Well I eventually recieved a reply from OPUS not by Carolyn Browse complaints investigator but by Tina Cooper complaints Advisor. The basics of her letter are which she states is confirmed in writing. She can find no evidence to support a promotional rate ever being applied to my account. This is strange as I have a letter from CITI dated 26th September 2008 that my promotional rates have been reapplied to my account (additional interest accrued to be applied to my account) The 3 statements which this Tina basis her case, one of which is the Oct 2008 statement says that my promotional rate has been removed. Poor Tina in over 12 weeks could not find anything to support my account ever having a promotional rate applied. She further states that the credits applied to my account " are not considered payments" this in itself is odd as the statement refers to payments and credits ( my direct debit for £230 was returned unpaid but the additional accrued interest of approx £350 was credited to my account) Can someone help me here. Transaction date of 25th Sept and Date entered 30th September what is the difference please as my direct debit was due 2nd Oct. She states that a letter was sent to me in August 2008 giving me the option to close the account or have the account frozen at the old rate. In feb 2008 interest was 29.9% purchases and 31.9% In October 2010 under the "general repricing policy which occurs" the rates were put up to 34.9% ( Interesting the rate via OPUS is now a very nice 41% ) As regards the Data Subject Access Request she claims are logged under separate complaints as they are specialist complaints. I have these from CITI and confirmation that they dont or to be precise cannot locate a copy of my CCA. She goes on to thank me for giving her the opportunity to investigate the issues I have raised and as they have completed their investigations my complaint has now been closed. Am now drafting a letter to go with the forms to be sent to the FSO. Not sure what they will do or when I will get a reply. Is it worth sending a copy to trading standards? Dependant on result from FSO ( I do not have much confidence in them) then I will take legal proceedings against OPUS.

An update for you. I recieved this morning a letter from Halifax customer relations. They have refunded to my account the difference in interest so have credited my account with about £1500. So this in itself is a result. I believe I am due a little more than this so will wait for my subject access request. I do have a copy of the letter I sent them but dont know how to get it onto this website. Regards

Regarding seeking court as a means of getting reimbursement of unfair/illegal penalties I do not see a problem with this. I believe all issues like this need to be looked at on an individual basis, What would you think is fair or unfair. Does fair sound to you that because a creditor may impart terms and conditions which may increase the amount you are charged by several hundred per cent because you are late on a payment. To me it is nothing more than profiteering to repair severely damaged finances due to poor lending and sub prime mortgages. If needs be I will pursue through the court, Will keep you informed

Hi Ihmcr 1. I had a reply back from Halifax which was a signed copy of my original and looks ok. The Terms and Conditions are more recent ( my card was Aug 2001 and terms and conditions mention £12 charges ) . Their reply to my letter letter requesting payment or the justification in the removal of a promotional rate I am still waiting for. I can understand to an extent charges penalties being made if you 'seriously misuse your account' but not for a late or missing payment. I certainly do not think a judge would look favourably upon a bank who is applying extortionate penalties in what ever form for a well maintained account. True not perfect but should not incur financially punitive charges. One more thing is I have requested subject access request from opening the account. Halifax may claim they only have info going back 6 years (minimum requirement) so will wait and see what their reply brings. Regards

Yes I understand you have been through the route of requesting help. I have explicitly stated in my letters to CITI and OPUS that all correspondence I have sent to them and all replies I recieve from them may be produced in a court of law should it get that far. I have spent well over a year now writing to CITI eventually being fobbed off with they cannot produce a copy of my credit card agreement and it now belongs to OPUS. I have requested from Opus to inform me who is responsible for the repayment of charges applied to my account 2 and a half years ago. I believe OPUS are resonsible. If they have purchased my account from CITI then surely it must be up to them to check they have purchased an account that is not in dispute. If CITI have knowlingly or not unloaded disputed accounts on to OPUS then more fool OPUS. Yes they will try and put you off with delays and bull...t but sooner or later it is going to end up in court. I have no intention of giving up either. It is just a pity that the country is run and governed by spineless individuals who are all too easily influenced by banks. They basically allow banks to do whatever they want. I believe we are almost on our own pursuing what is owing to us with exception of help from this website.

I would suggest you say that you had tried to contact them by phone regarding the removal of the promotional rate, I phoned but was told by customer services that after 6 months since date of removal that they cannot do it. my complaint has proved otherwise, I also asked how they could justify the removal of the rate and replace with an extorniate rate which must surely be for the purpose of profiteering. I also advised them that a copy of my complaint along with a copy of their reply would (should it prove neccassary) be produced in court. My stage 2 plan after having the rate returned is to get the overpaid financially punitive interet I have paid returned. Wishing you all the best on your endeavour.

I had my interest rate returned from 29.9% to the original 8.4% pronotional offer. If you have missed lots of payments they may not do this. Initially I phoned their customer services and complained. They (customer services) raised a complaint on my behalf. I recieved a letter about 4 weeks later reducing my interest rate. I have not used my card since the prom rate was removed. I have now drafted Halifax another letter as I would like my overpaid 3000 back. I do have a copy of my most recent letter I sent to Halifax in my document folder but I am unsure how to give you access to it.

I asked was it their normal procedure to purchase and or take over accounts that are in dispute. Citi cannot furnish me with copy of CCA so that would imply opus wont have one either.

How are things with you regards OPUS. I have recieved a couple of replies from opus who apologise for the delays but promising they will sort it.

If it is of any help I have had the promotional rate of interested reinstated. But I have paid about 3000 pounds over the top of this in past 33 months, I am in the progress of trying to get that back as well. I sent letter 10 days ago also requesting copy of original agreement and subject access request. How long have you had your account with Halifax?

Just an update. I recieved a reply from OPUS. it is as follows. In my letter dated the 4th March 2011 we were hoping to give you a full response to your complaint by now. My investigations are going well, although they are taking a little longer than anticipated because I am still investigating the issues you have raised. I'm very sorry that this has taken longer than we both expected. We are making good progress with our investigations, so I hope to get back to you very soon. If you'd like to talk to us about this in the meantime, please contact our customer Services Team on the telephone number below. I hope I have reassured you yhat we are doing all we can to get back to you with a full response. Opus Credit uses the Financial Services Authority rules when dealing with customers concerns and I enclose a copy of our Customer care Leaflet which explains how we deal with customers complaints. Thank you for your patience Yours sincerely Carolyn Browse Complaints Investigator

Still heard nothing from OPUS. It is a pity they dont share the same enthusiasm when you are late on a payment and they write to you, or call all through the day and evening.

would use money to send somebody to the CEO they wouldnt be debt collectors though

ps interesting read of the offer of saving pounds.

Interesting thread as have just recieved a letter from barclays Bank (business account}. My account has now been transferred to Credit solutions Ltd. We will no longer accapt any further communication with you. The sum is for just under £600 I have not used the account for 3 years. About 2 years ago they wrote me a letter telling me they were going to take the overdue balance from my current account which they did just before Christmas. 14 days notice. The letter was headed !without prejudice". it was to consolidate accounts/monies. since then they have been charging monthly business fee and od interest. So would it be best to write to them asking why they have not taken money from my basic account to pay my business account. What is their policy on this? My line of action will be to write to Cretin Solutions whgich judging by this thread is owned by Barclays Bank anyway, offering payment of £50 per month. I too am self employed! I will also ask for a Subject Access REquest which I would etimate must be at least a thousand pounds wortyh of Charges and I nterest since I opened the account in 2005. There must be at least 12 charges for Direct Debit not going out at £35 per time p[lus accrued interest. Should I send letter to barclays bank or cretin solutions! I am p155ed off with barclays having been with them for over 30 years.

I have just recieved a reply from OPUS regarding my complaint, it is as follows; Thankyou for your recent letter and for giving us an opportunity to deal with the issues raised. I understand that this has been disappointing to you and as I am a specialist in this area of business the information has been passed to me. I should be able to send you a full response within the next 8 weeks. OPUS card uses the Financial services Authority rules when dealing with customers concerns and I encloce a copy of our customer care leaflet which explains how we deal with customers complaints. In the meantime, if you'd like to raise any queries please contact Customer Service on the number below. Our opening times are Monday to Friday 08.00 to 21.00 Saturday 09.00 t0 17.00 and Sunday 10.00 to 18.00 Thanks for giving us a chance to deal with your concerns Yours sincerely Carolyn Browse complaints Investigator Well that is that. The customer care leaflet is very basic.

Intereting read. Mine now with OPUS at 41%. This is from Citi and not MBNA account. An US bank over here. They dont even charge customers in their own country that.

Hi JR I have similar problems with OPUS. I have written them a letter but as yet no reply. When I do recieve a reply I will let you know of the outcome. I requested in the letter is it company policy to purchase accounts that are in dispute? In addition are the held accountable for any unfair and or illegal charges that have been applied to the account? I also added that a copy of the letter I sent them and their reply would if required be produced in a court of law if proceedings had to go that far. It is difficult to interpret what is and is not legal.

If of any help I have a customer complaints tel number which is 0126 8884160. I was given this number after contacting opus through their customer service tel number, I would telephone and request from them where to send SAR request, Ask name of person you are talking to first and record date and time, I have sent a complaints letter to OPUS at the above address but as yet not had a reply, I t is only 7 days since sending,

Just a question. Did CITI close the account and if so why has it been sold to OPUS? Did you try and contact CITI with this problem prior to the sale to OPUS, What I am getting at is if CITI owe you money which from the "unable to get the same amounts syndrome" would indicate, then they are trying to shaft OPUS by passing your account on to OPUS, CITI are as crafty as a bag of monkeys. Confirmation I believe of who is ultimately liable must be established.

Sounds as if you are in same boat as me, ie who is liable for the repayment of unfair/legal charges. I have just written OPUS a letter asking them to confirm this very situation, I also put in the letter that I would if required be presenting the letter I am just sending to them in a court along with their reply to my letter if the response to my dispute was not with satisfactorily. I like you am seriously cosidering employing a solicitor. I am not in arrears and I am not trying to get my debt written off. I believe I have been unfairly treated and when you try to complain to CITI they dont even bother replying. It will be interesting to see what OPUS comes up with. With regards to writing to CITI they recieved from me on the 11th Jan 2011 a letter requesting that they comply with their terms and conditions. I aint heard anything yet. The letter I sent also requested them to confirm whether any monies owed due to unfair/illegal practices was their responsibility or that of OPUS. Strange no reply as of yet

I do get the impression that OPUS has purchased a whole heap of trouble from a devious underhanded US bank.

I am considering using a solicitor at some time, comments anyone. or advice,

Hi Dot yes I have had same problem with the transfer to opus, wrote them a letter requesting if they are resposible for the account now and liable for any unfair/illegal deductions previously taken from the account. Also requested that they confirm it is their company procedure to take over accounts that are in dispute. I dont know about you but the OPUS statements I get are a very poor photocopy. All smeared like a pi55 poor fax. I had the same thing with the refund. My original £1 cashed Mar 4th 2010. nov 10 I get a refund ie cheque for a quid which I wont cash. Sent CITI a letter of complaints and to confirm the amount owed to me from the account by the incorreect removal of promotional offer circa £5500. No reply and they recieved this 11.01.11. I will send the letter I have written to OPUS off tomorrow. As far as I am aware OPUS now responsible for repayment of unfair illegal charges to account.

Sending of a barrister that was not cheap. Just shows you the degree they will go to to keep something which is not theirs. To write the sum off would have been less costly. I suppose they will stick some other unfair charges on some other poor buggers account to get the money back, It is done to frighten and intimidate people. It makes you think if these banking institutions have any morals, perhaps thats why the bosses get paid big bonuses to compensate for their lack of sleep at night. The government aint interested as they want the bailed out banks to make as much as possible. Perhaps a demonstration should be called for. I wonder at what interest rates MPs get loans for. Yes this country has taken corruptness to a new level