Barclaycard moving goalposts

[Roctiv Werdlem]

Hi,

 

I've been a customer of Barclaycard since April 1996 - so a very long time!

 

A couple of years ago after a messy divorce

, I found myself in a bit of a financial mess to the point where I had to enlist the help of StepChange to sort things out.

 

Until now,

Barclaycard have been fine and were happy to accept the payments from StepChange.

 

Unfortunately I missed a payment which "broke" the agreement

but they were happy for me to continue on an "informal" arrangement

and indeed back in March this year when I contacted them

 

they assured me that there were no plans to default the account

as long as I kept up with the reduced payments,

and that I should contact them in a few months time.

What they did so is that they had no "formal plans" available for me at that time.

 

Yesterday I received a letter from them stating that if I didn't clear the arrears within 60 days, and then resume my standard contractual minimum payment (with intrerest) they would default the account.

 

I contacted them today to query this and say that they were effectively moving the goalposts as they had previously said that they wouldn't default the account,

 

I also made the point that the minimum payment would be more than I am paying via StepChange and therefore I wouldn't be able to do this without manually topping up the payment and thus being in breach of my plan.

 

They were adamant that there was nothing they were prepared to do

, although I have asked for this to be escalated as a formal complaint.

 

They did tell me that these letters and change in heart is a new policy of theirs

and they have had a number of similar complaints..

 

Any thoughts as to what I can / should do?

Is the fact that the account is sold old of any relevance?

[BankFodder]

Did you get any of these admissions in writing? Or did you record the calls?

 

Even though you broke the agreement, the fact that they were prepared to continue on the basis of an informal agreement, amounts to the same thing. The agreement continued. It would be unfair of them to go back on the agreement. I think that you have a very good basis for complaint – although I don't expect that the FOS will be prepared to help you and you might have to take firmer action – if you are up for it.

 

Tell us about the call recordings that you have got.

[Roctiv Werdlem]

I don't have recordings, but Barclaycard do and I've asked for them as part of my formal complaint escalation.

[Roctiv Werdlem]

Hi,

 

I'm currently in a DMP via StepChange.

 

I had a call with Barclaycard today who told me that if I don't revert to my contractual payment, they will default my account. The difference between my contractual payment and what i am paying via StepChange is really small and I can easily make up the difference myself each month,

 

BC say that if I revert to contractual payment, but they detect that any of the payment is coming via StepChange or another DMP, they wiill automatically default and sell the account, regardless of the fact that I would be making up the difference and the contractual payment would be met.

 

Is this really true? If I'm up to date with my contractual payments, on what grounds could they default the account? I don't see anything in their T'cs and C's which restricts the way in which I pay the account?

[Bazooka Boo]

If they ring again, laugh and hang up.

 

Why are YOU talking to sharklaycard when they should be talking to stepchange?

 

Lodge an immediate formal complaint with sharklaycard about their attempt to blackmail you.

Report them to stepchange also, and you definitely need to lodge a formal complaint with the FCA regarding this tactic of attempting to circumnavigate the whole DMP process, by contacting their customers direct, over the phone, and trying to black mail customers by demanding they pay more or there will be some sort of punishment meted out.

 

The fact that your account should be defaulted anyway when you entered into the DMP should ring alarm bells?

 

Have you checked your credit files?

 

Have you reclaimed all of sharklaycards fees/charges/ and penalties they have levied on the account?

 

When did you take this out, pre or post 2007?

 

Ever requested the CCA?

[dx100uk]

threads merged

please keep to one thread

[Roctiv Werdlem]

I rang Barclaycard to chase up my complaint (see earlier post) not the other way round.

 

The majority of creditors haven't issued defaults and I'd like to keep it that way.. I've just claimed back PPI from them as well..

 

Account was opened in 1996, what benefit would requesting the CCA bring here?

[Bazooka Boo]

It's unlikely given the age of the opening of the account, that BC will be able to provide the original agreement, so will be unable to take any legal action.

 

I only picked up your thread from your 4th post, as you had started a new thread for the same issue, hence not knowing the full picture.

 

Either way, did they inform you of the status of your complaint?

[slick132]

Referring to the earlier posts, did you get call recordings that you asked for from BC