Warning: M&S Credit Card Payments

elliss

Hi,

Long time reader, never really contributed. Until now...

Beware that if you make an extra payment on an existing balance on an M&S CC, via Debit Card, this will not affect the Direct Debit payment unless the card is paid off. Example:

I have an M&S CC (0% offer) with a £2k balance approx, and paid off £1000 in early October via Debit Card. I expected that my existing statement for £65.00~ (minimum payment) would be superceded by the manual payment, and that I would in effect by DD'd for £0.00. Indeed, the online statement appeared to reflect this.

However, I was charged the £65.00 in addition to the £1k I'd paid off. Cue bank charges... incidentally, Santander were kind enough to charge me an unpaid item fee plus a standing charge for each day the account was overdrawn, so that's £35 for two days. I'm sure I'll get it back as it was my first 'offence', but still :cool:

Is this normal for a CC company?

mynameisdave

Its not normal for M&S, or at least, not how my payment behaves. Perhaps its the way your DD is specifically set up?

I always pay my M&S minimum payment as soon as I get paid (manually) as the DD is set up to go out 4 days before payday. I've never had minimum taken by DD if I have already paid by card/transfer/cash in store. Barclays dont do this either.

oldagetraveller

M & S are not unique in this. I thought it was usual pracice to take the DD whether an additional payment has been made or not?
To my personal knowledge Tesco and MBNA do the same.

Cell

I have had some experience of this in the last month or so.

Basically if you pay less manually than your statement balance was the DD will be taken as stated (regardless of what it says on the online summary page).

If you pay your full balance off, even if you add thousands more in the current month, then the DD won't be taken.

Nowhere (obvious) does it explain this.

Compare it to my MBNA. They will take the DD regardless of how much you pay off - indeed it specifically states that online.

mynameisdave

oldagetraveller wrote: »

M & S are not unique in this. I thought it was usual pracice to take the DD whether an additional payment has been made or not?
To my personal knowledge Tesco and MBNA do the same.

MBNA (BT) do and Egg did.

MrWillyWonka

Both my Santander (now closed, woo!) and Halifax credit cards do that and so does my parents John Lewis card so I think this is normal practice.

udydudy

no i beg to differ. Have been paying M&S quite few times in cash at M&S Customer service in shop and by Devit card payment as long as the payment is made atleast 5-6 working days before the direct debit is due they always take into account any overpayments or credits to the card.

I have been doing this quite regularily as I pay for my office bills and other friends and family bills which they either pay me by bank transfer or in cash and I make sure i repay these amounts directly to M&S rather than wait for the direct debit to go through. By doing this I get the points for the spend and also as I have paid off the balance my own expenses stay on the card(sort of 0% balance).....

Has worked brilliantly till date and been doing it for quite a few years. The key is atleast 6 clear working days for debit card payment and 5 clear working days for cash payments at the M&S CS in the shops.

Halifax and MBNA have always taken the minimum direct debit irrespective of payments anytime after statement date..