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Amex - Does refund count towards payment

Posts: 30,056 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
I’ve had a reasonable sized refund on Amex after my statement date.
can I reduce my payment without incurring interest? 

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  • Posts: 2,638 Forumite
    1,000 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    The only way you wont incur any interest at all is if you pay the full balance off, as normal. A refund does not count towards minimum payment requirements.
  • Posts: 1,750 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    When I had a large refund to my Amex card a few years ago I got them to transfer it to my bank account shortly after it had arrived (just checked my records, the refund was made on 21st November and the transfer to my account was completed on 4th December).
  • Posts: 2,638 Forumite
    1,000 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    When I had a large refund to my Amex card a few years ago I got them to transfer it to my bank account shortly after it had arrived (just checked my records, the refund was made on 21st November and the transfer to my account was completed on 4th December).
    This is only relevant if the refund puts you into a credit balance, I get the feeling this isnt the case here.
  • Posts: 10,330 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    If you read the account terms and conditions (a novelty I know, usually tucked away on the bank website) it'll tell you

    Normally a credit / refund will not count towards the payment as it's simply returning a previous earlier order

    The only one I have had that counts towards a payment is cashback - Lloyds reduced my DD by the cashback amount after it was paid


    Sam Vimes' Boots Theory of Socioeconomic Unfairness: 

    People are rich because they spend less money. A poor man buys $10 boots that last a season or two before he's walking in wet shoes and has to buy another pair. A rich man buys $50 boots that are made better and give him 10 years of dry feet. The poor man has spent $100 over those 10 years and still has wet feet.

  • Posts: 4,931 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    It may depend on when your statement is generated vs when the refund is received in that it would reduce the bill - but you should always (and especially with the rates Amex charges) pay your card off in full wherever possible. 

    There's no point in earning cashback or points if the interest you're charged exceeds the benefit you get from those.
  • Posts: 16,833 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    It may very by product, for Chargecards they do count but then you see that because the minimum payment shown on online banking reduces
  • Posts: 30,056 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    No worries. I will pay in full and then request a transfer of credit.
    I am fairly sure it varies by product but can't remember what it is for Amex so safer to do the above.
  • Posts: 16,833 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    lisyloo said:
    No worries. I will pay in full and then request a transfer of credit.
    I am fairly sure it varies by product but can't remember what it is for Amex so safer to do the above.
    When you go to pay don't you get 4 options... minimum payment, statement balance, total balance and other? I don't get the first because it's a chargecard but they do adjust as refunds come in. 
  • Officially, no.

    If the only purchase you had on your card at billing date was £1000, then you return the item after the billing date putting your net balance back to zero, they will still require the minimum payment amount on the £1000 generated at billing.

    I know this seems mad considering this will put you into a negative balance with them for what seems like nothing.

    In such a situation, if you speak to them ahead of the due date, they can offset refunds against the mimimum payment.
  • Posts: 30,056 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    When you go to pay don't you get 4 options... minimum payment, statement balance, total balance and other? I don't get the first because it's a chargecard but they do adjust as refunds come in. 
    I will check and let you know. Refund hasn't appeared yet (I had to sign so maybe different process - they always seem to take longer).

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