Gobsmacked At Ease Of Getting Charges Repaid!!**WON**

[middenmess]

Wrote to Barclays on 3rd July using CAG template letter requesting repayment of late charges on cards and enclosed schedule of same and added 8% interest for a total approaching £800.

 

Gave them 14 days and was gobsmacked that in today's post I received agreement to repay the total I had asked for ''as a gesture of goodwill--not admitting liablity etc''.

 

I had read many threads and asked a few questions on this forum but in all honesty I did not expect to obtain this result so quickly and so easily despite reading posts from some of the site team that they would do so.

 

The only quesetion I have is that they stated that they will credit my account with this sum but am I correct in assuming that I can insist on having the money in the form of a cheque or receive it by bank transfer as the credit card account is current,paid up to date and not in default?

 

Having this matter dealt with in this efficient and business like way however is in at odds to the way in which they have responded when I SAR'd them in May and received only a partial compliance after 40 days so have written and given them another 14 days--nearly expired-- and included a LBA.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/barclaycard/198206-best-approach.html

 

Sent off request for CCA today so will be interesting to see how that will be dealt with!

 

As a footnote I would like to encourage all those who haven't yet asked for the repayment of charges on their credit cards to do so without delay as it is nowhere near so daunting as it sounds especially with the help and assistance of fellow caggers and especially those caggers on the site team.

[slick132]

HI MM,

 

Congratulations on getting this result.

 

If this a/c is up to date, then you can ask for the refund to be paid to you direct by cheque or into a Barclays bank a/c.

 

However, if you have another BC a/c (dealt with on your other thread ?) with any arrears, they will set off the refund against BC or Barclays Bank a/c arrears.

[middenmess]

Hi Slick-this was for the two cards so will write and ask for a cheque.

 

PM sent.

[slick132]

Hi MM,

 

Let us know if they repay you direct.

 

This will encourage others to get on with their claims, I hope.

 

Oh, and please make a site donation if you can.

[middenmess]

Oops!--got carried away when posting about my 'refund' from Barclaycard and whilst trying to encourage others to claim back their charges and trying to let people know that it is quite an easy process I forgot to mention the dreaded spreadsheets that are available on the template section of this site.

 

Although the advise received from various caggers is easy to follow and act upon and the letter templates for various courses of action are most suitable and easy to adapt to your individual situation,I have to confess that I didn't use the CAG spreadsheet templates for calculating my charges and interest.

 

In common with a large number of other people I seem to turn into a gibbering idiot when faced with a spreadsheet no matter how simple it might be to use and no matter how well the step by step instructions are written.

I've used a computer for some 8 years now [went straight from a quill pen and ink to computers completely bypassing typewriters etc.] but have never had the need to use a spreadsheet and tend to avoid them at any cost.

As I was determined to get my charges back and realising that any claim to the credit card issuer had to be as comprehensive as possible with all relevent details on it I have to admit that I ventured onto Martin Lewis' site at

Money Saving Expert: Consumer Revenge - Credit Cards, Shopping, Bank Charges, Cheap Flights and more

 

and found that their interest calculator at

 

Reclaim Credit Card Charges: Full guide to get £100s back...

 

was simplicity itself to use and if I can use, it then trust me, anybody can!!

 

I apologise to the CAG unreservedly for using their forum to advocate the use of part of another similar website but I felt that if something was available that would help and assist even one other person who was experiencing 'unlawful' charges on their credit card then it was worth posting about and risking a censure from this site's moderators.

[DDWales]

Hi and well done . Ive just been refunded too and that took less than a week! Posted LBA on 10th of July then had a reply on the 17th (letter dated 16th)-refunded in full with interest I also used the Martin Lewis calculator-very easy to use.

[Mr lex]

Well done Middenmess and DD

 

Perhaps Barclays are having a 'tidy up' before they all go on strike, this is most unlike them

 

Great news for you both

[DDWales]

Well done Middenmess and DD

 

Perhaps Barclays are having a 'tidy up' before they all go on strike, this is most unlike them

 

Great news for you both

 

Cheers Mr Lex. Im amazed by the speed of it TBH as alot of the other Caggers have had thier claims drawn out for weeks/months.

Perhaps the strike you suggest is immenent But very happy all the same:) Next up Natwest.....

[middenmess]

Well done Middenmess and DD

 

Perhaps Barclays are having a 'tidy up' before they all go on strike, this is most unlike them

 

Great news for you both

 

:-DThanks Mr.Lex & DDW:-D

 

There exists the distinct possibility that there will be many thousands of very unhappy Barclay's workers if the final salary scheme is cut.

 

Might we be seeing some of these people coming onto this forum and 'spilling the beans' about Barclay's business practices when dealing with claimants?

[havinastella]

Barclaycard wised up to paying out straight away about a year ago!

 

A bit of kudous to them for not drawing it out!

 

Jogs

[slick132]

Hi MM,

 

For some time now, BC have been keen to repay charges involving no Contractual Interest. After the early refusals, when they see you're sticking with your claim, they'll refund.

 

Thanks for the comments about our site spreadsheets which will be duly noted. I agree that the MSE spreddies are easy to use although they do not address reclaiming higher or Contractual rates of interest.

 

In fact, I believe MSE refers users to CAG for any more complicated issues.

[middenmess]

Update

 

The refund of my late charges was refunded directly into my two Barclaycard accounts.

The payment into one account reduced my balance but as the other card was paid off it put this account into credit.

 

I wrote to the person who signed the letter that accompanied the refund letter [probably a spurious or generic name for a barclaycard minion] thanking 'him' for the speed of the refund but informing 'him' that I required my money to be refunded to me by way of a cheque.

 

I waited 2 weeks but had no response so today was phone call day.

 

The 0844 number was probably routed overseas and my initial request for my money to be sent by cheque was met with the expected waffle about how it was only possible to credit a barclaycard account.

 

Asking to speak with his supervisor was countered with the drivel that the supervisor would not be able to authorise such a request-asking to speak with a manager also was met with the same rubbish.

 

Politely insisting to be connected to the person who did have that authority and asking if they would they oblige me with pointing me to the Barclay's Terms that stated their policy on refunds of unlawful charges got me a 'can I put you on hold while I speak to someone' and in less than 2 minutes I was asked for my bank details so that they could transfer the money to me.

 

All very painless and very satisfying --but I will post back in a few working days to confirm that it is in my bank account!

[slick132]

Hi MM,

 

I'll be surprised if they do this, but hope they prove me wrong.

 

Fingers crossed for you.

[middenmess]

Just checked online and money has been removed from the card accounts so stage 1 completed!

 

My pennies are now floating around somewhere in the ether so should hopefully resurface in my bank account very soon...fingers crossed!!!!

[scared001]

whats the easiest way of knowing what all the charges are then before i write to capital one, mbna, barclays, etc........i dont want to go thru heaps of statements so wondered what everyone did to get their money back? if i ever do get anything back, i will defly be making a donation to this site!

[middenmess]

Hi-scared001

 

Usual way if you haven't got at least 6 years of statements is to send a Subject Access Request -template in CAG library-to obtain them together with £10 fee.

 

Then it's just a matter of adding up all the charges and using one of this site's spreadsheets [or use the very easy one found on http://www.Moneysaving expert.com] and send a copy of the reclaiming charges letter from the CAG library with your schedule of charges to Barclays.

 

Then if you've done your sums correctly you should get your money back quite quickly with a bit of luck.

 

There are dozens of threads on this site which are worth reading about this subject if you need further advice.

[slick132]

Hi Scared,

..... i dont want to go thru heaps of statements so wondered what everyone did to get their money back?

Hmmm, going through heaps of statements is really the easiest part of your claim.

 

You'll have to do SOME work to get the refunds but the good news just now is that credit cards are making refunds without too much of a fight. Certainly BC anyway.

 

Start a thread for each case and you'll get help if necessary.

 

Read the Reclaiming Guide at Link No1 of my signature below.

[middenmess]

Just checked my bank account online and.......................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Money sitting in my account 'Transfer From Barclaycard' :D:D

 

So,if they can give me back my money into my bank account then there is no reason why they shouldn't do it for everyone who claims back their charges.

 

The golden rules appear to be..

 

Patience~Politeness~Perseverence

 

 

and the ability to bite one's tounge when dealing with them!

[noomill060]

Just checked my bank account online and.......................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Money sitting in my account 'Transfer From Barclaycard' :D:D

 

So,if they can give me back my money into my bank account then there is no reason why they shouldn't do it for everyone who claims back their charges.

 

The golden rules appear to be..

 

Patience~Politeness~Perseverence

 

 

and the ability to bite one's tounge when dealing with them!

 

 

......and letting them keep lots of your money by just claiming interest at the 8%!!

 

Sorry, but you've done youself out of much more than they gave back to you.

 

No wonder they were so keen to pay you what you asked them for.

 

 

Claim-

 

1) Charges + "cash rate" interest levied on the charges (27.9%)

 

then if they dont cough up-

 

start small claim and add

 

2) Court fee

 

and

 

3) County Court interest at the "cash rate" (27.9%)

[middenmess]

Whilst appreciating that there was more money in the pot,I was in a position where a bird in the hand would enable me to deal with other pressing financial issues which, when paid, would negate further charges and avoidable expenses.

 

Had I been in a sounder financial position then the pursuit of the higher interest would have been the way to go but that luxury is not available to me at the moment;however I am more than satisfied at the amount recovered because as I have mentioned on another thread,I've made successful claims on my credit card insurances, [made because of illnesses] and it might have been a very arguable point in any court case from BC's point that the charges had already been repaid some time ago by way of those claims.

 

If such a counter claim was made in court by BC and was successful then it might have had detrimental implications for future claimants of unlawful charges.

 

You mention that BC were quick to pay to avoid a court case and a higher claim but I'm afraid that that doesn't hold true for the Halifax from whom I claimed a lesser sum for late charges applied to my credit card.

I claimed on the same day that I claimed from BC but as of today Halifax have sent no acknowledgment or response.

[noomill060]

Im glad that you got things sorted out and that you are satisfied, whatever your reasoning.

 

Some battles are not worth fighting.

Edited August 7, 2009 by noomill060

[sea-sidelady]

That is fantastic. Well done!!

[slick132]

Hi MM and I'm delighted at this result for you.

 

As long as you are pleased with the result, excellent.

 

Maybe reclaim the Contractual Rate of interest on another claim, when you can afford the extra time of taking a claim to court.

 

[middenmess]

Thanks SlicK..

 

 

''Maybe reclaim the Contractual Rate of interest on another claim, when you can afford the extra time of taking a claim to court.''

 

Had Halifax paid up that quickly,I would have accepted for the same reasons above, but as I've been totally ignored by them both for a CCA request and on the repayment of charges,they could well be the ones!

[noomill060]

Have you started your Halifax claim yet?

 

I would be delighted to help you calculate your contractual interest- and dont forget, you can and should claim court interest at the contractual rate too.