Co-op failed to process my bill payment

davidro

Hope someone can help me with this:

Towards the end of January I went to my Co-op current account online in order to make a payment on a credit card that I have with Sainsbury's. There was plenty of time for the money to arrive at Sainsbury's by the due date. My intention was to pay £100 which was more than the minimum payment required (but less than the full amount I owed). I've paid the bill in this way numerous times before and never had a problem. However, on this occasion when I clicked the 'Confirm' button, the Co-op site suddenly went on a 'go-slow' and at that point no sign of a confirmation appeared. I was reluctant to refresh the page in case the payment was processed twice (which would have put me in the red at Co-op). So I was somewhat concerned about whether the payment had been processed.

At that point, if I remember correctly, I simply retyped the Co-op website address into my browser. I recall a page coming up that reassured me that the payment was being processed but I can't remember the exact wording. In short, I was sufficiently satisfied that the payment either had been made or was in the process of being made.

I therefore thought no more of the matter until I received my credit card statement indicating to my annoyance that they had never received my payment (together with a £12 late payment fee ). When I checked my Co-op bank account, I indeed saw that the money had never left my account. Obviously, I now regret not having checked more closely at the time that the money had indeed left.

Do I have any redress against the Co-op? Unfortunately, I have no proof that I made the payment or that the Co-op website had confirmed that the payment was being made. Indeed, unfortunately I can't remember the exact wording. They could simply deny that I completed the transaction.

I don't see that I would be able to claim the money back off Sainsbury's because it's not my first late payment. (I had a late payment a while back which in that case was indeed due to my own carelessness).

Has anyone else been in a similar situation with either the Co-op or another bank? If so, what did you do? Any advice proffered would be most greatfully received.

Dr_Cuckoo3

davidro wrote: »

I recall a page coming up that reassured me that the payment was being processed but I can't remember the exact wording. In short, I was sufficiently satisfied that the payment either had been made or was in the process of being made.

When I checked my Co-op bank account, I indeed saw that the money had never left my account. Obviously, I now regret not having checked more closely at the time that the money had indeed left.

Do I have any redress against the Co-op? Unfortunately, I have no proof that I made the payment or that the Co-op website had confirmed that the payment was being made. Indeed, unfortunately I can't remember the exact wording. They could simply deny that I completed the transaction.


Has anyone else been in a similar situation with either the Co-op or another bank? If so, what did you do? Any advice proffered would be most greatfully received.

I have encountered the same when making a transfer from COOP Bank to an account in my name at another bank in the early hours of the morning

In my case I logged in after 9am and noted that the balance had not reduced and there was no evidence that the payment had been processed - so I made another payment

In your case , although there is no trace of your attempt to make the payment visible to you I would expect the bank to retain an "activity log" of your online activity - some banks allow the online "activity log" to be viewed via internet banking eg Citibank

The COOP internet banking message definitely stated that the transaction was being processed and I think it said that it would show if I logged on again

pqrdef

Real-time FPs aren't a guaranteed service. Even if there's no problem with the website, there are still any number of reasons why the payment can fail, and if it does, it's down to you to deal with it.

For a more reliable service, make a scheduled payment, usually for the next day. Then it's down to the bank to make it happen.

davidro

Thanks for the replies. Dr_Cuckoo3, it looks very much like you experienced the same as me - but at least, you had the good sense to check the following morning that your payment had been made!

As you say, I expect the Co-op has an activity log of some sort but I expect that if I made a complaint, they would simply say that I failed to complete the transaction. I have no way of disproving that.

The £12 late payment fee is an annoyance but I think I shall just have to grin and bear it. Of course, I shall be more careful (and sceptical) in the future and won't let the same thing happen again. I've got a couple of other current accounts; so it won't be difficult to transfer most of my incomings and outgoings to those, and just use the Co-op for a couple of direct debits/standing orders which are already set up there.

Once again, thanks for the replies.

agrinnall

You don't appear to have actually asked the Co-op if they have any record of your activity or if they would consider refunding the late payment fee, just assumed that they would fob you off. Rather than making plans to move your banking elsewhere why don't you simply ring them up and explain the problem, maybe they'll be prepared to help.

jonesMUFCforever

No funds leaving my account would have been an idea that something had gone wrong?

iereboy

As Jonesy says, no funds leaving your account would indicate something had gone wrong.

Your next course of action would be to ring the bank and ask them to look at your footprint of online activity at that time - they may have something.

Also, whilst ringing around, ring Sainsburys and set up a DD for the minimum payment and overpay manually every month if you can. You can wave goodbye to late payment charges forever (as long as the DDs are honoured)