Credit Card - Minimum Payment (MISSED) even though I have set up direct debit to pay it monthly

  • InsaneDesperado's Avatar
    Hi, As the title suggests, I am using your credit card service which so far has been adequate, however, to my horror I have found that I have been charged £12 for a 'LATE PAYMENT FEE', even though you guys implied that setting up a direct debit means that I'll never forget or miss any payments because it will all be automatic. So what could possibly go wrong, provided I have the money in the first place to pay it off (which of course I do)? The minimum payment (£25) was due on 07/07/16, and it even says it will be paid on this date on the direct debit, but through viewing recent transaction history, no payment of £25 has been put forward. How is this so? I thought that by setting up a direct debit, this would be a fool proof way of keeping on top of payments because I'd be able to forget about it and my credit card monthly payment would still get paid - I'd have peace of mind. The money from my Tesco Current account is used to pay off the monthly requirements for my Tesco Credit Card. So it's not like the money has to transfer between multinational banks, this is simply from a Tesco Bank Current Account to a Tesco Bank Credit Card Account. I wanted a credit card to build credit and improve my financial standing, now it seems my image is now tarnished because of incompetence on the part of Tesco Bank. So in case there's anyone browsing through the forum, let it be known that paying off your Tesco credit card with direct debits does not work and you will be charged for missing the payment/s. I know you guys can't undo the damage you have done, but what can I do now? Thanks, A humble customer
  • 12 Replies

  • MargaretC's Avatar
    Employee

    I'm sorry to hear you've been charged a late payment fee @InsaneDesperado after you set up a direct debit to make your payments. Have you discussed this with our Customer Service Team on telephone 0345 300 4278? If you haven't please private message your full name, date of birth and post code in the format A B 1 2 C D, copying in my colleague @StephenO and we can have a look at this for you. Thanks.
  • REHANA5253's Avatar
    Unfortunately I am having the same problem with my TESCO Credit Card, even though I have set up direct debit to pay minimum payment I was charged £12 LATE FEE in my June 2016 Statement, I had phoned Customer Service and the late fee charge was waived. Again my July 2016 Statement shows a £12 LATE FEE for MISSED MINIMUM PAYMENT!!!! It it seems there is something wrong with TESCO Bank system!!!
  • EileenM's Avatar
    Former Your Community Expert
    Hi  I'm sorry to hear you have been charged two late payment fees. There could be numerous reason why this was charged and why the direct debit didn't collect. Could you send me a private message with some more information please? If you can confirm your full name, date of birth and postcode we can look into this for you. When sending your postcode please use the format A B 1 2 C D and please also copy in my colleague 
  • Lord_Layabout's Avatar
    wrote:

    I thought that by setting up a direct debit, this would be a fool proof way of keeping on top of payments because I'd be able to forget about it and my credit card monthly payment would still get paid - I'd have peace of mind.
    Think again, because no, you don't get "peace of mind" with Direct Debit. (Don't banks and insurance companies love that phrase? But it rings alarm bells for me.) Even if DD works properly, the user needs to make sure that there is enough credit in their account when the bill is paid, otherwise either the bill will go unpaid or the paying account will go into the red - with penalties either way. It is easy to forget that a DD payment is coming up and in my experience you don't know the exact day that it will anyway. Upcoming DD payments are not shown on internet banking systems because the bank cannot know beforehand when or what they will be. I pay my bills by straightforward internet banking payment under my own control. That way I can ensure I have enough credit in my account at the moment I make the payment. I can also set up payments ahead and although you must then ensure (as with DDs) that there is money to cover it in the paying account at payment time, unlike DDs these future payments are shown on the internet banking pages.
  • Cumbriankop's Avatar
    Looks like the same has happened to me, got my statement set up D/D and forgot all about it "worry free". Logged in today to see if my payment had one through and been charged £12 late payment fee.
    ive been with Tesco Bank for years and never missed a manual payment, changed to D/D and missed the first payment.
    " Every Little Helps"!!!!
    I dont think so, One very unhappy customer.CK
  • ScottW's Avatar
    Employee
    Hi @Cumbriankop

    I'm sorry to hear that your first direct debit didn't collect. Did you set up the direct debit online? When you set it up, it should come up with a message that will let you know if the direct debit will be active in time for your next payment. If it isn't going to be active, it will suggest making a manual payment for that statement.

    If you send me a private message with your name, DOB and postcode, I can look into this for you. When you send the details, please format the DOB and postcode with spaces between the characters, i.e. A B 1 2 C D
  • caragreen's Avatar
    The exact same thing happened to me. I set up the direct debit when I set up my credit card, and my bank details were entered into my online banking, but then I got charged £12 for a missed payment! When I checked online it suggested that I hadn't set up a direct debit which cannot be right. I am worried this will affect my credit score, even though I went through all the procedures correctly. What can I do now? A worried customer.
  • AshleighB's Avatar
    Employee
    Hello 

    I am sorry you've had an unexpected fee applied to your account. If this has been incorrectly applied then rest assured we'll put this right by refunding the fee. So that I can investigate this for you can I ask you send our  account a private message? We'll need your full name, DOB and postcode.


    For details like your DOB and postcode, we ask for you to format it with additional spaces, i.e. A B 1 2 C D / 2 4 1 0 2 0 1 6 otherwise the information is removed by the system. Please include a brief explanation of your situation in the message.

    Messages will be responded to within 48 hours.
  • acorne27's Avatar
    I have just had the very same thing happen to me! I had requested a balance transfer and had set up my direct debit and then find out I have been charged as they had not taken the payment!!I will be cancelling this card, if they do not refund the charges. It amounts to fraudulently charging people, as you think you have set up your payments. wrote:
    Hi, As the title suggests, I am using your credit card service which so far has been adequate, however, to my horror I have found that I have been charged £12 for a 'LATE PAYMENT FEE', even though you guys implied that setting up a direct debit means that I'll never forget or miss any payments because it will all be automatic. So what could possibly go wrong, provided I have the money in the first place to pay it off (which of course I do)? The minimum payment (£25) was due on 07/07/16, and it even says it will be paid on this date on the direct debit, but through viewing recent transaction history, no payment of £25 has been put forward. How is this so? I thought that by setting up a direct debit, this would be a fool proof way of keeping on top of payments because I'd be able to forget about it and my credit card monthly payment would still get paid - I'd have peace of mind. The money from my Tesco Current account is used to pay off the monthly requirements for my Tesco Credit Card. So it's not like the money has to transfer between multinational banks, this is simply from a Tesco Bank Current Account to a Tesco Bank Credit Card Account. I wanted a credit card to build credit and improve my financial standing, now it seems my image is now tarnished because of incompetence on the part of Tesco Bank. So in case there's anyone browsing through the forum, let it be known that paying off your Tesco credit card with direct debits does not work and you will be charged for missing the payment/s. I know you guys can't undo the damage you have done, but what can I do now? Thanks, A humble customer