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?