I have a query in relation to my AMEX corporate card.

This is a charge card and is fully cleared once a month by a direct debit from my personal bank account.

American express are withdrawing these funds on the correct day.

However, my statements and online account always report that the payment has been made a whole month beforehand.

This means that my online balance is almost always wrong and the statements are not a factual record of the account.

Is this even legal??

Here is their "explanation" for why this is happening:

I see that your August statement was generated on 13th August and your August statement balance was £A. If you refer to the page 1 of your August statement, it states that the balance (£A) will be collected on 7th October (55 days after the statement generation date).

 

This is the reason; the August statement balance was collected on 7th October. Our system applied a pseudo credit of the same amount on the 25th day after the statement generation date to avoid any late payment from being applied. This is the reason; the payment is showing as received on 8th September. However, collected from your bank account on 7th October.

This hasn't cause any problems up until recently, but then I was surprised by a very large payment which was marked received on my September statemen

t and I had removed from my budget planner.

Fortunately, it went through without any charges but it could have really messed my finances up.

Overall, this seems pretty dodgy and their explanation is flaky!

Would greatly appreciate any advice about my options.

Thanks,

J

I have a query in relation to my AMEX corporate card.

 

This is a charge card and is fully cleared once a month by a direct debit from my personal bank account.

American express are withdrawing these funds on the correct day.

 

 

However, my statements and online account always report that the payment has been made a whole month beforehand.

This means that my online balance is almost always wrong and the statements are not a factual record of the account.

Is this even legal??

 

Here is their "explanation" for why this is happening:

 

 

 

 

This hasn't cause any problems up until recently, but then I was surprised by a very large payment which was marked received on my September statemen

t and I had removed from my budget planner.

Fortunately, it went through without any charges but it could have really messed my finances up.

 

Overall, this seems pretty dodgy and their explanation is flaky!

Would greatly appreciate any advice about my options.

 

Thanks,

 

J

Options?

a) persuade them to change their accounting system (unlikely)

b) remain aware of this limitation of their system, and adjust your mental view of the "balance showing" - keeping the 55 days credit period - may be the best option

c) make a payment of the balance manually a few days before the earlier date : so for the "August statement, marked as received September, taken in October" scenario - make the payment on 9th September so that it shows on their system before their system creates the September pseudo-credit.

I understand you are saying that the balance owed you see is artificially reduced by their accounting system : but

a) you know this is going to happen and

b) if anything it gives you an extra month interest free.

Is this really a battle you want to fight?

I spoke to my boss and this is unfortunately just the way they work...

They escalated my query as a formal complaint anyway, so I will see what come of that - as you say, probably not very much!

Thanks,

J