How to get bank problems resolved?
Apr 6th 2010, 3:42 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Duquesa
Posts: 8
How to get bank problems resolved?
Hi all, I have an annoying problems with my Spanish account at La Caixa. I want to know if there's somebody I can contact to intervene or get this mess sorted out. Here's the story (sorry in advance for the long post):
Before the problems started, I had 2 credit cards with La Caixa. One was a standard Gold credit card, the other an "Estrella" card which operated on a full payment basis like a charge card - that is, anything I spent needed to be paid back in full the following week.
Last September, I went to a wedding in Las Vegas, and put the room and car hire on the Estrella card, leaving the Gold card for emergencies and other expenses during an onward trip to L.A.. I had plenty of cash in my account to cover the money I was spending on the Estrella card.
On my return, I found that my hotel room had been charged twice. This put my card nearly €600 over the credit limit, incurring extra charges, and also emptied my current account which didn't have enough money to cover these extra expenses. Until the Estrella card was paid off, any money I put into the account was withheld to pay off that balance, meaning that I could not pay the due balance on the Gold card. Luckily, my wages didn't go directly to that account (else I would not have been able to pay my rent!) but by the time the extra charges were reversed in late December, my cards had been stopped and the case forwarded on to a collection agency.
Before I was notified that this referral had happened, I had come to an agreement with the bank that although they were not willing to reinstate my credit, they would accept me paying them back at an rate I could afford (€200 by the 14th of each month) until the Gold card's balance was cleared. I have kept to my end of this agreement. However, despite having explained the situation repeatedly to the collection agency (not an easy task as only one person there seems to speak any English, my telephone Spanish is mediocre, my financial vocabulary poor and they won't speak to a 3rd party!), they don't seem to be getting any information from La Caixa to tell them that I am paying the agreed amounts.
I am being repeatedly sent threatening letters, texts and phone calls from the agency, and also statements from Equifax showing me that my credit is being systematically destroyed. La Caixa claim that they are sending the information, but the collections agency say they are not receiving anything from them. They will only accept faxes of receipts from me, but most of the receipts have faded text making them illegible on their end, meaning that they simply won;t believe that I have made my last 3 months of payments.
I'm very concerned, as not only is my credit and access to services being destroyed, I honestly can't know whether this will stop even after I have repaid the full amount. In the UK, I've never faced such a situation but I believe that the Citizens' Advice Bureau and/or financial ombudman would be able to step in and help resolve the situation. Is there anything similar in Spain?
Before the problems started, I had 2 credit cards with La Caixa. One was a standard Gold credit card, the other an "Estrella" card which operated on a full payment basis like a charge card - that is, anything I spent needed to be paid back in full the following week.
Last September, I went to a wedding in Las Vegas, and put the room and car hire on the Estrella card, leaving the Gold card for emergencies and other expenses during an onward trip to L.A.. I had plenty of cash in my account to cover the money I was spending on the Estrella card.
On my return, I found that my hotel room had been charged twice. This put my card nearly €600 over the credit limit, incurring extra charges, and also emptied my current account which didn't have enough money to cover these extra expenses. Until the Estrella card was paid off, any money I put into the account was withheld to pay off that balance, meaning that I could not pay the due balance on the Gold card. Luckily, my wages didn't go directly to that account (else I would not have been able to pay my rent!) but by the time the extra charges were reversed in late December, my cards had been stopped and the case forwarded on to a collection agency.
Before I was notified that this referral had happened, I had come to an agreement with the bank that although they were not willing to reinstate my credit, they would accept me paying them back at an rate I could afford (€200 by the 14th of each month) until the Gold card's balance was cleared. I have kept to my end of this agreement. However, despite having explained the situation repeatedly to the collection agency (not an easy task as only one person there seems to speak any English, my telephone Spanish is mediocre, my financial vocabulary poor and they won't speak to a 3rd party!), they don't seem to be getting any information from La Caixa to tell them that I am paying the agreed amounts.
I am being repeatedly sent threatening letters, texts and phone calls from the agency, and also statements from Equifax showing me that my credit is being systematically destroyed. La Caixa claim that they are sending the information, but the collections agency say they are not receiving anything from them. They will only accept faxes of receipts from me, but most of the receipts have faded text making them illegible on their end, meaning that they simply won;t believe that I have made my last 3 months of payments.
I'm very concerned, as not only is my credit and access to services being destroyed, I honestly can't know whether this will stop even after I have repaid the full amount. In the UK, I've never faced such a situation but I believe that the Citizens' Advice Bureau and/or financial ombudman would be able to step in and help resolve the situation. Is there anything similar in Spain?
Apr 6th 2010, 3:54 pm
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Costa Blanca
Posts: 3,142
Re: How to get bank problems resolved?
Every town hall should have a 'consumo' department for complaints about services offered locally.
Above that there is the 'Defensor del Pueblo' like the above but for bigger issues (not sure if every town has one, don't think so you may need to go to a larger city.
Then there is a banking regulator to oversee all banks (I remember a friend saying he had used them) Consumo should have their contact details.
Above that there is the 'Defensor del Pueblo' like the above but for bigger issues (not sure if every town has one, don't think so you may need to go to a larger city.
Then there is a banking regulator to oversee all banks (I remember a friend saying he had used them) Consumo should have their contact details.
Apr 7th 2010, 5:16 pm
#3
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Duquesa
Posts: 8
Re: How to get bank problems resolved?
Thanks for the hints, I'll see what I can find in my local area...
Apr 7th 2010, 8:27 pm
#4
Banned
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Living in a good place
Posts: 8,824
Re: How to get bank problems resolved?
There is ausbanc españa but seems they make a charge for consultation.
Apr 8th 2010, 1:20 pm
#5
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,171
Re: How to get bank problems resolved?
Hi all, I have an annoying problems with my Spanish account at La Caixa. I want to know if there's somebody I can contact to intervene or get this mess sorted out. Here's the story (sorry in advance for the long post):
Before the problems started, I had 2 credit cards with La Caixa. One was a standard Gold credit card, the other an "Estrella" card which operated on a full payment basis like a charge card - that is, anything I spent needed to be paid back in full the following week.
Last September, I went to a wedding in Las Vegas, and put the room and car hire on the Estrella card, leaving the Gold card for emergencies and other expenses during an onward trip to L.A.. I had plenty of cash in my account to cover the money I was spending on the Estrella card.
On my return, I found that my hotel room had been charged twice. This put my card nearly €600 over the credit limit, incurring extra charges, and also emptied my current account which didn't have enough money to cover these extra expenses. Until the Estrella card was paid off, any money I put into the account was withheld to pay off that balance, meaning that I could not pay the due balance on the Gold card. Luckily, my wages didn't go directly to that account (else I would not have been able to pay my rent!) but by the time the extra charges were reversed in late December, my cards had been stopped and the case forwarded on to a collection agency.
Before I was notified that this referral had happened, I had come to an agreement with the bank that although they were not willing to reinstate my credit, they would accept me paying them back at an rate I could afford (€200 by the 14th of each month) until the Gold card's balance was cleared. I have kept to my end of this agreement. However, despite having explained the situation repeatedly to the collection agency (not an easy task as only one person there seems to speak any English, my telephone Spanish is mediocre, my financial vocabulary poor and they won't speak to a 3rd party!), they don't seem to be getting any information from La Caixa to tell them that I am paying the agreed amounts.
I am being repeatedly sent threatening letters, texts and phone calls from the agency, and also statements from Equifax showing me that my credit is being systematically destroyed. La Caixa claim that they are sending the information, but the collections agency say they are not receiving anything from them. They will only accept faxes of receipts from me, but most of the receipts have faded text making them illegible on their end, meaning that they simply won;t believe that I have made my last 3 months of payments.
I'm very concerned, as not only is my credit and access to services being destroyed, I honestly can't know whether this will stop even after I have repaid the full amount. In the UK, I've never faced such a situation but I believe that the Citizens' Advice Bureau and/or financial ombudman would be able to step in and help resolve the situation. Is there anything similar in Spain?
Before the problems started, I had 2 credit cards with La Caixa. One was a standard Gold credit card, the other an "Estrella" card which operated on a full payment basis like a charge card - that is, anything I spent needed to be paid back in full the following week.
Last September, I went to a wedding in Las Vegas, and put the room and car hire on the Estrella card, leaving the Gold card for emergencies and other expenses during an onward trip to L.A.. I had plenty of cash in my account to cover the money I was spending on the Estrella card.
On my return, I found that my hotel room had been charged twice. This put my card nearly €600 over the credit limit, incurring extra charges, and also emptied my current account which didn't have enough money to cover these extra expenses. Until the Estrella card was paid off, any money I put into the account was withheld to pay off that balance, meaning that I could not pay the due balance on the Gold card. Luckily, my wages didn't go directly to that account (else I would not have been able to pay my rent!) but by the time the extra charges were reversed in late December, my cards had been stopped and the case forwarded on to a collection agency.
Before I was notified that this referral had happened, I had come to an agreement with the bank that although they were not willing to reinstate my credit, they would accept me paying them back at an rate I could afford (€200 by the 14th of each month) until the Gold card's balance was cleared. I have kept to my end of this agreement. However, despite having explained the situation repeatedly to the collection agency (not an easy task as only one person there seems to speak any English, my telephone Spanish is mediocre, my financial vocabulary poor and they won't speak to a 3rd party!), they don't seem to be getting any information from La Caixa to tell them that I am paying the agreed amounts.
I am being repeatedly sent threatening letters, texts and phone calls from the agency, and also statements from Equifax showing me that my credit is being systematically destroyed. La Caixa claim that they are sending the information, but the collections agency say they are not receiving anything from them. They will only accept faxes of receipts from me, but most of the receipts have faded text making them illegible on their end, meaning that they simply won;t believe that I have made my last 3 months of payments.
I'm very concerned, as not only is my credit and access to services being destroyed, I honestly can't know whether this will stop even after I have repaid the full amount. In the UK, I've never faced such a situation but I believe that the Citizens' Advice Bureau and/or financial ombudman would be able to step in and help resolve the situation. Is there anything similar in Spain?
Most Spanish banks are a shambles and I dont think customer services is in their vocabulary! Your statutory rights in Spain are not worth squat
This is a very good reason to bank in Gibraltar, english spoken and they act as though they want your custom
