John Lewis Partnership Card

[DaisyBell]

Hi, I have a John Lewis Partnership card, which was originally a store card, but somewhere along the line became a credit card. I think at the time I believed the store cards were being phased out, but it appears this was not the case! Here are the facts:

Credit card opened in July 2004

Approx balance £8,900

Last full payment : Sept 2011

Reduced payments since then, stopped paying May 2012.

Status : Defaulted Dec 2011

Account owner, still John Lewis

May 11th : sent CCA request

June 1st : Reply from John Lewis, Looks like application form and terms and conditions. Will email Niddy.

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: John Lewis Partnership Card

have you seen the Mayhew judgment?

read it and laugh - if applicable

---> Do you have a Store Card to Credit Card? - allaboutFORUMS

Speak to planB as she was the defendant and knows this case law inside out

[PlanB]

Re: John Lewis Partnership Card

DaisyBell.

Was the 'Application form' they sent you definitely for a storecard which you opened in 2004 (which was restricted to use in John Lewis department stores only), or for their credit card (MasterCard) which you could use anywhere which they launched in March 2004 If it helps to jog your memory the storecard was available from the 1960s onwards and existing customers were invited to upgrade to the credit card in 2004. It was an agressive sign-up-in-store campaign by the girls on the till when you went to pay for your shopping. But John Lewis did run both products side by side (still do).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3576489.stm

PS The Link Fairy is now officially redundant

[DaisyBell]

Re: John Lewis Partnership Card

Hi Plan B, when I sent John Lewis a CCA request, they sent me a copy of what looks like an application for the credit card, but I originally had a store card, a few years before 2004, which I preferred. I think they invited me to up-date it to a credit card, hence the copy of the application, which I emailed to Niddy. At the time I got the impression that the storecard was no longer available, which is the only reason I changed. Unfortunately I don't have any original paper work. Nor do I remember exactly when I took out the store card.

[PlanB]

Re: John Lewis Partnership Card

Hi Plan B, when I sent John Lewis a CCA request, they sent me a copy of what looks like an application for the credit card, but I originally had a store card, a few years before 2004, which I preferred. I think they invited me to up-date it to a credit card, hence the copy of the application, which I emailed to Niddy. At the time I got the impression that the storecard was no longer available, which is the only reason I changed. Unfortunately I don't have any original paper work. Nor do I remember exactly when I took out the store card.

If you filled in an application for a whole new credit card then you didn't really upgrade the old one because you started a different product. But it would be useful to know whether:

(a) any outstanding balance on the storecard was transferred to the credit card or did it start with a zero balance and you paid off anything outstanding on the storecard which was then closed, and

(b) did you fill out the application form for the credit card in store (perhaps at the till) or take it home to read and post back?

[DaisyBell]

Re: John Lewis Partnership Card

I'm not sure if there was an outstanding balance, probably not, as I don't live near a John Lewis store, so only used the storecard at xmas, and two or three other times a year. It was always paid off within two or three months. I don't remember filling out a form in store, I think I got the information through the post. Interestingly, on the application for the credit card I see that I was not working at the time, and had to put down my husband's details, and income. Surprised they still let me have the credit card!

[PlanB]

Re: John Lewis Partnership Card

Okay. Wait and see what Niddy says about the documents you've sent him first. There is more than one thing that can make a debt UE. From what you say this may not have been an *upgrade* of your old storecard but a replacement for it with a new application form. But that still doesn't necessarily mean they got all the paperwork right

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: John Lewis Partnership Card

Time to SAR them isn't it. To get the historical data!

[DaisyBell]

Re: John Lewis Partnership Card

Hi, Niddy says this is enforceable . Unfortunately it doesn't look as if it was a straight forward store card to credit card, so I think I'm stuck with it. I didn't make the May payment, as I was awaiting John Lewis's reply, ( I had an arrangement to pay £60 a month 'til a review in November ). However, I received a letter from them today which said:

"Your account is seriously in arrears and you have failed to keep to the special arrangement we agreed regarding payment to your account.

This means that the full arrears of £8,859.62 are now due.

Please send this payment by return quoting your card number, name and address on the reverse of the cheque, or contact us on 08453003831 should this prove difficult.

Failure to comply with this request will leave us no alternative than to take action to recover the full balance payable."

All suggestions gratefully received as I'm now really stressing about this one. Thanks.

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: John Lewis Partnership Card

All suggestions gratefully received as I'm now really stressing about this one. Thanks.

don't stress, it's really not worth it. Can you clarify, do you own your own home?

[DaisyBell]

Re: John Lewis Partnership Card

Yes, we have a mortgage. Do you think they would agree to another arrangement?

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: John Lewis Partnership Card

Yes, we have a mortgage. Do you think they would agree to another arrangement?

When was the payment missed, ie what payment did you not pay...?

[DaisyBell]

Re: John Lewis Partnership Card

They sent me a letter dated 18th May agreeing to the new arrangement, and wanted the first payment of £60 to be paid by May 28th, which I missed. Can they really demand the whole lot in one go?

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: John Lewis Partnership Card

They sent me a letter dated 18th May agreeing to the new arrangement, and wanted the first payment of £60 to be paid by May 28th, which I missed. Can they really demand the whole lot in one go?

Ok well send it now, you're not even a month late so to retain the offer just send it today - or blag it? Up to you whatever suits you.....

Then just pay June's payment at end of June as normal - they will be fine with that. Because you defaulted they can recall the whole balance, but so what - all lenders do this, doesn't mean we can pay it - if we could we'd not be in debt in the first place!

[DaisyBell]

Re: John Lewis Partnership Card

Thanks, I think I'll send them a cheque for May now, and then one for June nearer the end of the month. Thanks for your suggestions, they do help. Wish I could just pay it all off in one go! Mind you, if I had that much money I can think of a lot of other things I'd much prefer to spend the money on!