Halifax late mortgage payment

Rebecca987

Hi, I have a mortgage with halifax and realised in November that a payment had bounced. I rang up and was told by a automated message that the payment would be retaken in 10 working days. I was given no warnings about the affect this may have on my credit history or an option to pay then and there with a debit card. The payment was then successfully taken 10 days later, at the start of December.
I am currently trying to move and my new mortgage application was then declined as the late payment is showing on my credit history. This is the only mark on my credit score - I've never missed a payment on anything before.
I rang Halifax and they said that because the payment was retaken in December that meant my account was in arrears, hence the mark on my credit file.
I was never made aware that because the month would change during the 10 days it took for them to retake the payment this would result in arrears rather than just a late payment that wouldn't have left a 'mark'. Had I been told I would've made the payment straight away, in November, with a debit card.
I have complained to halifax - they are looking into this for me.
I was just wondering if anyone has been through something similar and has managed to get a late mortgage payment mark removed from their credit score?
Thanks in advance!

axel132132

I imagine they will keep it on your file because its a late payment. If it bounced that showed you didn't have funds in the account to pay for it? Therefore other mortgage companies will see this as you have failed in controlling your funds.

Thrugelmir

If the payment wasn't made on the due date. Then your account is in "arrears". As far as they are concerned.

I was given no warnings about the affect this may have on my credit history or an option to pay then and there with a debit card.

You knew the payment was due. Onus was on you to ensure that sufficient funds were in the account.

Possibly you may get the mark removed. However devalues the worth of Credit History to other users if everybody followed a similar policy.

BoGoF

At what point did you realise it had bounced?

Surely any payment made after the due date is late? So even if you paid sooner by debit card it was still late.

Rebecca987

Yes I know there was no money in the account and I know the onus is on me to make sure of that - I made a mistake, I'm not disputing that at all. When I rang up they told me to wait 10 days for them to retake the payment, which I did. But because this was then in December it has gone onto my file as a 'missed payment' rather than a 'late payment' which wouldn't have gone on my credit report. Had I been told about this and given the option to pay in November I obviously would've done this.
What I was actually asking for advice on was if anyone had been in a similar situation and had managed to get a mark removed for a late payment, not advice on controlling my funds which I obviously am aware I didn't do. This is supposed to be a supportive forum where useful tips, hints and advice is shared, not an excuse for you to be rude.

Carrot007

Having had a halifax mortgage.

I thought it was a week not 10 days..

Anyway.

As long as the second try is taken fine they never reported it to anyone. Which seemed reasonable since it was just usually stupidity not problems given it was taken on the second try. (Happened a couple of times to me).

BoGoF

Useful tip - make sure theres enough money in your account to pay your mortgage.

Rebecca987

I realised it bounced straight away and rang up but they said it would automatically retake in 10 days. Had it still been November the account wouldn't have been in arrears, it was because the payment was originally taken on 28th November and 10 days later it was December, therefore no payment was made in November. Halifax told me if the payment had been made in November it wouldn't have shown up on my credit report which is what I'm disputing with them...

Rebecca987

BoGof - useful tip - be kind, always. You have no idea what circumstances people are in and what they may have been going through when they made a mistake.

Thrugelmir

Rebecca987 wrote: »

But because this was then in December it has gone onto my file as a 'missed payment' rather than a 'late payment' which wouldn't have gone on my credit report.

A late payment could justfiably be recorded. Your payment due date is a contractual arrangement. Not an arbitary date that can be flexed as the borrower thinks fit depending on their personal circumstances.

BoGoF

Late payment or missed payment - would it really make that much difference to a new lender seeing as so recent.