26 Apr 2014 1:00 PM:

Hi all, thanks so much for all the advice and useful pointers. For now I've decided to write again to my branch, copying in their head office and the Banco de España. Inclusion on ASNEF and Experian lists means trivial things like swapping mobile phone provider become impossible so it's not something I can just leave festering away in the background.

I know poor banking practises aren't unique to Spain, but it does seem prevalent here. The thing is, I'm not unreasonable. I understand mistakes are made sometimes, and that's fine, just rectify it, an apology would be nice and everybody move on. But with Santander it seems that mistakes are never made, therefore automatically the customer is at fault and there's just no reasoning with them. It's this attitude, this lack of customer service that never ceases to amaze me. The day we closed the account the first thing my wife said to me when we got outside was "Don't you think it's strange they they didn't even ask us why we wanted to close it'" - It's because they just don't care, they'll screw you for every cent you have whilst you're with them, charge you 10€ to take 100€ out of a rival's ATM because their one is broken etc etc. 

Just as an aside, my wife is Spanish, an economics graduate, so I mean, nothing has been lost in translation anywhere. I'll keep you all posted on what finally happens.

Again, thanks to you all for taking the time to post your thoughts.

 

Thread: Closed account - Threatened with legal action.

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24 Apr 2014 12:47 AM:

Hi,

In December of 2012 I settled a Banesto credit card debt, in full, in cash (some 2000€) and also paid a cancellation fee of 60€. I didn't do this in my own branch (it's a long way from where I live) but I was told there was no problem doing it in a local branch, they would forward everything to my branch of Banesto. I watched as the card was cut up in front of me and placed in an envelope to be sent internal mail to my branch. I literally thought nothing more about it.

 

8 months later, with the credit card paid off and my pension payments transferred to La Caixa, I decided to close the account completely. Again, I didn't do it in my own branch as it's 100km away, but did it in a Banesto more local to me, as again, I was told there was no problem whatsoever with doing that. At the point I closed the account (in July 2013) I was €9.88 in credit. I was told my branch would contact me to finalise the closure and to transfer any monies back to me. However, they stated quite clearly "it might take a while, we're merging with Santander, so we ask for your patience."

 

3 months later, having heard nothing my wife rang the branch and was basically told what we were told before, "be patient, we're going through a transition period..."

 

And thats when I started getting letters from Santander's collection department saying I owed 43€ for my credit card renewal fee. I told them I don't have a card, it was cut up, I cancelled the debt and the card almost a year ago. All they would tell me was I had to talk to my branch.

 

I rang my branch, promises were made to get back to me, they didn't. they promised to email my wife with information, they didn't. Then I started getting letters from Santander's lawyers - this is all for a 43€ annual card charge for a card we don't have. I told them what I'd told the debt collection centre and what I told my branch. Nobody cares.

 

Yesterday I received a new letter from Santander. Now we owe 127€ because they've added on interest and their lawyer's fees onto the 43€ debt for a card we haven't had for a year and a half. We have 30 days to pay or we're on an ASNEF list, Experian etc.

 

I rang my branch, furious. I was told they might be able to reduce the payment a bit. I said I wasn't going to pay a single cent. It's their error, they can sort it out. In 2012 they asked for my patience and all I've got in return is legal threats. 

 

We're lucky in that we have some money. I know it would be easier to pay the bast@rds but it's the principal of it all. Should I get a lawyer? What are my options? 

 

Their final argument was that although we paid the card off in full, and paid a cancelllation fee, we should also have rung Visa to cancel it. I've never heard anything so stupid. I didn't have to ring Visa to contract the card, I've paid good money to Banesto to cancel the card, Banesto destroyed the card in front of me and at no point were we ever told we also had to contact Visa. Where would you even find Visa's number? Yellow Pages?

 

Any thoughts?

Thread: Closed account - Threatened with legal action.

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