Readers' issues raised

Account blocked
I have a salary transfer account with Barclays bank and a salary transfer loan, the instalment of which I have been paying regularly, except once when I lost my job. They have been harassing me and blocking my current account money from the 27th of every month as security. My salary is regularly transferred into my account and they deduct the instalment from it as it is a salary transfer loan. How can someone survive during the last days of the month when the bank is taking his money without informing him?
I also have a credit card from this bank. Despite regular follow-ups, the bank is unable to provide me access to internet banking. Also, can a bank refuse to give bank statements for a year or two even if the customer is ready to pay for it?
From Mr Zeeshan Quazi
Abu Dhabi

A Barclays spokesperson responds:
The complaints have been closed and the customer is satisfied. Regarding the first complaint, the customer ID has been reconfigured and the customer is enjoying our IVR services.

As for the second complaint, the salary hold falls in line with our policy in cases when the date is after the salary credit date. This is clearly mentioned in our terms and conditions and is communicated to customers. Furthermore, customers have the option to change the due date prior to the salary date to avoid any hold on funds. We informed the customer that an application needs to be filled and his application was processed accordingly.

Both issues of the customer have been resolved and the customer is satisfied.

Waiting for credit card

In December 2011, I was approached by a Mashreq Bank representative promising me a platinum credit card.

During the first week of January this year, he called me to confirm that my card had been approved and would be delivered any time.

Till date [February 5], I haven’t received anything from Mashreq. When I contacted them, they said that the application was still under process.

Every other day, I have been calling this representative, who has not been responding to my calls.

I have no objection to cancelling my application. However, I wish the bank had been responsible and settled this issue after hearing my complaint.
From Mr Subramanyam Bhat
Abu Dhabi

The management of Mashreq responds: Thank you Gulf News for sharing Mr Subramanyam Bhat’s letter with us.
We would like to share that Mr Bhat had applied for the Mashreq etisalat platinum credit card and as per bank policy and the usual checklist, we are required to contact his company for verification purposes.
To do so and to ensure a rigorous implementation of the policy, we can only consider the telephone numbers listed in the public directory, which we have tried to contact several times and there was no answer. The same has been communicated to Mr Bhat addressing his concern. We would like to thank Gulf News for seeking clarification.

Mr Bhat responds:
Thank you very much. Gulf News’ intervention helped me in a great way to settle this long pending issue.

Expensive package

I live in Dubai Silicon Oasis and have been using etisalat’s Al Shamil internet service for the past several years. Etisalat has been calling and forcing me to upgrade to e-Life services, which I do not require.

I do not use the internet much at home nor do I require any other services offered by the expensive e-Life package.

However, etisalat does not stop calling me and sometimes it is intimidating. Recently, one person called me from etisalat saying that their new fibre optic services will make the Al Shamil services obsolete and that I need to upgrade.

If this is the case, then etisalat should give us reasonable e-Life services at the same price of the Al Shamil services.

Fortunately, I have fibre optic services in my building and what etisalat says does not hold ground. I think that etisalat must either give its customers reasonable and inexpensive choices or stop forcing and intimidating us for a service we do not require.
From Mr Mohammad Shabir
Dubai

Editor’s note: The complaint was forwarded to etisalat for comments. However, despite repeated reminders, the management of etisalat failed to respond.