Not upheld: misleading information / failure to clearly communicate product terms complaint against Jaja Finance Ltd trading as Asda Money Credit Card

Decision detail

Summary

Mr L complained that Asda Money misled him into opening a credit card without a promotional 0% balance transfer offer that he believed he was applying for. A credit broker had shown Mr L a card with this promotional offer, but when he applied through Asda Money's website, the promotional offer was not available on the card he received. The ombudsman found that Asda Money's Pre-Contract Credit Information document and Credit Agreement both clearly stated the promotional balance transfer offer was 'N/A' (not applicable) before Mr L submitted his application. Although Mr L was initially misled by the credit broker's presentation, Asda Money's own application process clearly communicated that the product being offered did not include the promotional offer. The complaint was not upheld as Mr L should have been reasonably aware of the absence of the promotional offer before submitting his application.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman focused on the screens prior to the 'Submit application' button, as this was the last opportunity for Mr L to exit without registering a hard credit search. The Pre-Contract Credit Information document and Credit Agreement were both clearly available to Mr L before submission, and both explicitly stated that no promotional balance transfer offer was available on the account (marked as 'N/A'). Although Mr L believed he was applying for a card with a promotional offer based on the credit broker's presentation, Asda Money's own application journey clearly communicated that the product being offered did not include the promotional offer. The ombudsman was not persuaded that Asda Money caused foreseeable harm or broke any regulations.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website