I think its only fair to put an update on this post. Following my contact with the CEO , or rather the exec team on his behalf I've now had the mortgage application re-reviewed and accepted which is of course fantastic news. Of course it shouldn't have been necessary to rattle the CEO of a company to get this however such is life and sometimes you do need to fight for things. Whether I could have got the same sort of response without firing off an email to the CEO is unknown though. Its nice to know that it is still possible to for these companies to make a decision based on common sense and personal intervention rather than a computer and a script. So Barclays have now redeemed themselves in this to a certain extent for which I'm thankful. The lesson is still though that a DIP isn't worth the paper its written on though.

Hi Tony. I believe your 100% correct about the low rates but Barclays encouraged me to switch things around some years ago to those low trackers (probably wanting to be seen to be lending during the start of the financial crisis!). Interesting what you say about the FCA as that does seem to be entirely what has happened with me. Anyway, I've had a call from their Exec Team on behalf of Andy Gray the CEO and they are taking up my case and speaking to senior underwriters etc. Its a sad situation that you have to rattle the CEO of a major multinational corporation and publically tell your story but that is unfortunately the way it is these days. I'm not sure if anything will come of this but as said I wont let this lie and I will post an update when I have one.

Thanks Tony. Yes I have a broker on the job now. I only wanted to stay with Barclays as I can transfer my existing loans (rates for life etc) over and they are base rate trackers + 1% (golden rates etc). DIP decisions should without a doubt take into account credit history and not just numbers given over a phone. Its a disgrace and one I will not just lie down and accept without making sure I've made a fuss.

Thanks for your reply slick32. Its a shocking situation without a doubt. Everybody needs a DIP to go looking/offering on a house yet a DIP seemingly isn't worth anything at all. People go for a DIP to see what mortgage deals they can get/can get a mortgage and then put the house up for sale like me. With my situation, I do wonder what would have happened if I had approached Barclays for an equity transfer, as in my case we have a large reserve linked to the mortgage (big overdraft) which had to be transferred into a mortgage loan for the equity transfer to take place. Would they have refused that also (even though it wouldn't be for any more than is already borrowed on the reserve) and thus stopped my ability to buy out my exe, thus leaving me paying for a mortgage and she pushing for house sale etc. . I'm kicking up a fuss over this. Complaints left right and centre. This thread shows second hit on google under 'Barclays Mortgage Nightmare' and on page 6 under 'Barclays Mortgage'. I've also tweeted Barclays twitter account with a link to it and also emailed their CEO. If me kicking up a fuss causes just 1 person to stay clear of Barclays and go to a lender whose DIP process is worth the effort and whose DIP process actually worth anything then it will be worthwhile.

Following separation from my Partner I approached my mortgage company Barclays about either A) Buying her out or B) Seeing how much they would lend me. I had an agreement in principle and could choose either option. I decided that we would sell the house and move on. I duly put the house up for sale (unfortunately with an agent/contract with 'Able Willing etc clause') a few months later (after the initial DIP had expired) we agreed a sale and I found a property I wished to buy. Again for a second time I went through the decision in principle process and again was accepted. Completed/Signed all the forms and returned them to Barclays. Barclays then passed application through to the underwriters and the application was declined. The application was declined citing a problem with missed payments on a credit card some 3 years earlier (during a dispute with MBNA, note no defaults took place). Financially I am easily able to pass the affordability tests and it is purely the dispute with MBNA which has caused this decline at full application time I have been with Barclays for the present mortgage for 17 years (never missed a single payment etc), and other than the MBNA episode have an exemplary credit history. I have cleared quite a lot of outstanding debt (car loans etc) prior to the second decision in principle being granted, so am in an even better position than I was at the first application I'm now potentially left with a bill for £3500 for failed sale of my property (not to mention a battle with ex partner) and solicitors costs if I pull the plug on my house sale (not to mention the purchasers loosing their survey money etc) or having to move out/effectively be homeless with a 15 year old son, and potentially into rented accommodation if other mortgage lenders follow the same track as Barclays did. To say that I currently despise Barclays for this decision would be an understatement. They were fully aware about my credit history (as I disclosed this dispute with MBNA to them at both DIP applications) and their actions in all of this is nothing short of negligent. I will be fighting this all the way to the Ombudsman and beyond. Mortgage lenders should not be able to change their mind from a DIP to full application due to these reasons. They have not shown due diligence at the various stages of the application. I hope this post acts as a warning to others thinking of applying to Barclays for a mortgage. There are other lenders who also failed to show due diligence at the DIP stage. I would never have put my property up for sale had I know at the initial DIP that I would be declined.

I have just had exactly the same happen to me. Following separation from my Partner I approached my mortgage company Barclays about either A) Buying her out or B) Seeing how much they would lend me. I had an agreement in principle and could choose either option. I decided that we would sell the house and move on. I duly put the house up for sale (unfortunatley with an agent/contract with 'Able Willing etc clause') and a few months later (after the initial DIP had expired) we agreed a sale and I found a property I wished to buy. Again for a second time I went through the decision in principle process and again was accepted. Completed/Signed all the forms and returned them to Barclays. Barclays then passed application through to the underwriters and the application was declined. The application was declined citing a problem with missed payments on a credit card some 3 years earlier (during a dispute with MBNA, note no defaults took place). Financially I am easilly able to pass the affordability tests and it is purely the dispute with MBNA which has caused this decline at full application time I have been with Barclays for the present mortgage for 17 years (never missed a single payement etc), and other than the MBNA episode have an exemplary credit history. I haven cleared quite a lot of outstanding debt (car loans etc) prior to the second decision in principle being granted, so am in an even better position than I was at the first application I'm now potentially left with a bill for £3500 pound for failed sale of my property (not to mention a battle with ex partner) and solicitors costs if I pull the plug on my house sale (not to mention the purchasers loosing their survey money etc) or having to move out/effectively be homeless with a 15 year old son, and potentially into rented accommodation if other mortgage lenders follow the same track as Barclays did. To say that I currently despise Barclays for this decision would be an understatement. They were fully aware about my credit history (as I disclosed this dispute with MBNA to them at both DIP applications) and their actions in all of this is nothing short of negligent. I will be fighting this all the way to the ombudsman and beyond. Mortgage lenders should not be able to change their mind from a DIP to full application due to these reasons. They have not shown due diligence at the various stages of the application. I hope this post acts as a warning to others thinking of applying to Barclays for a mortgage. There are other lenders who also failed to show due diligence at the DIP stage. I would never have put my property up for sale had I know at the initial DIP that I would be declined. Simon

Interesting, thanks. I like complaining and making these companies work a little. I know 29.9 isnt the highest, but I do feel the hike is totally unaceptable. I will give their internal complaints procedure a crack actually although plans are afoot to clear the debt once and for all soon Silly of me to think there is a way of forcing their hand a little without causing havoc on my credit history. They are all sharks though, thats for sure Thanks all. Slim

Oh well worth a try I suppose although I still believe MBNA are behaving like some backstreet credit shark (lol if they arent already classed as that anyway!!) Thaks for the info Rory. Regards Slim

Thanks Rory. Thought as much but it was worth knowing. Arent there any rules on increasing rates, eg by 70% in my case? Ta Slim

Thanks Rory. I've never actually requested by credit file so I think now is the right time. I have in the past missed the odd payement but nothing of note so perhaps it is the remortgage that is concerning them. Something must have tirggered this. Anyway back to the original question, can I simply not pay the credit card bill, and then when they start writing to me then make an arrangement with them to pay it back with interest frozen etc? Slim

No charges on the account at all. I've applied for 2 credit cards in the past 6 months. One was the captial one card and they refused me and sugested their other card at like 20% or whatever and the other card I tried (and I cant remember which make), online just refused me also and didnt offer any alternative. I'm convincved it's the os balance that means they want give me the balance transfer with 0% apr. Just looks like I might need to set my sights a little higher in terms of staying clear of the 0% balance transfer offers. My credit rating is good to excellennt. I've (with the Mrs) applied for a remotgage in the last 6 months with Nationwide (didnt end up taking it though) and there system stated it was only 1 down from the best credit rating, and they had no problems offering a remotgage so I cant really see why I cant get the decent deals and the likes of MBNA are hiking my APR by rediculouse amounts. The only thing I can think of that might be affecting my credit scoring is that over the past 4 months or so my direct debit for my mortgage has gone unpaid and I've had to sort it out manually (still all up to date though). This was directly caused by Barlcays taking over my Woolwhich accounts (and sending the interest rate on the mortgage reserve all over the place) thus at the time I didnt know if I was coming or going. There isnt anything outstanding , or even genuine 'missed payments' as it was all sorted out in time. Ta Slim

Hi All MBNA have just decided to increases my APR from 17% to 29.9% on my virgn credit card which has 11k outstnading on it. I'm working and I'm paying it off min payments + a bit more each month (although in reality the os balance doesnt change much) but I'm finding it very hard on moral reasons to be able to accept such an increases in the APR considering the outstanding amount. I'm an easy target for MBNA to make a quick boost in profits due to the outstanding amount. Do I have any options here to fight this. I've phoned them up and the refuse to budge, even though I've not missed payments and I do have a good to excellent credir rating. I spoke to their debt recovery team who wouldnt arrange any form of agreement even though i said I cant afford to pay it and they simply said they'ld take me to court. Balance transferring 11k seems to be an impossible task. I've applied for 2 credit cards, but they dont seem to want to know once they have the 11K put into the box on the forms!!. A personal loan is also an option and will be happening unless I can really get one over on MBNA by forcing them into some form of agreement for repayment. Do I have any options here? Thanks Slim

Thanks for the info Glenn. Slim

Hi All I'm about to go down this route and I've got 2 joint accounts with the wife, the wife as 1 account and I also have 1 account (all with natwest of course). Can we submit a joint claim covering all the accounts or do I have to do this seperatley? Thanks Slim