Readers’ grievances raised with finance company and telecom firm

One reader made her credit card payment a day after the due date and was charged Dh275, while another had a problem getting his internet connection relocated

Late fee

I have had a Najm credit card from Majid Al Futtaim Finance for several years and have been quite satisfied with their services in the past. My last payment was due on February 4, but I was under the impression that it was due on February 10, which is the date on the statement.

On February 5, I received a text message for a payment reminder. So, I called up Najm’s customer service immediately to confirm the due date, which I was told was February 4 and was advised to make the payment immediately to avoid late payment fees.

On the same day, I made the full payment of Dh5,315. Yet, in the statement for March, I was charged Dh275 as late payment fee. I put in a request for the reversal of late payment fee on February 14, as I had informed the bank that I would make the payment on February 5 itself.

The reversal was rejected even after several calls and requests through email, too. This has been disheartening as I have always been making payments regularly well in advance. I also have several credit cards with other banks, but have never faced such issues. I would appreciate it if Najm would look into this and refund the amount of Dh275. From Ms Edwice Helena Correia Dubai

The management of Majid Al Futtaim Finance responds:

Kindly be informed that after investigation, the late payment fee charges applied on the customer’s credit card statement are valid, as the customer did not pay the credit card payment on its due date.

The payment was supposed to happen on February 4, but the customer paid on the February 5. The credit card statement was sent to our customer on January 16 followed by a SMS reminder on January 18. The customer contacted our customer service twice to ask for charges reversal and the request was denied.

We regret to inform you that we will not be able to accommodate the customer’s request for reversal, as this is an exceptional situation. Majid Al Futtaim Finance reserves all rights in regard to its products and services.

(Process initiation: April 2. Response from organisation: April 6. Process completion: April 16.)

Refund received

W ith regard to my eLife etisalat connection, in June 2016 I requested etisalat to transfer my connection since we moved from one place to another. I went to a branch to shift the internet connection to our new house a week later to update what was happening to my internet connection and they told me that they were still processing it, so it was delayed. I went there again for an update and it was still pending, so my brother decided to apply for a new internet connection under his name and within three days it had been installed.

I went there again to cancel my internet connection, but they were asking me to pay the whole amount even though I hadn’t used the service since June 1, 2016. Six months later I received a call from 101 that I have an outstanding balance of Dh2,400 to etisalat for the service they didn’t transfer and that I never used. I had already made a complaint to etisalat that I hadn’t used that service since they failed to transfer the connection. They said that they had filed a complaint and that they will investigate the issue. After the investigation they refunded me only Dh359 for the delay from June, but they didn’t wave the disputed amount on my existing bill. They told me that they couldn’t wave the amount because the new internet connection was not under my name, it was in my brother’s name. They didn’t even tell me that I could apply for the new connection under my name even if I have a pending line. If they just told me that, I could have done that myself.

Now they are asking me to pay Dh2,100 because they told me I did not close my account in the first place. I don’t want to close that account because I have been using that account for almost four years already. I will not pay for a service that I haven’t used, but they are forcing me to pay the whole bill. They told me if the new account had been under my name, they could have waived it. It was really unfair. I don’t know what to do now, they already closed the case when I went back to the branch and they told me that I can’t further complain since the case was already closed.

I am hoping Gulf News could help me and make others aware. From Mr Rolando Villaflores Dubai

The management of etisalat responds:

Thank you for bringing Mr Villaflores’ concerns to our attention. Etisalat customer service team would want to apologise on all the inconvenience caused to him. As Mr Villaflores had requested to shift his eLife connection in June 2016, which got delayed due to some technical issues. A refund is made to the account as there was no usage for the period after June until December. The case is closed and the customer is satisfied.

Mr Villaflores responds:

I really do appreciate Gulf News’ intervention with this issue. I already received an email from etisalat that they already waived my bill, because of non-usage. They can actually see the non-usage, I just had to write a complaint to the Gulf News team. That’s why I’m very happy the issue is resolved. Thank you very much and more power to Gulf News.

(Process initiation: March 1. Response from organisation: April 9. Reader confirmation: April 19.)

Editor’s note: Do you have similar issues that you would like to raise with us? You can write to us at readers@ gulfnews.com