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The worldwide credit squeeze is beginning to affect UK borrowers now, with holders of MBNA credit cards seeing interest rates climbing.
It seems that MBNA are trying to recover their losses in other markets by really pressing credit card clients, in some instances simply doubling the interest rate payable and then levying additional payments when accounts have got into difficulties.
The bottom line is that banks like MBNA can do whatever they choose with interest rates when they are classed as variable, which all credit cards are. Right now it looks like the UK borrowers are paying for the difficulties in the USA, literally. A typical example is of a lady who had never missed a payment and was what would be categorised as an excellent credit risk. Her rate went up within a couple of months from just under 16 percent to almost 28 percent. Knowing someone has the means to manage their credit and will pay the extra cost is no justification for doing so.
Sainsburys Bank believes that credit card users are not claiming the rewards being earned through loyalty point schemes, ultimately costing themselves money.
Looking at the last year the Sainsburys Bank study found that, of over 8 million earned rewards on their credit cards. However only 3 million people claimed their rewards. The biggest reason cited for not claiming was that the value of the reward was too small, this being the reason for over 40 percent. Over a quarter of people felt the process to get the rewards took too long and just under a quarter said it was too difficult.
A Sainsburys Bank spokesman suggested that credit card companies should look addressing these issues since both card provider and consumer would both benefit.
