Barclaycard customers' warning. Check your repayment date

MSE_Jenny

Tuesday 2 December 08

What's happening?

There're a number of reports in the forum that Barclaycard has moved forwards people's credit card repayment dates, sometimes by weeks.

Check your statements

It's crucial to check your statement, as it could unfairly leave you fined, and with a damaged credit score for a late payment. While there's no report of this, it's also worthwhile to set up direct debits sensibly set up so you never miss a repayment. Still, check, as if the date's moved the money could unexpectedly come out of your account.

Official statement from the Barclaycard press office:

We asked Barclaycard about what was going on, and its answer was...

“Up until recently our systems gave customers who chose to borrow with us extended time to make a payment, over and above the minimum 20 days from when their statement is produced. This may have resulted in some customers experiencing a movement in their payment dates.

“We understand that some of our customers have been inconvenienced by this and we have taken steps to prevent these fluctuations from happening. We are also reviewing our systems and procedures to offer more certainty to our customers moving forwards.

“Our advice to all customers is to set up a monthly direct debit which means that payment will automatically be taken on the payment due date.”

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Note this thread has been inserted for an explaination ahead of some of the earlier complaints.

Frugal_Moose

Just had my statement through and was expecting the due date to be 15th August (its been roughly 15th of each month since I took it out 5 months ago) so I was surprised to see due date was now 4th August.

I phoned them to check it wasn't a misprint and when I asked why it had been moved the woman said

"A business decision was taken to move it to that date, would you like me to move it back?"

"too right I would, so when is my next payment due?"

"4th August sir I can't change that one but it will go to 15th in September"

Cheeky !!!!!!s were hoping I would miss the date to earn them some interest as I always pay it off more like.

2 Questions

Has this happened to anyone else?

Can they do this without asking/telling you in plain english?

NickX

Frugal_Moose wrote: »

Can they do this without asking/telling you in plain english?

There have been several reports of Barclaycard doing this to other customers, so best advice is to keep a close eye on the Due Date showing on your statements.

Backbiter

It's happened to me, too, but I haven't asked them to change it yet. I got my statement on 21st July with a payment date of 4th August.

DestroyingAngel_2

If you check your terms & conditions, you'll see that Barclaycard reserve the right to make changes to your account, be it to the APR, the credit limit, promotional rates, even your due dates. You would have been notified in writing - check your back statements and other bump Barclaycard sent to you. It could be that you missed reading about the change (you won't be the first person, trust me!!)

benjisplat

I have had exactly the same thing happen to me this month and it has really screwed up my finances. Going back to July, due dates were 16th July, 18th August, 16th September and now suddenly this statement comes through due on the 6th October. I have looked through previous statements for any written notification of this and simply cannot find any.

A call to customer services said that it was because I had been paying my balance in full and there was nothing they could do about it!

I am guessing this is well hidden in their T's and C's so I guess I don't have a leg to stand on?

Do all credit card providers practice this? Can anyone recommend a card provider that doesn't use such underhand tactics that I can switch to?

Any advice would be very much appreciated!

Thanks

Ben1982

THis has gone on with barclaycard for ages: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/moneybox/4681228.stm

They did it to my dad, and he kicked up a stink about it. Got a letter of apology and the date set back to what it was.

benjisplat

Thanks for that Ben. Nice to see it in an offical article like that so its pretty black and white.

Based on that then I guess I will be taking my business elsewhere ... which given the current economic climate might prove fun? I take it this really is a barclaycard thing and other card providers dp not do this?

I guess what I am really asking is: Given that I intend to pay my bill off in full each month, which providers do not punish their customers for doing this?

Thanks again for the reply Ben.

benf90

I've had cards with 3 different companies; Egg, Lloyds TSB and Asda.

I've been a customer of Egg for 4 years, Lloyds TSB for 3 years and Asda for just over 1 year.

I've paid in full every month with all 3 companies and none have changed the payment date.

That's only my personal experience obviously but I've only heard of this happening with Barclaycard.

If you've got a decent credit history then have you considered going for a cash back card?

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cards/cashback-credit-cards

clio

Egg & Asda have never changed my payment day neither have Mint or Cap1, all stayed the same from day 1. Virgin/Barclaycard are known for this little tactic.

bert&ernie

Frugal_Moose wrote: »

...
Cheeky !!!!!!s were hoping I would miss the date to earn them some interest as I always pay it off more like.
...quote]

They aren't doing it in the hope you would miss a payment - they are simply reducing the amount of time you get to pay your bill. As you pay in full each month, they have to fund you for free until you make a payment. By reducing your grace days, they reduce the costs of funding your account.

That said, I do agree that it's poor service to shift due dates month to month. However, I think you'll find that most issuers have already amended their T&Cs to allow for variable grace, even if they don't yet implement it. Other issuers may already do this by varying the statement date rather than the due date i.e. you get your statement later leaving less time to pay by your usual due date.