Debts 'might increase' after card firm puts up charges

08/09/2008

American Express, the operator of the Platinum Moneyback, British Airways and Nectar Credit Cards, is to put up its charges once more.

The penalty for people who pay their bills late, or miss payments entirely, has been increased by £2 to £12 - the second such increase in less than a year.

AmEx had originally cut its charges to £8, after a report from the Office of Fair Trading was published which said that credit card providers' penalties were too high.

The report also said that card firms which charged more than £12 might face legal action.

Speaking to the Guardian, an AmEx representative said: "These increases reflect a rise in our administration costs associated with handling accounts in default.

"Our fees are in line with recommendations made by the OFT in April 2006."

Moira Haynes at charity Citizens Advice said that more people might be forced in to debt as a result of AmEx's move.

"[We] helped people with more than a million debt problems last year, and a large proportion of those people have seen their debt increased by late payment charges," she commented.

Tags; Debt Management and Banking, Credit Card Lifestyle,

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