Compensation query

Hi,

I am looking for some advice on whether I should accept a compensation offer I've been presented with or whether I should go to the financial ombudsman to pursue:

In July 2012 I applied for a Santander 123 credit card and was declined, so I thought I would look into my credit file. To my astonishment I found that the nice people who moved into my old house had set up 6 different store/catalogue cards!

I contacted each of the companied involved and provided any necessary paperwork they required and thought nothing of it.

Earlier this year I decided to reapply for the same card and was again rejected. I therefore had to go through the hassle of obtaining another credit report and found that Grattans had not actioned the paperwork I had sent them.

Upon calling them, they stated that I was given the address of a collections agency rather than Grattans to send the paperwork so they state they never received it - although details were provided by Grattans and notes on account from a year ago confirm I called to state fraud etc.

I resent the paperwork and they have responded to say they have removed the item from my file.

The account which had been set up in my maiden name (I had been married 5 years before account set up) and a totally incorrect DOB (wrong day/date/year). The complaint handler at Grattans made a claim that something due to electoral roll and that's what they searched when checking id for account, but on a basic search of this, it seems that I was listed in my married name in the electoral rolls of 2008 and 2010 (account was started in Oct 2010). This is just the basic data - but I'm pretty sure if I paid for the full details it would also back up the fact that Grattans have not followed correct financial protocol to set up this account.

I them moved to the topic of compensation with them. Back in July 2012, Barclaycard demonstrated some appalling customer service and broke several promises they made to me when resolving my complaint with them, so they sent me £150 as a final compensation figure, which I accepted.

When discussing with Grattans, I stated that if I was offered £150 last year, then I would be looking for more now due to their incompetence. I stated that with the credit card I had applied for (now twice) I would have saved approx. £100 in cashback from shopping and petrol (and that was rough calculations only based on our fortnightly shop and fortnightly petrol fill ups - and didn't include incidental shopping and petrol).

I also said that on my credit file, a debt collection agency has searched for me 3 times this year and this will have adversely affected my credit too.

Looking at the Financial Ombudsman guidelines it states £50-£100 per day for resolving these matters but not more than £10 per hour, I would state that it has taken me roughly 1 whole day to write letters, make several phonecalls to Grattans (some of which have lasted nearly 1 hour), photocopy paperwork, pay for postage etc.

I was therefore wondering whether you would accept their 'final' offer of £250?? They state in their letter that they uphold my complaint which surely admits they are at fault too?

I would welcome thoughts on whether further time and effort (trawling through 12 months of bank statements to fully calculate material loss due to rejection of credit card - although I am sure it would increase the £100 approx. I would have saved) will ultimately lead to a successful claim against them and a higher compensation figure??

Many Thanks

Jodie