MBNA Changing Minimum Payment Due By Date

SwitchyChick

Just wanted everyone to be aware that MBNA are currently informing customers by letter that they will be changing the 'Minimum Payment Due By' Date.
Watch out for your next statement and note the new date, especially fellow Stoozers out there!

anna42hmr

thanks, i just sighned on to my online account and looks like they have done it to me, according to the online payment is due about 8 days before it used to me, thankfully all my cc's are set up to pay by direct debit, so even if i had not noticed i would have been ok, as no letter received yet??

Moggles_2

This wheeze has been mentioned before, but cannot be stressed too often.

Particular care is needed with all cards run by MBNA (e.g. Alliance & Leicester, MBNA itself, Sony, Virgin). One of MBNA's favourite tricks is to bring the payment due date forward 7-8 days. Notice of this change is usually embedded somewhere in the small-print leaflet which accompanied your previous statement.

It's happened to me on three occasions now (Different cards, btw, but all underwritten by MBNA) and, judging from the complaints to this forum, lots of customers are caught out.

tsharp

I just logged onto online banking with HSBC, to find that I have made my usual £25 DD to MBNA, despite my balance being at £0.00!

I thought a DD only went out when there was a balance outstanding? I assume this will mean I have £25 credit at MBNA now (it hasn't shown up on their online banking as it went out from the bank today, should be there tomorrow)?

Is it best to cancel the DD at HSBC so this doesn't happen again?

skyrider007

tsharp wrote: »

Is it best to cancel the DD at HSBC so this doesn't happen again?

I think it is best to call MBNA to alter the DD. I think they have you set up the fixed DD amount at the moment. That's why even with a £0 balance, they will continue to take money from your account. No money will go out of your account if the balance is £0 when your MBNA DD is set to either minimum payment or full payment.

tsharp

skyrider007 wrote: »

I thin it is best to call MBNA to alter the DD. I think they have you set up the fixed DD amount at the moment. That's why even with a £0 balance, they will continue to take money from your account. No money will go out of your account if the balance is £0 when your MBNA DD is set to either minimum payment or full payment.

Cheers. Can you set MBNA to only debit for minimum amount? I know you can at Egg, but not sure about MBNA. I'll have to check.

If I have £25 credit, I'll have to remember to use it for something I was going to buy anyway (which means finding the PIN!)

skyrider007

tsharp wrote: »

Cheers. Can you set MBNA to only debit for minimum amount? I know you can at Egg, but not sure about MBNA. I'll have to check.

If I have £25 credit, I'll have to remember to use it for something I was going to buy anyway (which means finding the PIN!)

Yep you can ask MBNA to take just the minimum payment by DD. Just give them a ring.

As for finding your PIN, if you have access to online banking and have the card with you (you'll need the 3 digit security code), you can view your PIN online. Just click on the tab labelled "PIN" and choose "View PIN online".

MBNA online banking website:
https://www.bankcardservices.co.uk

tsharp

Cheers.

I've just looked at MBNA and HSBC online accounts, and realised that the DD is set up at HSBC, so will be paid regardless of the credit card balance. So I cancelled that.

I will get the PIN when I dig the card out, because I only got it for it's 0%, so I stuck it in a drawer so it couldn't be used for purchases etc. Then I'll use it for petrol or something.

YorkshireBoy

skyrider007 wrote: »

I think it is best to call MBNA to alter the DD. I think they have you set up the fixed DD amount at the moment. That's why even with a £0 balance, they will continue to take money from your account. No money will go out of your account if the balance is £0 when your MBNA DD is set to either minimum payment or full payment.

I don't think that's correct skyrider.

The MBNA DD (either minimum or full) is collected based on your statement balance. It doesn't matter what you pay in the interim...the DD will still be called.

If you check your 'important: confirmation of DD instruction' letter from MBNA it clearly states...

Important: Confirmation of the set-up of your Direct Debit Instruction.

...<snip>...

If you make manual payments to your account once the Direct Debit has been activated, these will not reduce the amount that we will collect by Direct Debit, unless you advise us at least seven working days prior to the Direct Debit being collected.

To cancel the Direct Debit please contact your bank or building society and advise us of your request.

skyrider007

Hi YB

MBNA also have "fixed amount" DD in addition to the standard "minimum payment" and "full payment".

I think the OP did not make a manual payment, so having money taken off from the OP's account even with a £0 balance on the MBNA card would mean a fixed amount DD is set.

SwitchyChick

Sorry - was in a bit of a hurry when I posted yesterday. Should have mentioned that the payment due date will change from September. The letter says:
"Please check your September statement carefully for details, as you may need to change the date you make your payment... If you already pay by Direct Debit it means we may have to change your statement date slightly. Don't worry, there's nothing you need to do. Your Direct Debit will continue to be collected as normal."
Hope that clarifies!