When does your VAA Amex statement arrive??

Since I've had my Virgin Amex card, the statements have consistently arrived around the 23-25 of the month, despite the fact that Amex claim they're cut on the 16th and then sent 'the next working day'?

Given that electronic card payments (to pay the statement balance) usually take 4 WORKING days to happen, and the latest payment date is around the 1st of the following month, I am normally getting a window of around 1-2 days to receive the statement and pay it. If I'm travelling or just really busy I could very easily miss the payment window.

I want to see my statement and read it before I pay it. I can't always garuantee to be able to get online to see it, and online statements rarely match the hardcopy - as the online one is constantly changing.

Net effect of this is I am in danger of being very easily tipped into late payment charge territory, missed payments etc, simply because Amex choose to cut my statement and send it 2nd CLASS post leaving me hard against the payment date every month.

Do you receive your statement as late as I do? Is this reasonable to do this to me and if not, what can I do about it (I've already run g them 3 months in a row to complain about this)? Is there an organisation I can raise this with?

Amex's attitude is 'well this is how we do it' and 'yes, its a short payment window' and 'yes, we only send out the statements 2nd class'!

I think this is a cynical exercise in making money unfairly out of customers, by sending out the statements so late. I know of course I can pay an appx/estimated amount, but why should I - surely I have a right to get my statement through in a reasonable timeframe???

In my experience if you go to the online banking menu and select your latest statement from the list under the 'statements' tab then this statement always matches your postal one. The 'statement' that comes up on the front page is just an account snapshot of current transactions.

[Neil]

I always use the online statements, with the ease of access the net from pc/laptop/phone etc I do everything online. I pay direct debit also so the dates I get my statement are irrelevant and makes sure the payment is done on time wherever I am/whatever I am doing.

The one time I had a query with a transaction it was sorted very well by CS and the credit was showing on my snapshot within 24hrs.

I agree with using the online tools and that the statements in the in the statements tab always match the paper one I receive but I spend my time between my place any my other half's so I often don't get the paper one before I have to pay.

It is a shame that they give you such a short time between receiving the paper copy and having to pay but I presume this is a move to get people to set up a direct debit so they know they will be paid. They probably are ticking all the FSA boxes, even if only just.

[mitchja]

The online MBNA is pretty much like MBNA in general - total rubbish.

For a start, some of what you see of your account online is 24 hours behind, other bits arn't.

Your available balance is in real time, but payments made to your account are always 24 hours behind.

Paying online using the MBNA debit card system is the quickest way to make a payment. This takes 3 days to hit your account but you wont see it online for 4 days.

I think, if you call on day 3 after making a payment, they should see the payment, even though you can't and your available balance isn't updated to refelect the payment just made until the forth day either [:w]

My statement date is around the 7th of each month which gives me until around the 22nd to pay it. As I get paid on the 15th, I pay it then, by which time my postal statment has usually arrived anyway.

You can always call them and get them to move your statement date so your due by date is a week or so after your get paid. That what I did. It takes a full billing cycle for this to come into effect though.

UK Amex have by far the best online payment system [y] You pay online using their website using a debit card and your available balance is instantly updated to reflect the payment you have just made, even though the actual payment still takes 2 days to hit your account (which is also, overall, 2 days quicker than MBNA's system).

Regards

[Nottingham Nick]

I don't have a problem with the MBNA system. My paper statement is generated on or about 7th of the month - I know then how much the direct debit is going to be.

It arrives on or around the 10th of the month, and the full balance is taken from my current account by direct debit around the 22nd. I am paid on the 15th of each month, so am more then happy with the arrangement. I have plenty of time to top up my current account if the VS Amex bill is a biggie. [:D]

Nick