Just on phone to Barclaycard. They're not budging. Neither am I.
I went on the website earlier this month to pay the statement balance of my Platinum card. The website told me how much I had to pay, and I paid it. However, it somehow went on to my Football card in error.
Those of you who don't know the scheme, it's interest free on my season card (and my dad's) for the life of the balance - we usually pay off the minimum each month and then pay the remaining balance (about £300) in May before we purchase the new season's cards.
They were more than happy to correct the error when I called to complain, they refunded my late payment fee and interest on the Platinum card, and rearranged the balances. However, they didn't tell me that the adjustment they made to the Football card would then start accumulating interest. It's on my statement as a "debit adjustment". Of course, there's no info on the statement about the rate at which that accumulates interest. As it turns out, it classes as a normal purchase, which is chargeable at 14.9% APR.
They've basically told me that it's my fault and that they can't do anything about it. As you can imagine, I'm f**king fuming. I don't take kindly to being told by customer services that something is my fault when I know for a fact that is isn't.
Their solution is that I can pay it all off, but then I (and my dad) would have to find £550 each to pay off the balance 10 months early.
Of course, the obvious "high horse" approach would be to keep paying the minimum payments, and to flatly refuse to be responsible for any interest that accumulates on the balance, as I said to the stubborn Indian gentleman on the phone, but that's pretty risky for me.
Any suggestions about how I should play this?
I've got their complaints address and was about to write them a strongly worded letter stating the above and recommending that a very simple solution would be to correct that debit adjustment so that it becomes interest-free. In fact, I think just about the only other way it could be done would be for them to give me a balance transfer to a new card at 0% for at least 12 months, and waive any balance transfer fee, and refund any interest accumulated thus far.
If City were to refund and then re-charge my card with the full balance, that would also solve the issue, but I very much doubt they'd be willing to do it, and neither should they! It's not their problem.
This is a seriously f**ked up mess and the worst thing is, it's the first time the website has allowed me to make a payment for months. Previously I've always had to ring up to make a payment (which the recorded phone message tells you they're not able to do).
Barclaycard House
PO Box 5592
Northampton
NN4 1ZY