Tesco is wrong to charge for cover I didn't buy

Tesco sent me confirmation of home insurance. I have never dealt with Tesco Bank and don't buy insurance online. The form showed my name, address and telephone number but had incorrect details of date of birth, property description and bank account. I phoned Tesco several times but was always put on hold until I realised that I was complying with Tesco's instructions at my time and expense. I asked for someone to call me back, but no one did. Tesco sent more correspondence and then said I owed £25.77. I phoned again, was told I had the wrong department and transferred to customer service – but still couldn't get through to speak to anyone. EW, Wirral Nobody fraudulently buys house insurance for someone else's property, using their own bank account details. Nor would anyone try to insure their own house from somebody else's account. So someone, somewhere, has made a mistake. The sort code on the form is for an HSBC branch in Wirral near where you live, which cannot be a coincidence, but the account wasn't anyone's you knew and you don't bank with HSBC. Tesco says the application was all done online which seems to rule out the possibility of an employee mis-keying information but doesn't explain how Tesco had your details, unless it took them from your Tesco loyalty card. The bank account holder made the first payment by direct debit but then cancelled it. This is when Tesco started chasing you for the premiums. It says it has no log of your phone calls – not surprising as you couldn't get through to speak to anyone. It says that, unless someone points out a problem, it assumes the policy details are correct. It fails to appreciate the enormous efforts you made to report the error. Tesco says "as a gesture" it will waive £27.45 and cancel the policy. It does not seem to accept that you never owed this money and that is disappointing. • Email Margaret Dibben at [email protected] or write to Margaret Dibben, Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU and include a telephone number. Do not enclose SAEs or original documents. Letters are selected for publication and we cannot give personal replies. The newspaper accepts no legal responsibility for advice.