Creation Financial Services bashing

[Lula]

Not sure we got more. But we got more than I was expecting.

I won’t be closing my complaint with the FOS though.

[Aston100]

In case anyone cares, I didn’t bother talking to the FOS.
My points are still sitting there in my Creation account along with a small credit I left on there to keep the account open.

[shub]

No point expected, but expecting free night voucher. But nothing in my account yet. Anniversary around March but spent more than 10k before closure.
I accepted FOS offer.

[NorthernLass]

A couple of free nights will be nice but I’m mainly just happy that Creation have finally been held to account by the little people! Hopefully they are getting round to awarding everyone else’s points and certificates as we write.

[Jonathans]

I rejected the offer (I think, but I’ve not had confirmation from the FOS on that though). Today I Received less than half the points owed. But have received the free night voucher and my anniversary date was March. No idea how they will send the pro-rata refund?

[rams]

I rejected, wife accepted.

We both have received less points than due and free night voucher with no notification.

[eskimoboy]

I accepted. Got the free night in my account today and just over half the points I was expecting (admittedly I wasn’t expecting very many). No sign of a pro rata fee yet.

While Creation have probably pulled a bit of a fast one and under paid me points I guess overall (Assuming I get the pro rata refund) I’ll probably just close the matter. I did think i might get some correspondence from them though!

[Magarathea]

I rejected the offer but have received my small amount of missing points and a free night certificate. No sign of fee refund yet. Free night certificate can be used where rooms are bookable using points but not at MR & Mrs.

[stevenhp1987]

I never received an offer at all…

No points or voucher received unsurprisingly.

I’ve asked FOS why I never received the offer when everyone else did… Might take them a while to reply!

[NorthernLass]

I’ve emailed FOS asking if they are aware that I’ve been given the points and free night despite having rejected Creation’s offer and whether they know why not all outstanding points have been transferred.

[Lula]

@NorthernLass given their professed ignorance of the terms of the offer, I’d be surprised if they are able to answer that question, but you never know!

[Don]

I didn’t accept, but received a free night voucher and 2000 points. Had earned over 10000 points at the time of closure, so not sure how that’s been assessed.

[Lady London]

“you couldn’t make this up” 🙂

Has anyone any idea what Creation are doing?

[Aston100]

Lady London wrote:

“you couldn’t make this up” 🙂

Has anyone any idea what Creation are doing?

I’m sure JDB is formulating a suitably defensive response to go with this classic from last month:
“it’s the most ludicrously generous offer and those suggesting negotiating for all sorts of additional stuff need to book an appointment with a neurologist asap. Of course the robbers, so praised here, have been rewarded and those that had their cards cancelled hace suffered but that’s life.”

[NorthernLass]

My FOS case handler has just responded to say that Creation have not advised them of any of this – quelle surprise! Cases will remain open and under investigation where the complainant did not accept the offer.

[JDB]

@Aston100 you are so busy criticising everything and everyone (not just me) on lots of threads that I’m not sure you can tell a good deal from a guava, but there we are.

It’s a good deal because people are getting vouchers to which they aren’t strictly entitled and it’s at least as good a deal if not a better deal than people got at MCOL where the fact that for many it ended in a settlement rather than a judgment suggests neither side got exactly what they wanted.

It is clear from a detailed report here and other sources that the judges were considering some of Creation’s extensive mud slinging defence (poor though it was) and that’s why people settled – because they weren’t confident that the case would go their way and if decided in their favour unclear whether they would get all they sought by way of remedy but rather some pyrrhic victory. I believe some actually lost their cases.

Yes, it has taken ages for the FOS to resolve this, but ultimately they have successfully pressured Creation into delivering what people sought. Creation appears to be starting to deliver much more quickly than expected and it seems a little trigger happy to chase Creation or the FOS quite yet for any missing elements as it’s clearly work in progress.

I also think you need to get this whole Creation saga into some sort of perspective. It affected a tiny number of people (albeit very vocal ones) temporarily depriving them of some points and hotel vouchers. The FOS has much, much more serious complaints where people have life changing issues like lost their pensions and savings.

Additionally, rather than getting at me and Creation, why not direct some of your ire at the dodgy cardholders why precipitated all this in the first place? It’s all very well playing to the crowd but a small number of people caused cards to be cancelled with the loss of ongoing points/voucher collection.

Anyway, if you have some considered view as to why it’s not a good deal, please enlighten us.

[Jon9]

Have received just under half the points owed at the time of closure but no free night voucher.

My year end was October and I had spent over £10k so not sure what Creations rationalle is.

I had indicated provisionql acceptance to FOS but time for an email withdrawing that.

[Olly]

I provisionally accepted the offer. Got the certificate and no points (wasn’t due any as stopped spending when I’d hit the 10k threshold). So that just leaves the refund. How do people know whether they’ve received this? My account login no longer seems to be working, but presumably it shows there? Maybe at some point I’ll get a statement in the post

[Olly]

NorthernLass wrote:

Hmm, just done a few searches with the free night cert and I’m only getting availability in European properties?

I’m finding no availability at all with the voucher with Mr & Mrs Smith hotels. Has this loophole been shut now?

[ediflyer]

A couple of data points:

Me – FOS complaint open since Nov 2021, case handler allocated a few weeks ago, no fee refund at the time, no ‘standard’ offer email. Spoke to case handler on the phone this week and things progressing. No points/free night cert (although had met spend requirement).

My Dad – FOS complaint open since Jan 2022, received standard offer, didn’t reply in time, received update saying will process – to date no points showing (no free night cert due).

[NorthernLass]

@Olly – no Mr and Mrs Smith now. If you book on desktop you have to start from scratch with each search which was why I couldn’t find anything on additional searches. This is not the case with the app, though.

My fee was refunded, but I left it on my account. I’m happy for Creation to have it if they comply with their side of the Ts and Cs. £99 won’t even get you a night at a lot of Holiday Inns these days so the certificate is worth a lot more to me!

[JerrySignfield]

Olly wrote:

NorthernLass wrote:

Hmm, just done a few searches with the free night cert and I’m only getting availability in European properties?

I’m finding no availability at all with the voucher with Mr & Mrs Smith hotels. Has this loophole been shut now?

Doesn’t work seem to work for me 🙁

[NorthernLass]

You have to start each search from scratch on desk top but not in the app. IHG IT, go figure!

[BA-Flyer]

JDB wrote:

@Aston100 you are so busy criticising everything and everyone (not just me) on lots of threads that I’m not sure you can tell a good deal from a guava, but there we are.

It’s a good deal because people are getting vouchers to which they aren’t strictly entitled and it’s at least as good a deal if not a better deal than people got at MCOL where the fact that for many it ended in a settlement rather than a judgment suggests neither side got exactly what they wanted.

Yes, it has taken ages for the FOS to resolve this, but ultimately they have successfully pressured Creation into delivering what people sought. Creation appears to be starting to deliver much more quickly than expected and it seems a little trigger happy to chase Creation or the FOS quite yet for any missing elements as it’s clearly work in progress.

I also think you need to get this whole Creation saga into some sort of perspective. It affected a tiny number of people (albeit very vocal ones) temporarily depriving them of some points and hotel vouchers. The FOS has much, much more serious complaints where people have life changing issues like lost their pensions and savings.

Why would the FOS pressure any organisation into delivering something to which people were not strictly entitled?

Complaints to an independent assessor about FOS investigators failing to properly deal with complaints rose from 13 per cent in 2020-21 to 31 per cent in 2021-22.
https://inews.co.uk/news/fraud-and-scams-financial-ombudsman-service-slashes-complaints-logjam-mps-told-2209122

Are you equally dismissive that the 31% were complaining about trivial matters?

[True Blue]

I have received my free night, but about 3000 points less than I was due. No fee refund yet. And for the benefit of those who comment, I did not misuse my card in any way.