Topcashback Questions & Answers

I have multiple transactions with financial purchases coming, or should be coming to fruition soon via TCB. I will challenge each and every one slightly after the 'estimate payment date' passes. I believe these 'estimates' are there to mislead and the amount of delays back my beliefs up.
First will be British Gas, they have 3 weeks to pay.
Fully satisfied and paid out.
Aviva will be the first week in February, if not paid - these are usually good though.
Fully satisfied and paid out.
Direct Line will be the middle of February, these won't get a day after the 18 weeks, as 18 weeks is well long enough!
(still at confirmed, a high risk and one of the hardest to resolve). The 'naughty' one and has moved from 18 weeks estimate to 22 weeks! My deadline is still 18 weeks.
British Gas again, but I will give them to early April.
(Still at pending, but early still).
Nationwide, again April, probably mid April.
Fully satisfied and paid out.

The only update is that my payment for the Nationwide is now showing in my bank account.
Direct Line (DL) is still stuck (fully expected) and the 18 week line is almost there. On Sunday (if not paid), I'll start a complaint with TCB and give TCB 14 days to reach a resolution. Then (if not paid), straight to DL after registering complaints to the FCA (TCB and DL) and the FOS (DL). There is another angle the FOS were considering the last time as something had changed regarding the status of TCB and was being investigated. I would like to be brought up to date with that, if there has been any update.

I'm getting nowhere with my Hotelopia issue and I did raise a complaint with TCB and that expires at the weekend. I'll chase that up with Hotelopia on Monday, if not resolved. This a crazy situation and although via my complaint, TCB acknowledge why their 'fair play policy' may be valid, they dismissed this! They think it's reasonable for a member to wait 3 months to try and resolve what now must appear to be a misleading promotion (tracked at approx half the promoted rate). I believe I've been very patient waiting 2 months to resolve this, over and above what can be expected for an error out of my control. A total lack of customer care and a chance missed by TCB.

@steve1500 - I would love to hear Martins views on the financial issues via cashback sites. I go along with guidance from the FCA and especially the FOS. As the FCA state, regarding agents:

This is a firm or individual that can act on behalf of another firm (its principal) that is authorised in the UK or regulated in another EEA country. The principal is responsible for the appointed representative's activities.

The FOS have advised the quickest route may be to take the cashback site through the 'Small Claims' process and have even advised to raise a complaint with Action Fraud if you think you have been scammed. The latter is stretching it a bit, but I can see their point if companies continue to promote offers and then decline or massively delay payments. I like to challenge the marketing of such financial products. The promotion must be fair and accurate and that doesn't always happen. We wouldn't have this PPI scandal if the financial merchants and their agents operated fairly!

Away from TCB, I've managed to get my cashback added via a complaint to MyTravel and my Post Office complaint looks like it's coming to an end. I did have to 'educate' the Post Office that they are the 'principal' though as they did initially blame the cashback site. They quickly sobered up once this was pointed out. Maybe another lever?
Edit - Both Mytravel and the Post Office were for financial product purchases.

Good luck guys, and may all your issues be small ones.

@bristolleedsfan, interesting post.

Do you want to name? I'd be flabbergasted if it's who it could possibly be!

I am trying to create a support ticket to query why my cashback hasn't gone to payable yet but am unable to. I enter the retailers name, and then under the 'please select a transaction' bit, it says 'no options' and so I can't continue any further. It's been about 5-6 months now since I took the policy out.

Yorkshire_Pud wrote: »

Thanks for replying Matt.

I will give it another 14 days for TCB to complete their investigation.

At the end of this time I shall, if still no further forward with the cashback becoming Payable, contact Nationwide directly and make a formal complaint leading to investigation by the Ombudsman.

As it's taking months to investigate (WHY!!!:o) I think there is nothing else I can do in this disempowering situation.

Thankyou for your time:)

Just 5 days to go before I make my complaint direct to Nationwide in the face of no effective resolution by useless TCB who keep asking me to 'be patient' but never any evidence as to what the problem is.

Yes it's only been six and a half months my CB has been confirmed.

Tick tock tick tock:(