Charged late fees for paying early.

chriz1000

I stupidly didn’t look at the T&C on my Goldfish card. I bought something for a couple of thousand in February, and instantly made a payment for £200 to cover the first payment. I then setup a standing order to come out on the 10th of each month to pay a further £200 off the balance.
Yesterday I received a statement showing I have been making late payments for the last 6 months! Even though the due date is the 5th and they were receiving money to pay off the next statement on around the 13th they have penalised me and not even bothered to let me know!
When I rang up to complain that they were destroying my credit file and charging me for paying early the guy was really rude and abrupt, he pretty much said tough.
Is it worth writing to them, complaining that I wasn’t informed sooner, and asking for the payments back and something written onto my credit file to show what’s happened? Does anyone know how these so called late payments will affect my credit file?

sarahb

chriz1000 wrote: »

Is it worth writing to them, complaining that I wasn’t informed sooner, and asking for the payments back and something written onto my credit file to show what’s happened? Does anyone know how these so called late payments will affect my credit file?

I'm guessing they've been sending statements showing late payment charges since they began so I wouldn't have thought it would be worthwhile complaining you weren't informed sooner. I usually find it's better to hold your hands up, say you've made a mistake (not checking statements/ due dates for payment) and seeing if they can do anything as a gesture of goodwill.

You could also possibly try using the argument that in theory you missed one payment altogether and all the others after that were made early ? (Just a different way of looking at it !)

Good luck !

dzug

Are you really saying you haven't received a statement for 6 months?

papito

Try calling again and this time ask them nicely......

maria777_2

Hi, I had a similar issue with the Natwest recently, where due to a mix up, a direct debit was missed for a personal loan payment for three months running. The best of it was that they took the money from my account anyway but classed it as a 'shortfall payment!' I was oblivious that this was happening as the payments were still being made technically - like you, i was worried about my credit score (being a tart) and spoke to Experian who were 100% helpful, I have to say. they have allowed me to put a 'notice of correction' on my report explaining about the 'late payments' - that might be an option for you?

chriz1000

I didn’t miss any payments, apparently in there T&C it says payment must be made after the statement has been produced. The money is due on the 5th and the statements were made on the 15th of each month. I was paying my advance transfer on the 13th. So got charged for making payments too early. Apparently the 6th to the 15th still count as the previous month even though the money is due by the 5th.
I honestly haven’t had one statement from them until now. I have had the card for years and only just started using it again in February and I changed address(which I informed them about).
To be honest I couldn’t give a monkeys about the late fees, it’s my tarnished credit rating I’m concerned about. That’s worth a lot more to me than a couple of hundred quid.

Tootsie_Roll

chriz1000 wrote: »

I didn’t miss any payments, apparently in there T&C it says payment must be made after the statement has been produced. The money is due on the 5th and the statements were made on the 15th of each month. I was paying my advance transfer on the 13th. So got charged for making payments too early. Apparently the 6th to the 15th still count as the previous month even though the money is due by the 5th.
I honestly haven’t had one statement from them until now. I have had the card for years and only just started using it again in February and I changed address(which I informed them about).
To be honest I couldn’t give a monkeys about the late fees, it’s my tarnished credit rating I’m concerned about. That’s worth a lot more to me than a couple of hundred quid.

This should be fairly easy to sort out but you will need the cooperation of Goldfish because technically they are correct so I would advise taking a calm approach rather than going in all guns blazing.

From what you have written I suspect that the first payment you made was applied to the previous months statement (irrespective of whether you have made a payment already for that month) so that you are now continually paying 5 days late each month. They couldn't have applied the first payment to the following month as that wasn't due at the time and believe it or not you have benefitted by paying less interest.

It's an easy mistake to make - I've done it and I'm supposed to know what I'm talking about . I would give them a call, explain that you made the first payment too early by mistake and ask if they can help you out.

Good luck.

knowledgeman

Its your own fault

Banks send you a statement with a due date, between that statement being generated and the due date a payment has to be made

It sounds like your timing has it so your payment is made before the statement is generated but after the prior months due date hence the payment you are making is being classed for the month before and is late

As said a read of the terms would have established this

Furthermore banks send statements , you should check them

You havent so its your own fault

Its amazing how many people fail to engage a brain cell and a) read what they are signing b) check statements and c) try and blame someone else for their oversights or stupidity

StudentSaver_2

Where I work, I'm the person that deals with these situations. Of course, it's always my fault.

To be honest, in this situation, all I'd do (as the person on the other end of the phone) is refund one of the charges if you made a payment to bring your account up to date.

Under no circumstances would I change the credit profile, as the credit profile reflects the true history of the account. Statements will have been sent. If you don't receive them and ensure that everything is ok, Goldfish can't be held responsible.

SparciaM

You are paying your statements late.

You say the bills are produced on the 15th of the month and payment is needed by the 5th, but your paying on the 13th of the previous month. If you've not had any statements then after one month you should have called them up asking why.

Eg: Statement produced on 15th August (payment due by 5th September), yet you pay 13th August which is for the statement of July. It sounds pretty obvious.

In regards to not receiving any statements, why have you never tried to check online or even call up after month 1 or 2 and find out what was going on?