I can't believe they said this...

[trianglehead]

After successfully receiving 2 weeks ago all of the charges detailed in my first letter (sent a month ago), I had to remind them via another "prelim" letter that I still required the repayment of several charges taken in the last month.

 

Well... Today I received an interesting secure message...

 

I've arranged for a refund of the £xxx to your account. I've also cancelled the pending charges, totalling £x, due to be removed on xxx xx.

 

The charges applied to your account have resulted from breaches of our terms & conditions. I need to let you know that, if future requests for the return of charges are received, we might need to consider a review of your banking facilities in light of this.

 

A threat - but it is an empty one - can they do this?? I was just getting geared up to go after the charges on my Smile VISA.

 

What do you think? Maybe I should leave it there. I think I do want to continue to bank with Smile.

 

Trianglehead.

[polar_b]

"Banking facilities" can mean a lot of things, surely? It may simply mean that they might withdraw your overdraft facility, for example.

 

Having said that, when I was with smile I received similar messages that I found slightly patronising. This is one of the reasons I left Smile (primary being their charges!).

 

It could be an empty threat. On the other hand, if you do complain about charges again they might simply refer to their terms and conditions and close down your account. It's hard to know!

[caro]

After successfully receiving 2 weeks ago all of the charges detailed in my first letter (sent a month ago), I had to remind them via another "prelim" letter that I still required the repayment of several charges taken in the last month.

 

Well... Today I received an interesting secure message...

 

I've arranged for a refund of the £xxx to your account. I've also cancelled the pending charges, totalling £x, due to be removed on xxx xx.

 

The charges applied to your account have resulted from breaches of our terms & conditions. I need to let you know that, if future requests for the return of charges are received, we might need to consider a review of your banking facilities in light of this.

 

A threat - but it is an empty one - can they do this?? I was just getting geared up to go after the charges on my Smile VISA.

 

What do you think? Maybe I should leave it there. I think I do want to continue to bank with Smile.

 

Trianglehead.

 

Alliance and Leicester have been closing accounts, and the advise is always to open a parachute account just in case. This is the first time that I have heard of threats from smile, but I think we need to wait and see what they have in mind before deciding what steps to take next.

 

As to whether they can do it, no they shouldn't. Then again they shouldn't dish out penalty charges, but they do.

[talula]

i sent them a secure message about the outstanding charges, and recieved a standard reply by letter a week later so have to start from scratch again.

 

at least you got your additional charges back straight away.