Tesco CC in the wrong over a Missed payment?

talk2alex

Hi all,


I've had a Tesco CC for about 3 years. Used the 0% deal for 12 months and paid it off via DD. All good.


However, 1 month ago, they offered a 0% balance transfer deal. So I put £1000 on it from a another 0% deal which was about to end and calculated how much I'd need to pay off each month to pay off in full via min DD and extra payments each month before the promo period ended. Again, all good.


However! On the day the first DD was due for the new balance, the money didn't come out my account to pay the first min. payment. I hadn't cancelled it (it should have still been active from 3 years ago) so I called Tesco in a panic.


Tesco - "The DD has been cancelled due to inactivity"
Me - "You've cancelled it, or my bank has cancelled it?"
Tesco - "We haven't cancelled it, but since it's been 12 months since you've used it, it can just elapse and become void - or your bank can cancel it"
Me - "I best check with my bank then (Nationwide BS - they hadn't cancelled it). Will I get a missed payment charge?"
Tesco - "Likely, but since it's your first offence, we'll be happy to refund it"
Me - "But it's not really my fault is it? you've not written to me to say that it's cancelled and the DD guarantee doesn't mention it'll stop working if I don't use it?"
Tesco - "I see what you're saying, but don't worry, we'll refund you if you pay the min payment."
Me - "Will the missed payment show on my credit file?"
Tesco - "No, we only report the missed payment if it's over a month late"


So I paid...


Couple of questions though:


Is this my fault? (I accept I should have checked the DD is still active)
Do I take them at their word? They have reversed the missed payment charges, but do I need to check my credit file a month later?


Thanks in advance.

chanz4

It normaly says on your statement if its going to be taken by dd. They are right about 12 month rule though

talk2alex

Thanks,
It did say that it was going to be taken by DD on my statement and even 2 days after the payment was due, my CC online account said "thank you for paying - DD received". Except it hadn't as it hadn't come out of my account. It took 3 working days in the end for the DD to bounce
So, the DD was still active at Tesco's end, but not my current account provider's end (so I would have never known) other than ringing Nationwide to check or logging into my internet account and search through the active DD's.


Nightmare!
I'm going to assume the missed payment won't show on my credit record, but just signed up to My Noddle to check next month

Gordon_Hose

Why does it matter, they've said they will refund you and it won't be recorded on your file.

Just leave it. Hopefully the call was recorded if anything crops up.

talk2alex

Because I'm a cynic when it comes to financial institutions, but I'm hoping you're right. Time will tell!

Anoneemoose

Another thing to mention - did you check whether you will still get the promotional 0% rate as (I think) there are often t&c's that say if it's a late payment, you lose this. Just something to double check to be on the safe side.

stclair

Direct debits are subject to a 13 month dormancy period that's why it wouldn't have been paid even though it was still set up at tescos end.

http://www.directdebit.co.uk/DirectDebitExplained/FAQs/Pages/InactiveDirectDebits.aspx