: »

I read a post a while back that stated that it costs companies around £ 200 per FOS complaint.

Way out!...

How much is the case fee?

The standard case fee (which we charge for the third and any subsequent chargeable case during the year) is currently £400 (from April 2007).

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/technical_notes/QG1.pdf

lisyloo

.especially since it now looks like they will be investigated by the OFT for the same 'letter'.

I'm glad it's being investigated formally.
I think they could have worded their letter better.

I don't think they would have to pay 161,000 * £400 though.
What tends to happen if there are lots of complaints along the same lines is that there is a "test" case. If that is successful then Egg would probably go by that judgement and pay out without going to the FOS.

I would certainly recommend doing it as I've won 6 times, so the system does work.
I'm still not convinced it's justified over and above the statutory report but then I don't make the decisions, so yes I would advise making things formal if you are unhappy.