Hi °C | Lo °C I opened an e-ISA with NatWest on April 28, 2009. At that time, it was the best ISA available that allowed transfers from existing ISAs. But I believe NatWest applied the wrong interest rate. I should have received 3% or 3.26% AER, but I received only its current rate of 2% AER. I have sent two letters, but haven't received a reply to my second letter. DK, by email.
Answer: NatWest accepts your argument. It says: "Despite receiving [the reader's] e-ISA forms at the beginning of May, the account was not actually opened until May 28. During this time, the interest rate on this account for new customers had decreased from 3.21% APR to 2.23% APR, so the revised, lower rate was applied to [the reader's] account as a result of the delay."
NatWest has now applied the higher rate of interest to your ISA backdated to June 1 last year. That amount has been forwarded to your new ISA. NatWest has also sent you a cheque for £50 "in recognition of this lapse of customer service".
In August last year, I lost a baby when I miscarried. Many letters were put in a bag to be opened later, but never were. A few weeks ago, I found these letters and opened an O2 bill from October 2009 for £508.71. The high bill was for "international data roaming" charges - yet I had not left the UK. My husband's parents live in Derry, which is in the UK but on the border with the Irish Republic. I spoke to O2, who sympathised and said that if I had contacted them quickly it probably would have refunded most of the charges. Instead it offered me 200 free minutes. This would be useless to me as I use only about 60 minutes a month. I haven't heard anything since. CM, Belfast.
Answer: O2 calculates the data roaming element of that bill at £484.77. It is not willing to waive this charge in full, but has offered to split the cost and make a refund of £242.39. You have accepted this offer.
My wife phoned Virgin Travel Insurance on July 8 and took out a single-trip travel insurance for a cruise holiday from July 29 to August 10. She was told the policy would be sent by post and she had 14 days to change her mind and cancel her policy for a full refund. Two days later, she phoned to make a minor addition. She was told her policy would be cancelled and she would be issued with a new one without any extra charge. The next day, she phoned to cancel this policy. Virgin now says that for all single-trip policies that have an end date within a month of purchase, there is no cancellation cooling-off period and no refund is payable.
NM, by email.
Answer: When your wife initially phoned, the end date of the holiday was more than a month later. On this basis, the cooling-off period applied. But when the policy was cancelled and replaced, the end date of the holiday was now less than a month away and the cooling-off period did not apply. Virgin has agreed to refund the premium.
Virgin has listened to the recording of the conversation between your wife and its operative: that recording reveals that your wife was informed of this. Virgin says that despite this, it agreed on a goodwill basis to refund the insurance premium. It received the proof that you took out another policy on August 19 and sent you a full refund on August 31 - the day before you contacted us.
