Asked for credit card stamp duty twice?

Hi I used have a Halifax credit card over a year ago. I changed to PTSB and transferred the balance. I _thought_ the old card had been closed down as part of the changeover. The next I knew was a bill in the post a while back looking for 30 euro. Then they kept sending the bill and it kept getting bigger with interest and charges. I rang up to query and they said the account was still open because I had never sent a letter to close it (even though there were no transactions since August last year) and that I owed the 30 euro as goverment stamp duty. I asked if I could now close the account and they said I could but I would have to pay another 30 euro (so 60 in total) to do that as another year's stamp duty would be payable. Is this right? Do I have to give them 60 euro? Is there a way I can only pay the stamp duty once, i.e. I have also paid to PTSB this year, what are my rights here? Thanks in advance.

The stamp duty is payable on each credit card you hold (that hasn't been closed officially) and I'm guessing the money is with the government now as it's government stamp duty and you have little hope of getting it back.

You have to officially close a credit card off- just transferring the balance to another credit card doesn't do that for you I'm afraid.

Stamp duty is payable at the end of the year (every April) so your stamp duty for april 2008-2009 would have come out April 2009 plus when you close your credit card, you are charged another stamp duty which otherwise you would have paid April 2010- unless you have closed your account BEFORE April- which you were unlucky not to.

Unfair given your situation but that's how the government demands the stamp duty so it's not the bank's fault.