Bendigo Bank Credit Cards Don't Have Automatic Statement Payment

snappywan on 26/08/2024 - 12:05
Last edited 26/08/2024 - 14:00 by 1 other user

Hi, I switched to Bendigo Ready card from 28 Degrees.

The very first thing I setup when getting a card is direct debit.

I was told this was possible over the phone but had to be done in branch.

I went to my local branch, the representative was confused at what I was asking and suggesting that I need to use my "banking app" to pay my balance. I said there's a direct debit form that can be filled out, and after getting 2 representatives involved, I eventually got the Direct Debit form, filled it out to pay full statement closing balance every month. Put in my BSB / Account # (I'm with Adelaide Bank).

I thought this would be a pretty straightforward and shut case.

About two hours after leaving the branch, I get a call from the branch, and they said that they cannot process the debit card application because it's debiting from an outside institution and that I need to "pay using the app."

Surely this is BS right? Has anyone setup their Bendigo Ready card for direct debit using an outside financial institution (even though Bendigo & Adelaide are the same damn bank)?

Edit: Called Bendigo and they said the branch was incorrect and suggested I try another branch. So I went to a different branch and the clerk was pretty clued in and we filled out the same exact Direct Debit form and they submitted it. Looks like a lot of Bendigo Bank is completely untrained on setting up direct debit for credit card accounts - you need to force the issue if you want it.

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Comments

  • SimAus007 on 26/08/2024 - 12:25

    I never knew this was possible from any bank to pay the balance of your credit card each month via DD.
    You've done it this way before not to forget to pay the full balance each month?

    • HeWhoKnows on 29/10/2024 - 08:30
      +2

      Its standard procedure with all credit cards

      Been around for donkeys years

  • snappywan on 26/08/2024 - 12:41

    I’ve setup direct debit for full balance repayments on at least 10 different cards now. Sometimes it’s a hassle to setup and you need to go to the branch to set it up, but I’ve never not had a credit card this couldn’t be setup for.

    Anyways I called Bendigo and apparently the branch I went to were in the wrong.
    So I’m going to try set it up at another branch which are hopefully less clueless, but im not holding hope.

    • soan papdi on 26/08/2024 - 12:50
      +2

      I think this is similar to ING credit cards. Direct Debit for the card payment is via the linked transaction account, not from another bank.

      Everything about Bendigo Bank sounds archaic. They had to fill out a paper form to add an additional card holder, apparently it will take 10 business days!!

      • snappywan on 26/08/2024 - 13:15
        -1

        Incorrect. Called Bendigo and explicitly asked if Direct Debit can be setup from outside institution (which should obviously make sense since their Direct Debit form asks for a BSB/Acct #), and they checked with the supervisor and said yes it is possible. The branch I went to, where I actually filled out the form, and they sat on it only to say that it's not possible were unequivocally wrong or just lazy.

        Went to another branch and the clerk was already clued in and we did the same form again, and she sent it to Bendigo and hopefully Direct Debit will start happening soon.

        I'm pretty sure it's a requirement that if you issue credit cards, you MUST allow for automatic direct debit payments from any bank institution of either (1) minimum amount (2) a set amount or (3) full closing statement balance. I think Banks are trying to avoid you from doing this because they want you to charge interest, so automatic repayments are not in their best interest.

    • HeWhoKnows on 29/10/2024 - 08:35

      Contact your local branch (or any Bendigo branch) and get them to send (email) you the Direct Debit Request form.

      I had to drop mine into my local branch. (after completed)
      They check everything in the branch before sending for processing.

      Here is the form for anyone that needs it:

      https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/137118/116888/direct_d…

  • Iwantthebestprice on 26/08/2024 - 12:45

    I tried to figure this out for my Citibank premier credit card and couldn’t find it in the app, sucks having to remember the pay date and go in and manually pay it.

    • soan papdi on 26/08/2024 - 12:51
      +2

      Can you not schedule the payment in your bank app when you get the statement?

    • snappywan on 26/08/2024 - 13:17
      +3

      Fill out this form and submit to citibank.com/upload - https://www.citibank.com.au/australia/pdf/easipay.pdf

      • Iwantthebestprice on 26/08/2024 - 14:30

        Ah perfect, this is what I wanted, just tick a box to pay off the full balance each month. I missed last months payment by a day and it cost me $22.50 in interest charges.

        Thanks!

  • timhn on 26/08/2024 - 21:59

    Some tellers are just clueless.

    Few years ago (prob around 2018), I went to a St George bank to do exactly as OP described. They do have option to setup direct debit on web page if from a StG account and mentioned go to branch if needed debit from external bank.

    First teller (an aged lady around 45-55) was confused and told me I have to setup from other bank. Told her how do they (external bank) know how much to pay monthly? We back and forth like 5mins then she asked her supervisor. The supervisor knew exactly what I wanted and assisted her to go get the form printed for me - after a few punches of keyboards.

    I think virtually all the big4 required fill a form and take that to their local branch.

  • noslappers on 17/09/2024 - 13:32

    where's the dam direct debit form lol! I refuse to go to a branch for something so easy!

  • noslappers on 17/09/2024 - 13:44

    OMG, heres the form I found on whirlpool: https://imgur.com/7rHdBRv

    called the bank, they tell me to call a branch, called the branch they tell me I need to come in and fill it out in front of them, what a joke!

    • snappywan on 18/09/2024 - 09:33

      It gets worse. The form explicitly requires you to choose which day/frequency to debit. You can't have it automatically debit at the due date. Everything is so backwards.

      • noslappers on 18/09/2024 - 11:42

        So what day / frequency is best? isnt it due every 30 days from the day the account went live?

        • snappywan on 18/09/2024 - 13:39
          +1

          Yeah not sure, maybe a couple of days from the first due date on your statement (so you might want to wait for a statement to be generated first). I think this will get the most advantage of the up to 55 days interest free period.

          I just picked a random date, but I think I'll update once I get my first statement.

        • snappywan on 30/10/2024 - 08:25

          Just an update, my first direct debit occurred on the due date. The frequency thing is a red herring, just specifying monthly will just mean every due date.

  • Daniel Plainview on 29/10/2024 - 15:30

    Yeah I've just been through this with Bendigo on a new card myself - IMHO they're full of crap and are very much deliberately making this very simple task near impossible as they DON"T WANT YOU TO PAY ON TIME & AUTOMATICALLY - as they will be guaranteed to get no interest.

    Like you this was always very easy to do through all my other providers, Bendigo acted like I was asking for a rock from Mars. Making it worse they flat out refused to send a generic direct debit form via email. Then refused to give the rationale for refusing to do this, simply saying it's their policy.

    Well my policy is not to deal with financial bodies in near 2025 that are such backwards - so I've closed my account after being with them for a week.

  • noslappers on 30/10/2024 - 10:00
    +2

    So with the link i shared above i printed it, filled it out then emailed it to the person I contacted via email when I complained initially as it took like 6 weeks to get the account setup, and they forwarded to the right team to set it up. All with out needing to go into a branch!

    • Daniel Plainview on 30/10/2024 - 12:14

      Impressive effort - nice to know Bendigo are not even principled enough to stand by their daft rules. Utterly bizarre, I asked them to explain why they wouldn't email the form or to close the acount for me - they happily chose the latter instead. Zero effort from them, if there was a really good reason for the issue - sure I'm open to hearing it but if they're just going to make stuff up, which it appears then I want no part of it. Good job by you though.

      • noslappers on 30/10/2024 - 12:18
        +1

        The conversation I had with my local branch over the phone was ridiculous too, I havent actually used the card yet so unsure if the DD will even work but they assure me its set up :)

  • AndyRates on 15/12/2024 - 13:25

    does bendigo bank offer bill repayment in auspost free of charge? or bpay free of charge?

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