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trailing interest payment? legal?

I paid off my AMEX Nectar card in full last month only to see an interest change of 2.88 on this months bill. Having called AMEX, they inform me this is trailing interest as I didn't pay off in full the previous month. Surely this should have been included in the Total Balance, otherwise it's not a total balance?
Is this standard practice?

Comments

  • agsnu
    agsnu Posts: 1,457 Forumite
    It is standard practice, yes. Go read your T&C.

    Oh, and it's £2.88. Get over it.
  • King_Of_Fools
    King_Of_Fools Posts: 1,608 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    The Total Balance was correct the day the bill was printed.

    The £2.88 is interest that accrued after the bill date and before the payment was received.
  • nomoneytoday
    nomoneytoday Posts: 4,871 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Yes - it's correct. The only way to maintain 0% is two consecutive payments of the entire balance :)
  • NickX
    NickX Posts: 3,046 Forumite
    ljb038 wrote: »
    Surely this should have been included in the Total Balance, otherwise it's not a total balance?
    Is this standard practice?

    The Statement Balance is the Total Balance on the statement date.

    Unfortunately you are not likely to pay the balance on the statement date, so additional interest accrues from the statement date until the date that you actually made the payment. This is what the £2.88 represents.

    In answer to your question, YES it is standard practice.

    The only way around it is to overpay your statement slightly to cover any additional interest accrued.
  • Cranston_2
    Cranston_2 Posts: 197 Forumite
    Now you can see why banks love the credit card business, it is very very profitable.
    "Brevity is the soul of wit and it is also the essence of effective communication" Rush Limbaugh.
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