Hi,
I've just sent an email of complaint asking UKBA refund me difference of fees for premium vs. post service.
I am pasting the content below, just in case anyone else who has suffered through similar situation...
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Hello,
I had applied for the SET(O) premium service at Croydon PEO on 8th May 2012. While my payment was accepted, my application was not progressed further after collection of biometric information. The reason stated to me was that the biometric system was running slow and that our results would not arrive on that day. I was asked to submit all my documents in a folder and was told that I will be contacted on my mobile number to keep me updated. My application was straightforward with my application meeting all the required criteria and having more evidences than asked for in SET(O) form.
Since then no one contacted me for next 20 days and on 28th May I directly received the Biometric Residence Permits with Settlement visa and the documents that I had submitted along with my application. I had to wait for 20 agonising days hoping someone will call me to update me with the status. I even called the enquiry no. at UKBA but was told that they would not be able to provide me with an update on a specific case and that there was no timeline within which UKBA would guarantee a response. I was told that the only option that I had was to wait for someone to contact me.
While I am happy to receive the settlement visa, this is a clear case of reduced service wherein I was charged for full premium fees (£3444.00 including 3 dependents) and did not get to know the outcome on the same day even though my application was straightforward. The reason stated to me on the day was – underperforming IT systems, improvement of which I think is definitely under the remit and control of UKBA. I think the situation was completely avoidable had UKBA maintained its IT systems in line with projected demand of the service for which substantial amount of fees are being charged.
I would now request you to please refund me the difference in fees between the same-day premium service and the postal service which is £965.00
PEO Postal
Main Applicant £1377 £991
Dependent 1 £689 £496
Dependent 2 £689 £496
Dependent 3 £689 £496
Total £3444 £2479
Difference £965
Details of my application are as follows:
Main applicants full name: XXXXXXXXXXX
Address: XXXXXXXXXX
Mobile number: NNNNNNNNN
Residence phone: NNNNNNNNN
Email:
xxxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com
Location of application: Croydon PEO
Date of application: 8th May 2012
Appointment time: 10:20 am
UKBA application ref. no.: PEXXXXXXXXXXX/XXX
Biometric Permit no: XXXXXXXX
Kindly let me know if you need any further information from my end to fulfill this request.
Regards,