Replacement Visa card complaint / compensation

pthompson

Summary:
Nationwide have offered me £100 compensation for the late-delivery of a replacement Visa card, but I don't know whether to push for more.

Detail:
Whilst on holiday in Italy, I reported my Nationwide Gold Visa Card as lost and was told to expect an emergency replacement within 48 hours. It finally arrived 10 days later.

Rather than relaxing on the beach or sightseeing, I waited in each day for the card to arrive and chasing its progress on the phone to Visa International. Every day I was given a different excuse: everything from "the address must be wrong" (no it wasn't!) to "the plane was delayed" (delayed for 10 days???) -- and each time I was assured it would definitely arrive later that day or the following day.

This spoiled my holiday so I complained to Nationwide. They claim their courier, UPS, "found it hard to reach you as you were in a remote part of the country" (I was in a large town in Calabria in mainland Europe -- not in deepest Cambodia!) and have offered me £100 compensation.

I still feel bitter about the spoiled family holiday, and am considering complaining to the Financial Ombudsman Service in the hope of forcing more compensation -- or should I just accept their offer? Anyone had similar experiences? What would you suggest?

Thanks.

Rafter

Who lost the card?

You or nationwide?

Nationwide have offered you £100 and it seems the problem was with UPS rather than Nationwide anyway.

The ombudsman probably wouldn't cover this type of thing anyway.

Really sorry your holiday was 'ruined' but never travel without more than one card or method of payment even if it does mean that you have to pay a few £ in commission for what was after all your accident losing your card.

R.

pthompson

Rafter wrote:

Who lost the card?

You or nationwide?

Yes, it was ME who lost the card -- but the promise of providing a replacement within 48 hours was THEIRS.

If they could have set a realistic expectation from the start, I could have made other arrangements. By telling me to hang-on each day for the courier just made the problem worse.

mountainofdebt

I guess the answer to the question lies in the answer to the question as to who would have been allowed to sign for the replacement card.

If Nationwide would have allowed the reeptionist to sign for it then I guess it could be argued that it was your choice to stay and wait for the card.

If Nationwide would have only allowed for you to sign for it then personally I would be gunning for blood,lol!

pthompson

mountainofdebt wrote:

If Nationwide would have allowed the reeptionist to sign for it then I guess it could be argued that it was your choice to stay and wait for the card.

They insisted that I would have to be there to sign for it personally (and have never claimed it was "my choice" to wait in). Also we were staying at a private residence, so there was no receptionist to sign on my behalf anyway.

mountainofdebt wrote:

If Nationwide would have only allowed for you to sign for it then personally I would be gunning for blood,lol!

So in your opinion I should complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service, then?

FTD

What are the stated terms and conditions of replacement cards whilst abroad?

FTD

HGLTsuperstar

Need to be clear on one aspect, in the T&C is compensation mentioned, if not and this is a goodwill gesture on your ponit, you can take it and shut up or push and get sweet FA. So check first

mountainofdebt

pthompson wrote:

They insisted that I would have to be there to sign for it personally (and have never claimed it was "my choice" to wait in). Also we were staying at a private residence, so there was no receptionist to sign on my behalf anyway.

So in your opinion I should complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service, then?

In that case I would be might miffed although I'm not sure what the financial ombudsman would/could do.

Have you tried contacting their head office - or even trying to find out who the head bod is....I think I would be aiming for the top in this circumstance.

I meant to add in my original post that one of our colleagues regularly has deliveries from UPS and they can never find his address either. Apparently (and I don't know if this is true of UPS in Italy) but he was told that UPS don't use Sat Nav systems but the good old fashioned map...which they get themselves.......

FTD

Doesn't mention much in the T&C's about replacing cards whilst lost or stolen abroad, only that they will take steps to protect the account, however, you 'could' agree to take the £100 and then at some point in the future if further correspondence doesn't get you anywhere claim this is an admission of guilt (in some respect maybe?).

Maybe you could look at your travel insurance and see if you can find a way to make a claim on that somehow as the holiday was ruined without doubt?

FTD