First Direct Gold Credit Card - Amend Direct Debit from Minimum Payment to Full Statement Balance

dreaMer001

Has anyone been able to amend a direct debit (DD) setup to pay the First Direct Gold Credit Card from minimum payment to full statement balance.

When I applied for this credit card, I chose minimum payment because there was a 0% interest for 17 months offer. Now that the offer has expired and any balance will accrue interest, it's best to pay the full statement balance to prevent interest accruing. 

I read through the First Direct website and the closest I can find is this: 

https://www.firstdirect.com/help/product-support/credit-card-help/

"How do I set up a Direct Debit to pay my credit card?

You can set up a Direct Debit for your new credit card during the application process. If you need to set this up after you've applied it's no problem, you'll just need to fill in a Direct Debit mandate which we can send out to you. You can ask for this in the App - go to 'Help' and select 'Chat now'. Or in Online Banking, select 'Message us'.

How do I cancel a Direct Debit from my credit card?

You can do this in the App - go to 'Help' and select 'Chat now'. Or in Online Banking, select 'Message us'."

From above, it seems the only way to 'amend' the DD is to cancel existing DD then setup a new DD. Have you any experience of a simpler method with First Direct?

 

Don't tell me in this 21st century, I need to request cancellation of existing DD, request a DD form, await form sent through the post, then fill it with a ball point pen then lick an envelope and stamp, then pop it (the form) in the post?

p.s. sorry about the long post. I figured it's good to include as much details as practicable. 
Tried to use the 'quote' feature, but it's not working it seems, so I used italics. 

Brie

Went through the same thing for my M&S card yesterday.  It says that you can change the DD online and when you go onto their site it shows you can't because you already have one set up.  So you need to go to chat and someone has to physically change from what it's set to currently to full balance.  I found it all very odd as I've changed from minimum to a set amount online in the past.  The "chatter" apologised and said they are updating their system so it's not all 21st century yet.  Not sure who the actual bank is with M&S but it's a very different system to MBNA, Barclaycard, Santander who all make it much easier.

Altior

For any cards that process the DD whatever interim payments made are, you just need to make a manual payment, and subtract the minimum payment from the most recent statement that you have received. When the DD is processed, it will clear the balance. I don't know specifically if FD is one of those cards that still processes the DD. 

Alternatively, if you don't plan to use the card ongoing, simply make a manual payment in full and cancel the DD via the bank account it is set up in. Give it two weeks (ten working days) before the usual payment date to be on the safe side. 

born_again

dreaMer001 said:

Has anyone been able to amend a direct debit (DD) setup to pay the First Direct Gold Credit Card from minimum payment to full statement balance.

When I applied for this credit card, I chose minimum payment because there was a 0% interest for 17 months offer. Now that the offer has expired and any balance will accrue interest, it's best to pay the full statement balance to prevent interest accruing. 

I read through the First Direct website and the closest I can find is this: 

https://www.firstdirect.com/help/product-support/credit-card-help/

"How do I set up a Direct Debit to pay my credit card?

You can set up a Direct Debit for your new credit card during the application process. If you need to set this up after you've applied it's no problem, you'll just need to fill in a Direct Debit mandate which we can send out to you. You can ask for this in the App - go to 'Help' and select 'Chat now'. Or in Online Banking, select 'Message us'.

How do I cancel a Direct Debit from my credit card?

You can do this in the App - go to 'Help' and select 'Chat now'. Or in Online Banking, select 'Message us'."

From above, it seems the only way to 'amend' the DD is to cancel existing DD then setup a new DD. Have you any experience of a simpler method with First Direct?

 

Don't tell me in this 21st century, I need to request cancellation of existing DD, request a DD form, await form sent through the post, then fill it with a ball point pen then lick an envelope and stamp, then pop it (the form) in the post?

p.s. sorry about the long post. I figured it's good to include as much details as practicable. 
Tried to use the 'quote' feature, but it's not working it seems, so I used italics. 

Why not just make a manual payment to pay the balance off, rather than changing the DD from min to full.

Other option ring them up & they can do it, & warn you of any issues.

Volcane

Just had a look at my FD account as I will be in the exact same position as the OP in the future…. And it appears OP is correct in that you cannot change to paying statement balance…. Seems a bit of a shortfall in the app functionality. I think a manual payment via bank transfer will be needed in the final interest free month assuming they haven’t updated their systems by then.

prettyandfluffy

Ring them and they will do it for you.

surreysaver

Altior said:

For any cards that process the DD whatever interim payments made are, you just need to make a manual payment, and subtract the minimum payment from the most recent statement that you have received. When the DD is processed, it will clear the balance. I don't know specifically if FD is one of those cards that still processes the DD. 

Alternatively, if you don't plan to use the card ongoing, simply make a manual payment in full and cancel the DD via the bank account it is set up in. Give it two weeks (ten working days) before the usual payment date to be on the safe side. 

Not necessarily. Not all cards work that way. You need to read the T&Cs or it is sometimes written on the statements whether additional payments affect the direct debit. Some cards if you make an additional payment, they won't take the direct debit and you may have to pay the full statement amount if making an additional payment 

Altior

That's what I acknowledged in the post ~ I don't know specifically if FD is one of those cards that still processes the DD. 

dreaMer001

Brie said:

Went through the same thing for my M&S card yesterday.  It says that you can change the DD online and when you go onto their site it shows you can't because you already have one set up.  So you need to go to chat and someone has to physically change from what it's set to currently to full balance.  I found it all very odd as I've changed from minimum to a set amount online in the past.  The "chatter" apologised and said they are updating their system so it's not all 21st century yet.  Not sure who the actual bank is with M&S but it's a very different system to MBNA, Barclaycard, Santander who all make it much easier.

With Tesco Clubcard credit card I noticed that we can 'Edit Direct Debit'. it has options to change monthly payment from 'minimum amount' to 'Full outstanding balance'. The DD debiting account can be changed too. It's available both on online banking and the App.

edit: When I did use the above, I think I setup a new direct, not change payment option from minimum to full. So, couldn't vouch if the changing actually works. Maybe we encounter something similar to M&S (in Tesco's case when clicking 'confirm' may it will throw an error). However, the Tesco one looks promising. Perhaps someone can confirm.

Richard1212

I find a phone call easily sorts out problems with all sorts of premier accounts or cards, though I have never used First Direct.

Rich1976

Just call them. They will do it over the phone. Takes 5 minutes tops.