When Mr P paid his January Debenhams charge card statement on February 15th, still within the acceptable payment period he thought that was the end of it. But some weeks later another statement, dated February 28th, arrived, with £3.06 interest on what the store said was his previously unpaid balance. After contacting the company via its Dublin store's customer helpline, he was told it had not received his first cheque, so on March 14th he paid the total amount £134.91 (which included the interest) at the Dublin store, "and stated that I would sort out the missing cheque later". Later, at his bank, he discovered that the original cheque had been debited from his bank account on February 27th. He had now paid the bill twice.

Mr P had been in touch with the Debenhams customer helpline which in fact is a direct line to GE Capital Bank in Leeds which provides the store's credit card facility - a number of times during March and April and "I was eventually informed that they had lost the cheque and that it had eventually turned up". On April 28th the person at the end of the helpline confirmed that he was now in credit for the amount he paid twice. He requested that the credited amount be refunded to his bank instead, "but I have not received any communication from Debenhams since." Instead of his problem being sorted out in Dublin, Mr P's complaints all went to the GE Capital helpline. which is not very satisfactory. but that is what he thought he was doing.

There should be a proper complaints or customer service desk at the Mary Street store to take up a customer's complaint with the British-based financial services company.

Ms Anne Hynes, who runs the Director of Consumer Affairs's European Consumer Information Centre in O'Connell Street, said that under Irish consumer legislation, Mr P was entitled to a refund rather than a credit to his account.

The Debenhams spokesperson admitted that Mr P's credit problem was a very minor one that the store would have sorted out right away if the lines of complaint had been clearer for the customer. Mr P can expect his refund cheque this week, she said.

Suggestions welcome

Family Money welcomes suggestions from readers on topics of personal finance they would like to see highlighted. Please write to Jill Kerby, c/o The Irish Times, 11-15 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 or by Fax No. 6798874 and email: jmkerby@indigo.ie