Embarrassed by Barclays

wyebird

MABLE wrote: »

The reason they do not give cardholders advance warning of a limit reduction is because the cardholder may go out and spend up to the present limit. Myself I always check with the card company before making a major purchase.

He'd had it a week and a half!!

wyebird

She, sorry!

Scousebird_2

They asked if you were living on it-where have I heard that before...if you would of answered yes-they would of closed your account and it's not on!

You have been treated appaulingly and the attitude of the adviser is simply not acceptable-you should of got an apology and explanation.

I would send the card back and go with another card provider who isn't going to change your limit whenever they feel like it!

chuckley

wxmlad wrote: »

on a different note, i have a next directory with a card, Next seems to change the credit limit every month, in Jan is was £2000 then in Feb it was £700, currently its £1100. this happens regardless if i use it or not - its very irritating

same happened to me. the most my balance has been is about £150. but every time i purchase they increased my limit till it was £2000. then i didnt use it for months and then I purchased again and noticed my limit was now £1000.

i dont even know why they gave me £2000 anyway. ive never even come close to owing them that much.

Dylanwing

Happened to me about a year ago, and I also nearly got caught buying a car. (There is a lengthy thread on this Forum as I was not best pleased!) It has ended up as a running joke, and Sainsburys just randomly reduce my limit with payments, even from £200 or £250 (Can't remember there have been so many) to £170. On one occasion it triggered an over-limit fee and when I called, I was warned that I might not get these fees back in future. Are customers now required to be psychic?
In your case it clearly is ridiculous as the limit was only agreed 10 days previous, so it will be much harder for them to justify their decision. I do like Bernies idea, as it is only by fighting back that customers will finally get a decent deal. My method was writing letters asking numerous pertinent questions designed to waste their time and resources.
MABLE - I totally disagree with your comment. However you reduce limits there is an element of risk, either that customers increase debt beforehand, or that customers cannot meet commitments as in this case. I think that the former risk is grossly exaggerated, and in any case, Banks are better placed to accept risk than customers - Imagine being caught abroad with no funds to meet a hotel bill. Or with a half-decorated bathroom in my case! Bear in mind that any additional spending incurred after notification is NOT an actual loss, just an extention of a loan that is still attracting a tidy rate of interest.

neverdespairgirl

judybb wrote: »

. I left a deposit and went back today to pick it up, my card was declined. I have necver felt so embarrassed in all my life. I reassured the garage as I knew I had at least £3600 left on my card, I then went to the nearest Barclays bank.

Not much fun, but don't let it embarrass you - why does it matter what a random garage thinks of you?

Locana

Further to the OP, I had just received my barclaycard when I read the post, and randomly kept looking at my detals online to see if they would do the same to me. I too received my card about 1 1/2 weeks ago with a limit of £1600. i bought some goods on the card totalling £505, and then thinking that i wanted to purchase a sofa on it made a payment online to pay the balance off. The limit whilst I was online was still at £1600. Once I paid of the balance of £505 the limit automaticallty reduced to £560!!!!! I was absolutley livid. I rang up barclaycard straight away and they told me that a letter to notify me was in the post that morning!!!!!! Considering the limit was reduced not only 5 minutes prior to the call (in the afternoon) I was MAD!!!!!!!!! I asked to speak with a manager and the person on the phone told me that they were an 'account manager'!!!! LIVID!!! I thought I would try the tactic of cancelling and trying to 'get' them to reconsider and he said that he would cancel it straight away! arrrrrrrgggghhhhh!!! More trouble than its worth.

MABLE

Dylanwing wrote: »

Happened to me about a year ago, and I also nearly got caught buying a car. (There is a lengthy thread on this Forum as I was not best pleased!) It has ended up as a running joke, and Sainsburys just randomly reduce my limit with payments, even from £200 or £250 (Can't remember there have been so many) to £170. On one occasion it triggered an over-limit fee and when I called, I was warned that I might not get these fees back in future. Are customers now required to be psychic?
In your case it clearly is ridiculous as the limit was only agreed 10 days previous, so it will be much harder for them to justify their decision. I do like Bernies idea, as it is only by fighting back that customers will finally get a decent deal. My method was writing letters asking numerous pertinent questions designed to waste their time and resources.
MABLE - I totally disagree with your comment. However you reduce limits there is an element of risk, either that customers increase debt beforehand, or that customers cannot meet commitments as in this case. I think that the former risk is grossly exaggerated, and in any case, Banks are better placed to accept risk than customers - Imagine being caught abroad with no funds to meet a hotel bill. Or with a half-decorated bathroom in my case! Bear in mind that any additional spending incurred after notification is NOT an actual loss, just an extention of a loan that is still attracting a tidy rate of interest.

I was not expecting anyone to agree or disagree with my comment. I just given the reason why card holders are not told in advance.

borntobefree

How horrible - feel really sorry for you...I'd have died of shame...:o Shame on you Barclays....is it the credit crunch? is this what we all have to look forward to:cool:

PROLIANT

wxmlad wrote: »

on a different note, i have a next directory with a card, Next seems to change the credit limit every month, in Jan is was £2000 then in Feb it was £700, currently its £1100. this happens regardless if i use it or not - its very irritating

I know the feeling, I started with a £200 limit then I placed an order for some shoes, they a few days later reduced my limit to £146 without notice, why?