Capital One - Unjust Late Fees Vent

[buskels]

Mainly, I just want to vent - doubtful anything else can be done but if so, please let me know.

I have 4 capital one accounts (the oldest since 1999).  The payment dates range anywhere from the 1st to the 21st and I have been paying them all on the last day of the month for quite awhile.  Until the beginning of the year, they pretty much stayed maxed out and my credit score stunk.  I discovered the boards and the effect that utilization had on the score so I started paying them down in anticipation of buying a house.  So, I got my score up, got approved for loan, found a house and am waiting for the closing now (next week!). 

In July and August, I thought I would be good and pay my bills a little ahead of time.  Instead of waiting until the last day of the month, I made the payments about a week earlier, around the 25, 26th of the month.  One of the cards is normally due around the 21st of the month.  I figured I was safe paying it after that date for the next month.  WRONG.  In September, I logged on to see that I had been charged past-due fees for those months I paid a little early.  Two payments showed posted each month but still had late fees.

So, I called up to see what the issue was.  It seems the billing cycle doesn't switch over until around the 28th.  Since it was before the 28th (even though after the previous payment was due around the 21st) they charged a late fee.  I have had that card since 1999 and never once late.  The first person told me he couldn't write any late fee off, the next person took one off but wouldn't take the other off.  Grrrrr! 

So, I took the one adjustment and my instinct is that after I close on the house next week, I may just pay the last balances off and cancel all 4 cards.  Luckily, nothing got marked 30-days so credit shouldn't take a hit. I'm just worried that canceling the cards will hurt.  My score still needs a lot of help (Mid of 655) but I am just really ticked about this.  If anyone knows of another suggestion or any recourse against them, please let me know.  

Ok, end of vent.

[Creditaddict]

what did they do wrong?

I would take it as lesson learned and watch your payments very carefully and DO NOT close 4 accounts all at the same time, it will hurt your credit.

[Anonymous]

Well, it wasn't really Cap One's fault (not being mean, just my take on it). Usually the statement date is a week or so after the billing due date, so there is a gap. I'd try calling them in a few day, explain your story. Tell them you want all the statement dates on the same day in order to avoid this in the future. Then ask nicely for that second fee to be removed. I find calling to clarify something or fix the problem (like getting all statements on same date), seems to impress the CSR. I had to go through three Cap One CSRs before I managed to get them to removed three fees spread over two seperate cards.

Message Edited by siangirl34 on 10-01-2008 06:27 PM

[buskels]

Well, technically they did nothing wrong.  However, I was NOT late - I just paid 2-3 days too early. Silly me for thinking that the billing cycle would begin right after the due date. After almost 10 years with them and never a late, I would think it would not have killed them to write off both past due fee.

[Anonymous]

Yeah I know it was an error and an honest one. I'd just try again with them. They can remove those fees for at least a couple of months after they occur. I guess some companies though have cracked down on courtesy fee removals due to this credit crisis. Maybe when you do call to cancel the card, they will remove it, rather than lose you as a customer.

I've been through the pain of what I felt were unfair overdrafts with BOA - $140.00 worth for 4 items, two $35.00 fees for $2.00 cups of coffee.  Anyway that's another story and I finally just sucked up the fees and set up overdraft to avoid this in the future.

Message Edited by siangirl34 on 10-01-2008 06:32 PM