Late payment - postal strike sting!

voltfree

Has anyone else been stung for late payment due to "postal strike".
We always pay our credit card off in full as soon as the statement arrives, 3 weeks before payment due date. Last week we received our statement from GM Card to find a £12.00 late payment penalty - one day late, on contacting GM Card and complaining they said that the postal strike was well publicised and that it was my fault! but as a goodwill gesture they would refund £6.00.
They would not take into account that we have never had a late payment or the length of time we have been a customer, this begs the question are they profiteering from the "postal strike".

I will be cutting up this credit card in due course when I've spent £5.99 of the refund leaving 1p in credit.

greyteam1959

I got stung many years ago with a late payment charge.
Now I pay all my credits cards by direct debit..........
The onus is then on the card companies to collect the money when its due.

voltfree

Thanks mervyn, I like to be in control of who gets paid and when, I do not trust these people, when they are out sourcing working all over the globe you don't know from where your account is been accessed.

dixie06

Sorry but I have to agree with the cc companies on this one, not saying that I never make late payments because I do but I know roughly when my payment dates are on most things plus as they say the postal strike was well publicised. I think a fair goodwill gesture was to knock 1/2 the cost off the late payment.

voltfree

:T It pays to complain and to check your statements carefully, I've just checked online and they seen the errors of their ways, they have refunded my account in full, success! They don't reply to emails though!http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/images/smilies/action-smiley-033.gif

MABLE

If you had access to the internet while the strike was on there is excuse for making a late payment.

voltfree

The payment date is on the statement! I think allowing 3 weeks for a cheque to get there is ample time for postal strikes, floods, plagues of locusts or any other excuses they can come up with to extort money from you. Oh and the postal strike was not my fault! Strange how another cheque posted the same week to another c.c company arrived within 3 days!

MABLE

voltfree wrote: »

The payment date is on the statement! I think allowing 3 weeks for a cheque to get there is ample time for postal strikes, floods, plagues of locusts or any other excuses they can come up with to extort money from you. Oh and the postal strike was not my fault! Strange how another cheque posted the same week to another c.c company arrived within 3 days!

No on this occasion you cannot be blamed for the postal strike. Also you highlight the point that cheques posted to another cc company arrived within 3 days. However this may be because not every postal worker is in the union and in some of parts of the country the mail was getting delivered.

exel1966

The questions you should be asking are - Was it the fault of the credit card company the Royal Mail were on strike ? No it wasn't, yet they have refunded half your charge. Was it your choice to pay by this method ? Yes it was and therfore the onus is on YOU to pay on time.
The charge could easily have been avoided by setting up a DD for the minimum payment, therefore leaving you in full control of paying the rest. Failing that a one off Standing Order payment could have been made by you.

Paul_Herring

voltfree wrote: »

Thanks mervyn, I like to be in control of who gets paid and when, I do not trust these people, when they are out sourcing working all over the globe you don't know from where your account is been accessed.

You realise that Standing Orders:

• aren't subject to the vagries of the postal service
• don't cost you the price of a stamp
• leave you in total control of who gets paid when

?

gt94sss2

voltfree wrote: »

The payment date is on the statement! I think allowing 3 weeks for a cheque to get there is ample time for postal strikes, floods, plagues of locusts or any other excuses they can come up with to extort money from you. Oh and the postal strike was not my fault! Strange how another cheque posted the same week to another c.c company arrived within 3 days!

So you actually received the bill 'on time', knew there was a postal dispute which no one knew how long would drag on for, and you posted a cheque to your cc provider, rather than say - given you don't like direct debits - going to a bank and paying a cheque in over the counter?

I have some sympathy for those who never received a bill at all, due to the strike but where you actually received a bill, your position is, imhv pretty weak.

I recall when I was a child - there was a postal strike (late 80's?) which seemed to go on for weeks/months and I think since then, the bank/credit card companies have become much better at warning customers, that it is their responsibility to pay bills on time, even if they don't receive one though the post (something many people do my direct debit for the minimum payment or on line)

I also know that this time, several credit card companies were warning customers about the impact of a postal strike and reminding their customers of other ways to pay their bills.check balances etc..

Regards
Sunil