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Will now be commencing a claim against Barclaycard after being on the receiving end of some foul tactics by Barclaycard's internal DCA poodle Mercers.
I had a few hard months and couldn't keep up ( I was subject to a suspended repossession order so was hitting the mortgage arrears hammer and tong). Anyway in September the poodle in question kept calling and eventually I decided to talk to them and keep it from getting any worse. I was told by them that if I paid 3 instalments of £110 a month this would stop any further action AND after the three months any interest and charges would be refunded back to my account thus putting me back within my limit.
I now find that after making the payments my over limit status is roughly 450 worse than it was despite Barclaycard confirming they've received the payments.
I contacted barclaycard and they said Mercers would not have said what they said. I spoke to Mercers (0151 473 2528) and they said they would listen to the recording of this conversation with a senior manager and get back to me. Guess What? .........
Nothing. (What a surprise!)
I have been round the block a bit with Egg and Crap One. However I think that with Mercer's and Brokencard it may be a bit different. I've sen other threads which have been enormously helpful but I just want some advice.
1. Do I complain about the misrepresentation to both Mercers and Barclaycard and get the whole ball rolling that way.
2. Just forget Mercer's and go straight for Brokencards jugular CCA SAR AND lba?). I read their paying out pretty quickly.
3. Cancel my payments to Mercers?
If you put a "number" followed by a "close bracket", you get funny pics sometimes. If I put 8) it shows as what I want - 8 + a ) - but when I post, it changes
First off, you should make a detailed note of the relevant tel con with Mercers including content, time and date.
Do you have statements for the BC a/c so you know roughly what they've charged you in penalties. Approx how much is o/s on the a/c.
If you don't have the state's, then an SAR may be one option.
Firstly though, I'd send off a CCA request by Rec'c Del'y to Mercers.
You could consider making a formal complaint to Mercers about their deception, and SAR them for a transcript of the tel con. But you may find they don't have a copy (surprise ) and you could be on a hiding to nothing. It would just be your word against theirs.
For the sake of £1, CCA them anyway and decide on complaint, SAR's, etc in due course.
Any help and advice is offered in good faith, based solely on my own knowledge and on experience gathered from this site. I am not qualified to offer legal or financial advice, which you should seek from an expert before making any important decisions. My opinions are therefore offered without liability.
Thanks Slick -excellent post in response. Glad I got a functioning standard rate number out of them. That's one result.
Two pronged attack seems in order SAR to Barclaycard and Complaint to Mercer's followed up by a bit of pressure via the OFT and even the media. I gather there was a Sunday Times or Telegraph Journalist fishing for info on this site. Name of Georgina I think. Can't remember where I saw it but I've got a feeling the line sold to me by Mercers is actually something they do regularly and know that they're flogging a pup, or should that be nasty little poodle? Cheers, advice much appreciated. Hi Ho Hi Ho...etc
Barclays have exercised their 'legal right' to take 300+ out of my current account over the Xmas period to pay for my barclaycard arrangement with mercers (them again) being cancelled by myself due to loss of of my debit card 3 days before Xmas. I cancelled all direct debits and the card (naturally) and then get a stinking letter from Barclaycrud taking the above amount out of my current account. This followed a phone call from them on 23rd December at 8.30 p.m. (you know kids and everything) when a very nice woman who had called, listened patiently, said she understood and gave an undertaking to refund all over limit fees and late payment fees, acknowledged I was struggling with the mortgage etc.
A) Can they just do this?
B) I'm going for them now - any recent advice on tackling barclaycrud there fore gratefully appreciated. I hear one case was struck out on being sent to the wrong address!
They will use their right to Set-Off whenever they have the chance to raid one a/c to pay arrears on another. You need to open up a new bank a/c elsewhere to avoid recurrence of this.
Do you have all the necessary BC statements to make a complete list of all penalty charges on the a/c, so you can set about reclaiming these to reduce the BC debt. If not, have you sent off the SAR which you referred to above.
Any help and advice is offered in good faith, based solely on my own knowledge and on experience gathered from this site. I am not qualified to offer legal or financial advice, which you should seek from an expert before making any important decisions. My opinions are therefore offered without liability.
Thanks for your reply. I thought they would be able to do this. As result I missed another mortgage payment and now that's gone to litigation. Haven't got the statements. If I send off an SAR should I explain the urgency of the situation, or will I just have to get in the queue along with everyone else? How quickly could I chivvy them along if I just explained how close I am to going under?
Any help and advice is offered in good faith, based solely on my own knowledge and on experience gathered from this site. I am not qualified to offer legal or financial advice, which you should seek from an expert before making any important decisions. My opinions are therefore offered without liability.
Thanks for the sound advice. Have now sent off an SAR. Won a tenner on the lottery yesterday and my wife joked I should send in the ticket instead of the cheque!. Nearly sent off the SAR to Churchill place so I'm glad i checked you email first! Thanks for your help thus far - most appreciated. I'm not a CAG virgin so I shouldn't be troubling you too much, but may need to post if something unexpected turns up. THanks once again
Any help and advice is offered in good faith, based solely on my own knowledge and on experience gathered from this site. I am not qualified to offer legal or financial advice, which you should seek from an expert before making any important decisions. My opinions are therefore offered without liability.
Barclaycard's nasty little poodle
poodle Mercers.
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) and you could be on a hiding to nothing. It would just be your word against theirs.
