This is a warning for JL partnership card holders – they are incapable of dealing with modern technology and freedom of choice to move accounts. I was told this by their own customer services- “we are behind in our direct debit department and are working on it”
It was when I received the warning demand for immediate payment, with the overdue amount from what should have been paid by DD end of June, plus 2 lots of penalties costing almost £50 that I realised my direct debit was not correctly switched in spite of the Barclays letter “congratulations, your account is now set up and all your direct debits are in place” letter of the previous 16th June.
After a 60 minute phone call with Barclays it transpires that JL Partnership services had attempted to set up the direct debit on the day they also tried to take the payment, and Barclays duly cancelled the DD because they said there should be at least 4 working days before withdrawals are permitted. So, JL Partnership had “sat” on the details issued to them at the start of June, until they realised they needed it in place to withdraw payment.
Another 1 hour phone call, this time to JL Partnership, and still no apology from them. In fact they maintained they did not know of the four working days requirement. To top it all, the only way to re establish a direct debit for me now is to complete a paper form which they had to post to me, send it back, and wait 4 to 6 weeks for it to be set up.
So, it seems JL Partnership card services are incompatible with the banks willingness to urge us to consider switching banks and accounts, in spite of the signed instrucitons we provide to the new bank to “do it all for us”.
While I wait for an explanation and apology from JL Partnership services, I have received 2 chasers by post for payment even though I paid over the phone the day the threatening letter arrived at the beginning of the week. And I couldn’t use it even after I had settled the payment.
Sorry John Lewis but this is not good enough
Reviewed on: 13th July 2018
