Santander/Abbey Credit Card mistakes on statement

puddy

Hi, I wonder if anyone else is having this problem. I took out an Abbey credit card a while back and all has been well. it was a 0% balance transfer. However, I started receiving letters telling me that the card was going to be taken over by Santander bank,,, thats fine too, it told me that as i was paying by direct debit, i didnt need to do anything. so i didnt.

However, Im going through paperwork that Ive stacked up in the 'filing' section of the kitchen and I find a cc statement for the card, on which, it states that ive got a late payment fee for £12.00 for the July payment, which occured on 23rd July 07. It then states at the bottom that the intereston the next statement will be around £31.00. Firstly, the statement before July, stated that my payment for July would be taken out of my account by direct debit, on or after 21st July 07, therefore I do not understand why if they took the money on the date that they wanted, they are telling me the payment was late and then charging me for it. Secondly, I shouldnt be paying any interest because it was interest free until next year.

I have tried phoning them on the number provided, and other numbers, but the numbers for the credit cards, are dead, it just makes a noise.

Is anyone else having this problem?
Thanks

Moggles_2

The statement before July, stated that my payment for July would be taken out of my account by direct debit, on or after 21st July 07, therefore I do not understand why if they took the money on the date that they wanted, they are telling me the payment was late and then charging me for it.

It sounds as though Abbey's new computer system can't cope with week-ends! Whatever the explanation, if there's a direct debit active on your account, it's the bank's responsibility to collect the payment on the right date.

I shouldnt be paying any interest because it was interest free until next year.

Some lenders automatically withdraw your 0% deal after a late payment or other breach of their Ts & Cs.

I have tried phoning them on the number provided, and other numbers, but the numbers for the credit cards, are dead, it just makes a noise.

Following the transition last month from MBNA to Santander, the only phone number I have at the mo is 0845 602 1582. Presumably, you've already tried that one. It's supposed to operate round the clock, 7 days a week. Fingers crossed it's up and running again tomorrow and you get it sorted quickly.

puddy

thanks moggles, yes that is the number i have, also tried to get through via abbey's other banking numbers but it just puts you through to the credit card number which has the same effect. i'll try tomorrow. really annoyed tho!!

puddy

oh dear, number still not working and i noticed on the website last night that there's no way of contacting them via email or anything. this is very annoying

Moggles_2

Helpline on 0845 602 1582 is now up and running.

Best of luck
M

PBA

Some direct debits came out late, as some of the new Santander direct debits set up to replace the MBNA ones didn't get set up as quickly as they should have. Chances are this will have been corrected automatically and will show up on your next statement.

If you can't get through on the phone, Abbey branches can access details of the new credit cards so you could go in to a branch.

puddy

thanks everyone. i finally managed to get through today via another abbey number. i reported the number and she said she would get someone to deal with it and she said the same about the late payments and that it would be put right by the next statement.... goodie!!

scott_lithgows

Abbey = useless, thought being bought over might change this but somethings never change !

RustyNumbat

jenner wrote: »

I wonder if anyone else is having this problem

I've had an Abbey credit card for a couple of years, and pay the full balance by direct debit.

No problem, no interest payments. Until my Jul 07 statement, which had an item of £8 for interest added to the end.

I rang yesterday - 0845 6021582, followed by several options - and spoke to a man who explained that the interest was charged on purchases I had made after the last item on the statement (08/08/07).

I said I didn't understand this. If I pay the full balance by direct debit, how can I be charged interest? He repeated his explanation. I said this had never happened before with this credit card, or with the other five credit cards I'd ever had, and it sounded like it was a Mickey Mouse credit card.

He then said "I'm sorry but I won't continue this conversation if you are going to abuse me". I was a bit shocked and said I hadn't abused him; he said I'd called his company a Mickey Mouse company and that was abusive.

Anyway, he said he would get someone to phone me and explain the charges, but it would take up to seven working days.

Within ten minutes of the call ending I'd fixed up a credit card with a different company.

Given that the interest charge was wrong, the explanation was wrong, I got accused of being abusive, and then I get told I'd have to wait seven days for an explanation, it's farewell to the Abbey Credit Card for me.

slazman

jenner wrote: »

thanks everyone. I finally managed to get through today via another abbey number. i reported the number and she said she would get someone to deal with it and she said the same about the late payments and that it would be put right by the next statement.... goodie!!

Don't hold your breath ... I have already made three calls on this with no effect. Person I got through to last time (and his Supervisor) said they can do nothing and only refer it to Head Office to action ... despite serious hassling they would not give me a number of anyone at Head Office who can deliver so I posted a complaint.

Promised expectation was that Customer Services would get back to me within two days ... nothing after a week!

RustyNumbat

Just received my Abbey card statement today.

This time it shows £48.22 interest on a card I pay the entire amount by direct debit every month.

After my last call to Abbey about the interest on the previous statement, I was told someone would phone me within seven days. They didn't.

Then I wrote to them and complained on 10 September, with no response either.

Today when I phoned they said the transfer from MBNA to Banco Sanbtander resulted in many direct debits not being taken, hence the interest charges.

They said interest would be refunded, and I would get a phone call (but they didn't know when).

I wonder how much money Banco Santander has lost in this fiasco.

They've certainly lost me as a customer, because I set up a Capital One card immediately after my first unsatisfactory complaint to Abbey on August 21st.

I've not used my Abbey Card since the Capital One card arrived, and I'll cancel it when I've had my interest refunded.