Avoid Cardsave? - Are better card companies out there?
I have been with Cardsave for 3 years after moving from HSBC, who were brilliant with no cancellation charges and no 12 month rolling contract after being visited by a Cardsave rep who convinced us they were cheaper than HSBC.
I have had a heart attack have now been told that I have heart failure. I now have an estimated life span between 1 and 3 years. I have passed retirement age and the lease on my premises ends in March 2014. I do very little business now and spoke to Cardsave in May 2103 regarding cancellation. They advised that as I was way past the initial 12 months just 30 days was needed. I will be going into hospital quite soon and tried to cancel by email in July 2013 as advised previously but I was told that I am on a rolling contract and as they had just renewed my contract I have to pay a full 12 months charges plus £150, but they may, just accept £150. It would appear that whenever you wish to cancel you will have to pay £150 regardless of what time scale is left on your contract, even prior to the 30 day period.
I was told to email cancellations with a dispute but we have made you an offer and so it is doubtful that will change other than we may insist on a full 12 months charges. Totally intransigent, and cold and unfeeling.
I will try to negotiate but fear that they don't care anyway.
Cardsave, Avoid there are better card companies out there.
From what I have read Cardsave will chase you beyond the grave for cancellation charges.
N. Roberts.
Bourne Print
UPDATE:
Following on from the above, I received a very friendly and helpful telephone call from Matthew at Cardsave. They have obviously taken on board my comments and reservations. They have sorted out the problem to my entire satisfaction and I am now happy to review my rating of Cardsave.
My advice to everyone is no matter what you are signing, read the small print as not every company will respond the way that Cardsave have.
Response from www.cardsave.netJul 22, 2013
Dear Mr Roberts,
Thank you for giving your feedback, this allows us to grow as a business and understand our customers needs. I am pleased we were able to rectify this for you today and come to a satisfactory resolution.
Clive Kahn, Chief Executive.
JP
Jonathan P.
Check on the accounts you actually need and watch out for the 0844 number charges when contacting Cardsave!
We are a small Guest house in Bournemouth and tried to save a few pounds by switching to Cardsave. We have previously always taken payments over the POS terminal however we were told that it would be beneficial to take deposits online. The online system, though secure is clunky and time consuming. After requesting to take deposits through our terminal, as we have always done with other companies, we were informed that there would be a £50 charge - and £150 +vat to cancel the online account - plus the outstanding Months at £5 per Month. Total Rip-off and we would have been better off staying with our existing supplier.
+ +_+ + EDIT:- Cardsave have since been very helpful and resolved the problems at no extra charge. I have revised the rating accordingly and would have awarded them 5 stars if they had a normal contact number beginning with 01 - 0845 or 0800.
Response from www.cardsave.netJul 22, 2013
Dear Mr Perry,
Thank you for your comments, we really appreciate your feedback.
Clive Kahn, Chief Executive
ZS
Zoe S.
12 MONTH ROLLING CONTRACTS
We have had little problem. However I was offered a much much better deal with our Bank. On trying to cancel I firstly had 3 e-mails ignored, then on ringing up I am informed that we are in a rolling 12 month contract., and to cancel early we would have to pay the remain 2 quarters, plus a hefty cancellation fee. The only way to cancel with them is to write a letter 30 days before the contract expires (and rolls over again to another 12 months).
They never send a letter advising you that the contract is up for renewal, or a new contract.
*EDIT* Received a call from Cardsave and a great effort was made to resolve the issue. We are now sticking with Cardsave as they have offered us a good deal which means we won't be changing companies now. Thanks very much!
Response from www.cardsave.netJun 28, 2013
Thank you for your kind comments, we appreciate you giving Cardsave the opportunity to address and rectify the issues you raised. We place great importance on providing the highest standard of service to all our customers.
Clive Kahn, Chief Executive
SL
Steven L.
Redeemed
4 Stars out of 5 for customer Service after complaining here .
Well, for one, I am glad that we were assigned an attentive and courteous member of staff after getting nowhere initially before posting here on this website my employers frustrations.
Instead of the 1 Star critique we had initially assigned them previously, for all the problems mentioned previously, I and the owners are now glad to deliver a revised review to the situation with the alteration from One to FOUR stars for customer service.
It has at times appeared to be a case of which members of staff one gets answering the phones and having the commitment and patience in effectively trying to resolve ones queries.
Anyway, after our complaint here - I am glad to report that a fine and pleasant young gentleman member of staff phoned us up and sincerely approached us offering to do his best to try and ensure that things continued upon a mutually respectful and happy platform for all concerned.
Fast forward after a few days of detailing the situation to him and mentioning the key parts which mattered to us...he did offer the owners of my workplace some very generous terms - both for if we decided to leave in future but also terms ongoing if we decided to stay.
Essentially the mains bones of contention and misunderstandings, in the initial Sales approach and initial lack of customer care from other staff, were I'm delighted to say, graciously corrected and honour is satisfied once more (and the owners are no longer peeved and shouting in my ear as it were over the terms of our partnership with Cardsave.
What we've learnt as a conclusion:
Particularly the male members of staff in Cardsave seem to provide exceptional care and consideration - especially the gentleman we finally had ending up dealing with our case.
We have seen a new side to Cardsave...and it is for the moment, a side that we really like...and hope to see more of this gracious and sincere manner in the future if and when the case arises that we need contact them again.
The revised deal they offered us far exceeded anything that any of their top rival providers could offer at this time...by far....so with a contented heart the owners have instructed me to accept their offer and see how it goes for the next 12 months.
I hope the rest of the staff will continue with this courteous and sincere approach to their clients/partners as the young gentleman who we ended up dealing with has treated us with.
I shall be writing a small letter of accreditation complimenting him accordingly to his CEO at head office for the rather fine and respectful way he has helped us in resolving the main concerns.
And we look forward to continuing to work beside Cardsave for the near future.
Thank you again Matthew, it has been more or less a joy in dealing with yourself.
4 Stars out of 5 to Cardsave from a previously enraged client/partner.
-Original Review before being Resolved over subsequent 3 weeks, mid/late April).
Cardsave are pretty disgraceful when it comes to 'Selling Practices'.
We signed up to what was offered by a senior sales agent as a 1 year rolling back in around 2007-2008, with an initial contract where as long as we gave a months notice it would not renew...and therefore there would be nothing to pay to do so as long as we completed the first years contract we could give a months notice then leave without cost to us.
3 years down the line, we find that their rates are highly 'uncompetitive' and so we first ask for a better deal which they can't offer compared to almost every other major rival to name) then we ask about cancelling.
Only to encounter a female manager with the attitude of a hard nosed 'Debt collection agent' like you see on TV saying 'oh well we'd rather not talk about cancellation but what we can do for you staying on blah blah blah' as she tries various tricks to avoid giving us any information about leaving...then as we persist she becomes more obnoxious before listing almost £360 worth of charges just to close the account and leave....none of which were ever disclosed...contrary to what their regional Sales Rep had said at the time to us in person too...that 'as long as you complete the first initial year of the contract then you are free to leave'.
The have a habit of intentionally NOT leaving contract terms as quoted by a more pleasant gent manager to any new clients and if they do leave anything it's a faded nearly impossible to read cheap photocopy of a A4 sheet of some of the features and that's it - so that you have to clarify terms verbally with the sales rep like we did.
Their sales agent lied it would appear to us about charges on leaving.
We're going to defo cancel this year with over 4-5 months to spare - we'll see how much Cardsave really wants to trash their own long term repute.
Cardsave or certain members of their staff, seems to be like certain waste disposal companies and act like cowboys...who presume that:
'Once you've signed up for a year of service then they'll have you for life without having to earn your patronage again...ever'.
They unlike the mobile phone companies who genuinely try to offer you good terms to stay with them rely only on the lack of 'Consumer protection laws' governing their practices...as it leans more towards Business Law (which is weak and designed for largest of firms only in mind.)
I'd recommend anyone with a dispute and getting nowhere, to get the Financial Ombudsmen regulator involved to help resolve the dispute
I've spoken with them already along with some senior legal counsel at the some charities and government consumer protection agencies...currently consulting a family solicitor.
They've said try to resolve it with the complaints procedure in house with Cardsave first if not then they'll be ale to be more involved - the Citizens Advice Bureau legal advisers advise the same.
They are very silly in practice all of these companies who act in such a way...they really think that ' misinformation, not bothering to inform you of contractual terms by intentionally not giving you a copy of the full contract and general miss-selling by having Sales agents say one thing but customer agents say another' will win n keep them business in the medium and long run.
Why the hell would any half decent serious about making a good quality professional reputation for itself company choose ti allow it's staff to behave in such a manner...to so many of us their supposedly treasured clients...honestly...who trains them and writes the company policy to enable them to behave this way???
Restauranteur, in Manchester M33
Response from www.cardsave.netApr 18, 2013
Thank you for posting your comments.
We place great importance on providing the highest standard of service to all our customers.
Occasionally, we don't get our service delivery right.
Following your review we have contacted you today and agreed a resolution with you over the phone.
I hope this now resolves the issues you have been having.
I apologise for the inconvenience you have experienced.
If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us.
Clive Kahn, Chief Executive.
JE
Jo E.
CARDSAVE - I would recommend them.
I have been using Cardsave for approximately 3 years and I have to say that during that time I have found the company to be efficient and helpful on the few occasions that have arisen.I am now using the ingenico iWL250 terminal with the roaming network facility which generally finds a signal in areas that are known to be of poor signal strength. Also due to the nature of my work I am unable to charge the terminal until the end of the day, but have found the battery life to be very good lasting 12 hours plus. Upon taking receipt of this Terminal which was dispatched in a few days, everything was in full working order and ready to use after charging. I have recommended this company to others.