Barclays Additions Account help please

[sirhc]

I have received the following response to my complaint regarding Barclays Additions Account

You have held Additions on two separate occasions and Additions Plus. Please provide your recollection of each point of sale.

I can see your account was downgraded in error from Additions to a fee free account with an overdraft. Please confirm why you requested the account be upgraded to Additions again.

Please confirm why you took the Additions plus

Please advise why you retained the upgrades.

I originally took out the Additions account so I could have an overdraft. I knew I would always have an overdraft with Barclays and this was the only account I could have. Each time I would ring them to request more overdraft or they would suggest that I take out a loan to pay off my overdraft. I would always do as they said so I could to keep my overdraft.

If they had told me that additions had been taken off in error during one of these phone calls I would probably agreed for it to be put back on.

The same goes for upgrading to Additions plus

(I am being so honest with you that when I am reading it back I realise how desperate I was then)

They have given me 7 days to reply.

Really I could do with help as to how I reply to their letter

Thank you

Chris

[fkofilee]

You requested it because Barclays probably told you without it, youd lose your overdraft etc

[sirhc]

Thank you but just don't know how to word my reply

[fkofilee]

Be creative.. Why not talk on the phone to them. A complaint handler usually gives a telephone number to get hold of them on.

 

Its easier to word how you feel over the phone.

[sirhc]

So would I tell them on the phone as I explained above? or should I word it differently

[slick132]

Hi Sir,

 

Don't worry about them wanting a reply within 7 days. Take your time to reply properly and fully.

 

Can you post here what you said to the bank, that prompted their reply in post #1 above.

 

[sirhc]

In brief I asked for them to look into my Addition charges as when I started with Barclays I was told I could only get an overdraft if I had an Additions account and I wasn't told that there was any other account I could have

[slick132]

Hi Sir,

 

I would only reply to them by letter. Unless you record the tel con, you have no proof of what's said or agreed by either party.

 

Draft a letter and post it here for advice before sending.

 

The letter should be brief and reply to the points they raise, like :-

 

Whenever I asked for a loan to clear my overdraft, I was advised to take the Additions option that provided an overdraft.

 

I was told I was more likely to get the overdraft I needed than get a loan approved.

 

I was not told of any other options that would help me clear my overdraft.

 

Etc ...........

 

[sirhc]

Hi Slick would something like this do

I originally took out the Additions account so I could have an overdraft. The Additions account was the only one offered.

Whenever I requested a further overdraft I was advised to take the Additions option that provided an overdraft.

When my overdraft got to a certain level I was advised to take a consolidation loan but if I kept the Additions account I could keep my overdraft limit.

Additions plus was taken for the same reasons too, I was not told of any other options that would help me retain my overdraft

Chris

[slick132]

Hi Sir,

 

Can you tell us how the a/c was changed from Additions to a fee-free a/c with an overdraft.

 

And why did you then agree to change it back to Additions a/c.

 

[sirhc]

They said the Additions was downgraded in error to a free fee account and I requested it to be changed back to additions but I was not aware of this.

[Guest]

have you done a sar to them. their logs might show things.

[sirhc]

I was hoping to sort this with just a reply. I am sure if I had agreed to have additions back on my account, I am sure it would have been at the same time as requesting further overdraft or loan etc

[Guest]

ok. just a thought.

I was hoping to sort this with just a reply

hopefully...how much roughly do you think you are out (ie if they put in the position before the claimed missell?)

[sirhc]

Dont know

[Guest]

Dont know

fair enough. but, if you're going to pursue, then shld have a rough idea of what your loss could be.

if its not alot, then they might just pay out something eg a nominal sum as a policy of appeasement. if thats what you're after.

[sirhc]

Hi Slick any ideas

[slick132]

If you want to challenge them, you need to do the work, ie send the bank an SAR and get whatever evidence you can.

 

At this stage, I think your chance of success is poor as the fee-free a/c was changed back to Addintions.

 

SAR is they only way you'll improve your chance of success.