Barclaycard refusing to send statements as no transacs since '04. Advice please!!

[221b]

Hello All

Have written my initial S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) letter to Barclaycard. They sent this (edited) reply...

Unfortunately we are unable to to disclose any statement documentation to you pursuant to your request under the Data Protection Act as there has been no transactional data on your account since may 2004.

May I clarify that the Data Protection Act provides you with the right to a copy of your own personal data where that data is stored on a relevant filing system.

B'card statements held prior to May 2004 are stored on microfiche. They are not stored by reference to account number or customer name and are not "readily accessible" within the meaning of the Data Protection Act. These statements are therefore not retained in a relevant filing system and therefore do not fall within the class of documents to be produced pursuant to a Subject Access Request. They can be obtained from our Customer Service Dept at a cost of £3 per statement (so they have got them then - yet they say they can't provide me with statements, Oh, but they will if I cough up £3 a pop - not bl**dy likely!)

Furthermore, we are unable to provide a computer print-out of transactions on your account to date. Our computer systems do not permit us to print such historic data. Neither do our computer systems allow us to search for and identify individual charges applied to an account. It is therefore, not possible to provide you with a print-out of such charges. I would also add that Barclaycard did not introduce default charges on its accounts until mid 2001.

etc...


I believe they are still using an abacus system then, powered by carrot or something... Do they seriously expect me to believe their systems are that archaic?


Any suggestions for next step to take? Has anyone else had this letter - what did you do?


All contributions very gratefully received!


Thanks

Helen

	Subject Access Request A Subject Access Request is a demand which you can make to any organisation to disclose any personal information which they hold on you. The right to disclosure of data is provided by the Data Protection Act. There is no time limit. The organisation is obliged to reveal everything they have about you - which you ask for - as far back as you ask for. There are very few exceptions. It does not matter whether the data is held on microfiche, in an archive, on tape, in a cardex system, in sound recordings or in screen notes. Some companies are saying that they do not have to disclose where it would be difficult to do so - "disproportionate effort". This is untrue. Disproportionate effort refers to something else under the Act. If you are seeking bank charges information then you should ask for "all data held on you" and you should make it clear that you want everything as far back as it goes. Do not be put off by excuses. Do not accept being fobbed off. It is not in your bank's interest to make full disclosure to you. This means that it is in your interests to get it. If you have not started gathering your bank charges information yet, then you should start now. There will soon be a big rush once the OFT test case has been settled. Get all of your bank account informtion as far back as possible. At least as far back as 1995. If your bank says that they don't keep data as far back as this, don't accept it. Be persistent. They've got what you need in some form or other.

[zootscoot]

Try pm Glennuk, he's a bit of an expert in this area.

[221b]

Thanks Zootscoot - I tried, but his mailbox is full, surprise surprise!

Instead I trawled through his threads and I think I've found what I was looking for.

Many thanks

221b