Minimum payment direct debits not collected - a scam?

bazster

choc_mouse wrote: »

If the T&C's don't detail it, then ask your branch or call customer services in advance of the payment date.

If it says on the statement "We will debit your bank account..." then I have a right to expect it to be done. I don't have to chase the company to ask whether it really intended what it has already said. Even the Post Office has now accepted its error on this and has refunded the interest.

And as I have already said, the Barclaycard and the respective DD have been in place for years. Or are you suggesting that, every time I receive a statement, I should 'phone them up and say "Look, I know it says on the statement that you will collect the minimum payment by direct debit, and I know you always have done so in the past, but are you sure that you are going to this time? Really sure? Really, really sure?"

CannyJock

bazster wrote: »

I then "manually" paid the full amount, less the minimum payment. But, they never collected on the DD.

Nothing obvious in their T&C's or their summary box that a manual payment made x number of days before the direct debit date will cancel the direct debit - but have saw this done before. Presumably this is standard on the Post Office card?

bazster wrote: »

So far so good. But today I opened a Barclaycard statement to find that, guess what, they had not collected on a DD either!

I think there are quite a few people who've experienced this with Barclaycard last month - looks like a technical problem at their side so shouldn't be any issue with getting any fees and interest refunded - you should also make sure that they don't report a missed payment to the CRA's.

bazster

CannyJock wrote: »

Nothing obvious in their T&C's or their summary box that a manual payment made x number of days before the direct debit date will cancel the direct debit - but have saw this done before. Presumably this is standard on the Post Office card?

It would appear so. They did hint to me that they would look into changing the wording on the statement, so we shall see. Howsoever, I now know that the DD mandate is useless except in the unlikely event that I completely forget to pay the bill.

CannyJock wrote: »

I think there are quite a few people who've experienced this with Barclaycard last month - looks like a technical problem at their side so shouldn't be any issue with getting any fees and interest refunded - you should also make sure that they don't report a missed payment to the CRA's.

Thanks for that. I did pay in full except for the minimum payment, so I guess no issue will arise with the CRA's.

bazster

Okey Dokey, I've heard back from Barclaycard. They tell me (now!) that their policy is that a "manual" payment made more than five days before the due date cancels the DD collection. Presumably I have never done this before, but I do pay early around Xmas/New Year because of all the holidays. Obviously it was a bit TOO early!

However, they conceded that this policy is not actually published anywhere and hence I couldn't have known about it (plus it contradicts their statements, which say that the payment WILL be collected), therefore they have refunded the interest.

So, I've got all my money back, and I now know that in future I can't rely on these direct debit mandates, unless I want to spend my whole life checking calendars. Of course, I could have simply taken the advice of some folks here, put it down to experience, and let the banks keep my money. But, I'm simply not that generous. Just call me Scrooge.

cos_2

Well done, Scrooge!

I've got the same cards as you and will be checking the next statements to see if they get their wording changed. Same as you, I've got minimum DD and pay the difference manually, but so far have always arranged the manual payment near to the final payment date. However, I would have expected exactly as you did: if they said they were taking payment, and there are no other terms that qualify that, I'd expect it to happen.

Thanks for highlighting this.