can someone help me with store card charges??

sitcom321

Hoping someone can help me without being patronising on here all i want is advice.

I have had a mk 1 store card for about 8 years only £150 credit limit which i always kept to and never missed payment, about 3 years ago they were taken over by creation i think and since then its been a nightmare. I have not used it for 3 years and got my statement yesterday and once again the charges outweigh my payments. I pay £25 per month (this is the maximum i can afford) breakdown on statement as follows

Overdue Limit Fee £12 ( i now owe £208)
Late payment fee £12 (due on 25th I can only pay on 27th when i get paid and they wont move date)
interest £5.96

total charges £29.96

minimum payment is only £8, so I am going to try and pay the £8 before the 25th and then my usual payment of £25 direct debit. My question is am i entitled to try and reclaim any of this money, they have been charging me around £20 per month for 3 years approx, my balance when they took over was probably in the region of £50

Like I said earlier just sound advice needed not criticism

thanks

YorkshireBoy

Others will advise on trying to get the charges back.

Re prevention, it sounds like you're paying late each and every month? If that's the case you'd be better to miss a payment completely...but pay it a week or 2 later. What I mean by that is you're currently paying after the payment due date but before the next statement date.

I'm also puzzled that you say you're paying by DD. Surely you mean SO (standing order)?...because Creation wouldn't set up a DD to collect AFTER the payment due date.

Doing the above would eliminate one of the £12 fees each month, meaning you'd get back under your limit much quicker.

sitcom321

yes your right it is a standing order and not a direct debit.

and thank you I get what you mean i will see if i can pay it later on after the payment due date to eliminate a payment, will have to be very strict so it doesnt get eaten up before with other stuff before its due to be paid. thank you for your advice

as regards claiming any of the money back they have charged me can i assume that i cant

YorkshireBoy

sitcom321 wrote: »

as regards claiming any of the money back they have charged me can i assume that i cant

If you read this board you'll find that others have successfully reclaimed £12 fees since the OFT ruling some years ago now (when they were cut from circa £25).

There may also be some information in the reclaiming guides.