MSE News: Millions won't get advertised rates as EU weakens protection

Former_MSE_Guy · 13 January 2011 at 12:39PM

This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

"The present commitment lenders make to offer their best rates to at least 66% of accepted customers will fall to 51% ..."

Read the full story: Millions won't get advertised rates as EU weakens protection

oakhouse13 · 13 January 2011 at 1:26PM

Consumers with any sense do not want credit cards.

For those who do want them, we should go back to fees so the person using the facility pays for it instead of poor people who cannot pay off their credit card balance.

somethingcorporate · 13 January 2011 at 2:26PM

oakhouse13 wrote: »

Consumers with any sense do not want credit cards.

Why? Given it gives you so much more protection for purchases.

Do you mean that consumers do not want debt sat on credit cards? if you do then I agree with you, unless it is on a low L.O.B rate or interest free.

harryhound · 13 January 2011 at 4:01PM

I am pretty sick of being [STRIKE]ruled[/STRIKE] over ruled from Brussels on triviality like this.
I'm pretty sick of the divide and rule system, as it it it is difficult to work out if a matter is Parish Council, District council, County council, MP in Westminster but at least I can go and complain in person to my representative on the above tax raising bodies.
I don't even know who my Euro MP is and I very much doubt he/she would know anything about this - I am also absolutely sure they would not be able to do anything about it as they have become embedded in the bureaucracy.
We are already paying HALF out national income to the above bodies so they can employ bureaucrats and bribe us with our own money - for what?

Ken68 · 14 January 2011 at 9:16AM

It's about harmonisation Harry. We need to have a united front to be able to deal with USA China etc. Otherwise it is these big countries that will divide and rule us.
About the only use I have for a credit card is the protection it affords as mentioned by Something.

~Brock~ · 14 January 2011 at 9:49AM

The sensationalist headline given to this non-story is typically laughable.

The Consumer Credit Directive, as the above poster rightly points out, is all about harmonising credit laws throughout the EU. What many people, and certainly the writer of this story, seem to miss is that for every UK law that has been relaxed slightly there are several others that have been tightened up in favour of the consumer. Overall the consumer is much better protected than ever before.

To just pick out one small element in order to create such scaremongering drivel is just typical bad journalism IMO.

Emmzi · 14 January 2011 at 11:22AM

harryhound wrote: »

I don't even know who my Euro MP is

Well you had an opportunity to vote them in or out so your ignorance in this matter is entirely down to you. If you don't know if they would be interested, why don't you ask them?

The internet is a wonderful thing, I am sure you can find their name and contact details in less than 10 minutes.

You get the governance you deserve. if you don't like it, get active, and redirect your moaning into action.

Gordon_the_Moron · 14 January 2011 at 11:54PM

The only effect I can see this having is less people getting turned down.

Old system: 200 people apply for a deal, if you accept 100, you have to offer 66 of them the advertised typical rate but you only want to give it to 33 of them so you accept 50 people.

New system: 200 people apply for same deal, you only want to give it to 33 of them still but you can accept 65/66 of them (depending which way the rounding works as you can't accept a fraction of a person)

Personally I'd rather be offered a crap rate than rejected.

InaPickle · 16 January 2011 at 11:13AM

This isn't the first time that I've read about the EU making something worse instead of better in this country. I remember the signs on HGVs etc. telling the firemen what's in them being replaced be a less accurate system just because lots of other countries had them, which to me is sheer madness.

Would it not be better for the Eurocrats to look and say 'Hmm, in this instance, the UK has the best system for this, so we will make the other countries adopt this', then do the same for other things when say France has the best system? It might cost a bit more, but at least we would all get the best systems in places all over the EU.

slygent · 19 January 2011 at 3:03PM

Hmm, not sure I see where the new figure comes from... The EU directive (Directive 2008/48/EC) can be found here: [can't link, just google it] -- I defy you to find a figure of 51% anywhere there!

Now of course in a sense we know where the 51% figure comes from: the BIS [Department for Business, Innovation and Skills... phew]. The relevant regulation is The Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 2010 (Statutory Instrument 2010 No. 1012), Section 1(2): just go to [google it!] and search for 51%!

EU directives are never just copied and pasted into national law directly. They must be "transposed", which gives some leeway to national governments. I think, to put it simplistically, that some mandarin at the BIS decided that "representative example", which is mentioned in the directive, should be set to 51%. I'm willing to be proven wrong on this, but that's how it looks to me... Even if the EU directly came up with this figure, remember it's the national governments who drive the policy through the Council of Ministers and other more indirect ways. So get in touch with your MP as well as your MEP...

Clive_Woody · 19 January 2011 at 3:45PM

oakhouse13 wrote: »

Consumers with any sense do not want credit cards.

My cash back credit card pays me well over £100/year for using it, are you suggesting common sense would dictate that I pay cash instead and miss out on this money?

Possibly my defintion of common sense is not aligned with yours :money:

MSE News: Millions won't get advertised rates as EU weakens protection

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