Is Aqua having a laugh?

matttye

I've got a direct debit set up to pay my statement balance in full every month.

The first month, the direct debit wasn't set up properly and I had to pay them manually.

They took the payment fine in August.

Now, I've just had a letter from them saying that due to an administrative issue they will not be able to collect the payment this month, which is due on 01.10.13. Fine, you might think. Plenty of time for me to sort it out.

Off I go to the Aqua website to pay by debit card. It refused my payment from not one but TWO debit cards saying my card hasn't been authorised. This is tosh because I've been using my cards regularly for both online and in store purchases and there has been no problems. Last used them yesterday.

How difficult can it be to make a payment!!

I guess I'll have to send a faster payment instead.

B19JON

Surely it's easier to send it by faster payment anyway?
Clears pretty much straight away, rather than the 5 days by a card payment.

guesswho2000

B19JON wrote: »

Surely it's easier to send it by faster payment anyway?
Clears pretty much straight away, rather than the 5 days by a card payment.

^This. Their debit card payments take years to clear, FP is the way forward with Aqua.

tsimehC

Despite me thinking my card was blocked, an online payment has cleared today and my goods dispatched. Weird...

studentuk1

When I make a FP with Aqua, it's applied to my account's available balance instantly.

Apart from their over active security (blocking payments for fraud), I've found them to be great. Paid in full every month, minimum payment via direct debit set-up that's usually never taken as I FP full amount, and usually have a credit limit increase every few months.

Saying that, my credit report should be fine. I've had an Aqua card for a while (applied when I turned 18) that I could probably get a main-stream card now. Have no reason to switch as of yet.

matttye

I just found it odd that three methods of payment have failed and wanted to have a whinge. I've never had such problems with any other company.

I've paid via FP now.

Mr_K

I've always paid credit cards off in full every month by DD (including Aqua). Never had a problem. Obviously you need to keep an eye on it in the first month. Aqua customer services are a shambles but if you manage to get a DD set up you'll then have no cause to contact them. Seem to remember mine was set up as part of the application process.

An FP, the onus is on you every month to remember and set up. DD you just leave it to them and if they mess up, it's either your bank or your credit card company to blame - there should be absolutely no comeback on you.

matttye

Mr_K wrote: »

I've always paid credit cards off in full every month by DD (including Aqua). Never had a problem. Obviously you need to keep an eye on it in the first month. Aqua customer services are a shambles but if you manage to get a DD set up you'll then have no cause to contact them. Seem to remember mine was set up as part of the application process.

An FP, the onus is on you every month to remember and set up. DD you just leave it to them and if they mess up, it's either your bank or your credit card company to blame - there should be absolutely no comeback on you.

To be fair the letter did say that any charges will be reversed and no damage will be done to my credit file as it's their mistake. Just found it a little bit unreal that they write to me about an issue saying that they won't be able to collect my direct debit, then I try to pay with two debit cards that I know are working fine and both get declined by their systems.

Sorted now anyway - paid in full via FP.