First Direct - Credit Report

jjhamil

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this?

I've just found out that if you have a bounced direct debit from a First Direct current account - even if you pay it the same day - they sent that to the credit reference agencies as a late payment, which flags up as a '1 / Warning' on your credit record.

The customer services woman has just cheerfully told me they are the only bank that do it and that their regime is 'harsher' than other banks.

Other banks don't do it unless the payment is a month late but FD do it even if you pay the bounced payment within the hour! Astonishing and a total rip off.

It must have hit tens of thousands of people ...

I only found out as they have placed SIX 'Late Payments' on my credit file, even though I have never not made a payment.

I am very angry and want to warn others.

stclair

I dont think thats correct and think you should challenge that with the CRAs.

jjhamil

Thank you for replying. Apologies but I don't know what the CRA's are?
I just had the rudest customer services woman ever telling me that she had 'never had a bounced direct debit in her whole life' so any problems I had were totally down to me.
Just charming ....

stclair

Sorry CRA stands for Credit Reference Agency.

I would maybe speak to a manager at First Direct and explain your situation.

If you have no joy I would speak to the credit reference Agencies.

As I doubt very much the information you have been provided so far is correct.

However im sure someone else may come along and correct me im not very clued up about First Direct.

stella2009

jjhamil wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this?

I've just found out that if you have a bounced direct debit from a First Direct current account - even if you pay it the same day - they sent that to the credit reference agencies as a late payment, which flags up as a '1 / Warning' on your credit record.

The customer services woman has just cheerfully told me they are the only bank that do it and that their regime is 'harsher' than other banks.

Other banks don't do it unless the payment is a month late but FD do it even if you pay the bounced payment within the hour! Astonishing and a total rip off.

It must have hit tens of thousands of people ...

I only found out as they have placed SIX 'Late Payments' on my credit file, even though I have never not made a payment.

I am very angry and want to warn others.

Can you explain a little further!

I'm not sure what you are saying can actually happen in reality.......

Mrs_Ryan

Alliance and Leicester do it as well. Even when there isnt a bounced payment :mad: they did it to me twice when wages went in and direct debits went out at the same time - they recorded 2 late payments when the payments had been made!

stella2009

What exactly have they reported?

izools

stella2009 wrote: »

What exactly have they reported?

What would be interpreted as other creditors as arrears.

They should not do this unless the account is 30 days over an agreed limit continually.

I would make a formal complaint to HSBC / FD, and if they don't remove them, then the FOS and the ICO.

They should not be doing this unless the account has been continually overdrawn / over limit for 30 days on the trot

onlypaddy

Surely FD can only place a marker if the bounced payment is made to them....OP makes it sound as though any SO or DD from the account that bounces is reported :huh:

jjhamil

Thanks for all your replies.
What FD have done is logged my bounced direct debits as 'Missed Payments' - even though I haven't missed any of them and settled them within days, and sometimes within hours on the same day they were due.
They say they can't control what the Credit Reference agencies hold on the file but clearly this is rubbish as FD are the ones supplying the information.
If my payments were 28 or 30 days late then I could totally understand it being logged as 'Missed'. But as all were settled within the month they were due, technically none of them were late - so it's unfair for them to log them as such.
I am taking it up with the bank first - and if they don't sort it to my satisfaction then I will go to the FSO.
I have a friend who works on The Times and he is going to take it up as he was as shocked as I was.

jjhamil

Only Paddy, FD told me they can place a marker on anything even if it is not paid to them.
I thought exactly the same as you but the bounced payments were for a DD to my gym, nothing to do with FD!!