Sainsburys credit card "missed" payment

The_Fat_Controller

@cx6 not necessarily, the OP has not stated how the statement date would change, DDs are normally taken XX days after the statement is produced.

They should've however checked what was to happen with the payment due on the 29th Dec.

molerat

The_Fat_Controller said:

@cx6 not necessarily, the OP has not stated how the statement date would change, DDs are normally taken XX days after the statement is produced.

They should've however checked what was to happen with the payment due on the 29th Dec.

Doing this over the phone they should have been informed of any effect it would have on the current outstanding payment.  If OP was not informed then Sainsbury's have failed in their duty and a complaint is justified.

born_again

Deleted_User said:

Had the card for a few months now, it's an interest free card for 12 months so from day one I've had a direct debit setup to take minimum payment on the 29th of each month. Rang up a couple of weeks ago to request a change of direct debit date to the 15th of each month (to align with my other direct debits). At around the same time, I also changed from "minimum payment" to a "fixed payment" of around £120 to reduce the debt quicker. I did this within the Sainsburys android app.

Just had a letter through this morning from Sainsburys saying my account is in arrears of £42.47 and they're charging me a £12 fee on top of the missed payment! Rang customer service and they said the direct debit change takes 6 weeks, so they haven't taken the December 29th payment, hence a "missed" payment. Woman on the phone said she cannot guarantee whether or not it will impact my credit score negatively as a missed payment because "it's the end of the month". I have always had enough money in my bank account to cover the payments, plus a £1000 arranged overdraft. Woman on the phone said I can either pay the arrears over the phone or wait for the £120 to come out on 15th January, so I've waited for the January payment. I have the call recording BTW.

I have changed the date of multiple direct debit dates from multiple companies over the years and never had this issue.

My argument here is I don't believe this is my fault. I haven't "missed" a payment, you just didn't take it!

Do I have a leg to stand on here?

Thanks!

So what date was the statement balance due prior to your requested change of DD date? Crux of matter on missed payment.
As I can see that normally the DD will be taken around the due date. Moving the DD on at least 16 days would mean that your payment for the Nevember period which would have been due to be taken on the 29 dec.
Dammed quick to get a letter to you in one day over the holiday period given that payments was only missed yesterday. So would not normally be flagged till 30 of the month.

As a aside on this. In cases like this as far as we go you would have been advised that you need to make a manual payment to cover the November period by 29 Dec, as the statement would have already been produced. Then any changes would take effect from January. As in effect, it sounds like the statement date has been changed. (Cycle date in CC terms)

The_Fat_Controller

@molerat, agreed, the call needs to be listened to if possible.

However, what's the betting on selective deafness, we hear what we want and ignore the rest of the blurb that the agent is obliged to spew out.

@Deleted_User have they changed your statement date as well as the payment date ?

kaMelo

The_Fat_Controller said:

@molerat, agreed, the call needs to be listened to if possible.

However, what's the betting on selective deafness, we hear what we want and ignore the rest of the blurb that the agent is obliged to spew out.

@Deleted_User have they changed your statement date as well as the payment date ?

The statement date would have to change to tie in with the "up to xx days interest free" period.

I had a similar problem some time ago, I didn't change the date but changed the amount. Changing the amount cancels the dd in place and sets a new one up which only becomes active after the next statement is produced. 

To the OP, Phone Sainsburys, politely explain your case about having a DD in place all the time. They should see it's a mix up, remove the £12 fee and take a manual payment there and then to cover the missed DD.

James_H

Just adding to this thread as Sainsbury's systems seem a little messed up with regard to direct debits.

I have a fairly new card, the first DD was last month on 3 Dec, taken no problem.  For this month, because of weekends and bank holidays, they only took it on 4 Jan and have applied a £12 late fee!  I will give it a few days in case it corrects itself, but otherwise will phone.

Just posting in case anyone else is affected.

phillw

I would complain to sainsburys, if you phone them up and ask them to change the direct debit date then in reality all they are doing is changing the statement date & the current statement sets what money will be taken and what date it will be taken.

Phone up and just say "I want to make a complaint".

I'd tell them it is unacceptable that either a routine change upsets their system so that it doesn't take a direct debit listed on the previous statement or that their staff were not trained to advise on their systems inadequacies.

You've got nothing to lose, just make sure you put blame on the company and not on individuals. Saying sorry if you sound angry but you don't blame the person you are speaking to can often help.

I aligned mine all to the 1st of the month (or as close to as you can with bank holidays), I don't remember a problem moving sainsburys but I might not have been using it at the time.

phillw

Thrugelmir said:
The OP asked for the direct debit to be moved from the 29th to the 15th. The request was actioned.  There's no authority to take additional money just because a DD is held. 

They have authority to take money whenever they request it, as long as they give notice.

The notice is the statement. When you request a new direct debit date, they change the date the statement is created.

Industry standard practice is to change the date from the next billing cycle, not use it as a way to confuse and shaft your customers.

Unless the service agent spelled this out in great detail on the call, then they are in the wrong (and I'd continue to complain even if they did, because it just sounds too confusing).

Jaxer

I had a very similar situation with Sainsburys a couple of years ago so it looks like their systems are still pretty poor. When you change the statement cycle, the new direct debit won't be effective until you receive a statement showing the new collection date in place.

This wasn't explained and I wasn't told to make a manual payment so I got a "late payment" warning which I complained about and got £25 compensation, with a reversal of the late payment charge and written confirmation that they would rectify any non-payment flags with the CRAs. In my particular case, the DD then didn't get collected in the subsequent statement (which did show the DD being in place) so I went through it all again and got £50 compensation plus the CRA assurance.