Late payment fee - best course of action?

paperdoll_2

Hi,

Received a Debenhams statement today which had a late payment fee of £12. I was surprised to see it and also surprised to get the statement as I'd had one the previous week for all of £6 which I'd paid immediately.

It was only when I looked at the first statement which arrived on 28th June that I noticed the date was 26th May and the minimum payment due date was 21st June - 7 days before I even received the statement! No idea where it's been in the four and a half weeks before it got to me.

Rang them and was told that the system could not reverse this - really? So I'm going to write to them.

I'm wondering whether it's better to pay the late payment fee and then dispute it or not to pay it. I feel that if I don't pay then it might impact adversely on my credit rating, but if I do pay, would it be admitting that I accept it?

TIA

InsideInsurance

On what grounds are you disputing the fee? It sounds like good old Royal Mail took their time delivering it to you which is evidently not Santanders fault or responsibility.

Your best bet is obviously to pay it off. You have asked for goodwill and they havent been willing to give it. Set up a DD to ensure at least the minimum payment is taken every month to avoid the issue of missing statements or statements turning up whilst you're on holiday etc

arcon5

The letter was probably just delayed within the postal system.

Personally i'm of the opinion you should know when your due dates are and should be able to act accordingly if nothing arrives in the post. This is especially important because relying on a postal system whereby 0.5-1% (top of head guess) of post never arrives.
Not saying i've never done the same as you, but I would be blaming myself equally.

You should pay it because you're at risk of a default being reported to the credit reference agencies. Then if you want to dispute it, do it in writing afterwards.

paperdoll_2

Thanks. I am paperless for my main credit cards, but I use this one so infrequently that I haven't bothered.

No, I agree it isn't Santander's fault, but it isn't mine either and I hope that on the basis of my account having always being paid on time in the past they will show some goodwill here!

Buzby

Actually, who was the postal carrier? I have seen cases where non-RM carriers take a long time to process mail from their clients to RM, who get the flack as the last link in the chain. ServicePost and TNT are both pretty bad depending on area, and if the sender is using a budget carrier, an expected 2-3 day RM delivery can end up being a week or longer.

Perhaps you should impress on them their cost savings appears to cause problems, and should be looked at.

paperdoll_2

Envelope says TNT - I must admit that never occurred to me!

TheDoolallyDilly

Exactly the same thing has happened to me today. I never got a bill at all in June - like paperdoll, I am paperless for everything, and only use this card very rarely.

I will be phoning - I've had the card for 6 years, and, looking at my records, if there's been an outstanding balance, I've always paid it off in full about a week before the due date.

It may not be Santander's fault, but it's not mine either. Have you phoned them yet, paperdoll?

redpete

TheDoolallyDilly wrote: »

Have you phoned them yet, paperdoll?

Yes she did...

Rang them and was told that the system could not reverse this

custardy

paperdoll wrote: »

Envelope says TNT - I must admit that never occurred to me!

most people dont

TheDoolallyDilly

redpete wrote: »

Yes she did...

Sorry missed that!

I phoned and they are refunding the £12 :j