Charge query - HSBC

MillaJoJo

After being charged ridiculous amounts of money, I have decided I don't want to pay for other people's banking, so I am keeping on top of everything from now on.

Every month on the 1st I pay £140, for a flexiloan in my partners name, from our joint account. Todays payment didn't come out and there are no pending transactions on either account.

Now, as a cospiracy theorist by nature, I am convinced that HSBC don't like the fact that I'm not over my overdraft limit and are trying other ways to create charges by missing payments to the flexiloan account (Insert spooky music here). They called me wondering "if they could help" me, and being generally nosey, ironically at the exact time that I didn't need their help anymore.

Now what do I do? Do I risk manually paying it, and them taking the money later in thr business day, so in fact there are two payments made sending me over my limit and into the charges zone? Or do I leave it to them? Where would I stand if I get charged for a payment not being taken even with available funds? I didn't cancel any payment instruction and I wasn't notified of them doing so either.

I already called them, they cannot give me any information about it and basically gave me a verbal "shrug" over the line.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Premier_2

As it's only the 1st of the month today, I'd wait until at least tomorrow morning to see if the transaction takes place.

How do you normally pay, by SO or DD (or some other method?)?

If by SO and the transaction hasn't taken place, I would contact your bank tomorrow and ask them why.

If by DD, I would wait until at least 3 working days after the due collection date (as the DD scheme allows for collections within this timeframe) and if not collected/attempted to be collected, contact the Originator and advise them that you have noticed the payment wasn't attempted to be collected and see what they say.

MillaJoJo

Thanks for the reply and suggestions.

I would have risked leaving it until tomorrow to see if it's still coming out, but if it was after the end of the business day, the debit for the interest charged on the flexiloan would have meant that I was over the flexiloan overdraft limit and would incur charges.

The payment is abbreviated as DR and is taken on the first of the month without fail (or so I thought) and is credited to the FL account immediately

I paid the amount that was due out manually, and am checking on an hourly basis to see if they have taken another payment so that I can transfer it back.

The originator, I assume, is HSBC themselves. I contacted them and they gave me no help whatsoever.

I asked for numerous points of information just trying to find out if my item would be paid;
Is it coming out. If not why not? Was it cancelled? In any event why would this happen? Is it possible that it may still be coming out? Is it possible to tell me what the latest time (or thereabouts) that payments are being made so that I can assess and avoid a duplicate payment, but at the same time make sure it's paid? - Nope, nada, nothing. The lady couldn't tell me anything, and basically left me to fend for myself.

I'm still sticking with the fact that I believe they are trying to allow me to incur charges by sending us over our 'overdraft' facility. I mean what else are you supposed to think when there's no explaination, no help, nothing?

Thankyou though!

Premier_2

How do you usually pay? If by DD, and the Originator didn't collect, or attempt to collect, on the date they agreed they would, then I think you would have good grounds to challenge any costs they then apply because of their failure.

In the past for example, where a mortgage company failed to file a correct collection file with bacs in time, then the mortage company has waived any charges that would otherwise accrue due to failing to pay a mortgage on time.

MillaJoJo

That's what I was hoping to hear, but still i'm concerned.

The payment is marked as a DR which I have been informed is an agreement with the bank to take the money from my account to pay a bill. They use the same method to take charges and interest. They have never before failed to take a payment, for any of these items before on the very date that has been set.

I have since phoned to find that indeed they can give me the information, I suppose the lady before wasn't too interested with my questions. After a lengthy investigation, they said that it would be paid overnight and that I wouldn't see it in my internet banking until tomorrow. The lady was surprised to find out that that had never happened before. It was always on the same day. Always first thing in the morning too and always showed up on my internet banking.

Now, the lady said i'm able to get back my money that I manually transferred if my partner rings, otherwise it would be two payments made. This is all good and well, but i'm worried about incurring charges on the amount over the agreed limit until it gets paid overnight (debit interest taken today, which is normally covered by the payment due today).

Like you said, normally if it's an error by the person who is taking the money, then they would have to cover it, or excuse it. Now i'm worried that the tone she was talking in suggests that it's normal for the payment to take longer than reaching the bank by the 1st, so therefore it's not a bank error. If that's the case how am I supposed to make sure items are paid and I don't get charged.

I guess i'll wait and see what happens, but bracing myself for big charges even though i'm trying my hardest to be very good.