Desjardins Credit Card Balance Updates: Users Frustrated by Delay
Customers of Desjardins financial institution are expressing frustration over a recent change to how credit card balances are displayed within the AccèsD mobile application. The update, which rolled out last week, no longer provides a real-time view of account balances.
Previously, purchases, payments, and transactions appeared immediately within the credit card section of the app. Now, a 24-hour delay is imposed before balances are updated. Authorized transactions that have not yet been billed, as well as payments currently processing, are excluded from the displayed balance until they are officially posted.
The change has prompted a wave of complaints from users, who report a diminished user experience. A petition demanding the restoration of the previous balance display – or, at a minimum, the addition of an option to view a “real-time” balance – has garnered over 9,000 signatures as of Tuesday.
Desjardins spokesperson Jean-Benoît Turcotti explained in a statement that the shift in balance display stems from a migration to a “new system” for processing credit card transactions. This system, he said, is based on industry-standard components.
“The new system no longer allows us to include both billed and authorized, unbilled transactions in the balance display, and therefore we will not be able to revert to the previous display,” Turcotti stated. He added that Here’s a common practice among most other financial institutions in Canada.
According to Desjardins, the system upgrade is necessary to ensure continued functionality, longevity, and to prevent obsolescence. The institution also anticipates that the new system will facilitate the addition of new features in the future.
Despite the inability to revert to the previous display, Desjardins says it is exploring ways to improve the presentation of information to help cardholders better understand their balance and available credit. Turcotti assured users that both billed transactions and pending, authorized transactions remain visible within the AccèsD app, and that credit availability is updated in real-time.
“As with a purchase, a payment is first authorized before being billed; it appears immediately in authorized transactions and is immediately taken into account in the calculation of available credit. The payment continues to be applied on the day it is made and therefore there is no impact, even if it does not appear on the balance immediately,” Turcotti explained.
He further clarified that the new display more accurately reflects the actual financial status by excluding temporary authorizations, such as those commonly placed by hotels, car rental agencies, or gas stations, which have not yet been officially processed.
The online petition argues that the current display “no longer reflects the immediate reality, which can create confusion and increase the risk of overspending” and that the real-time balance “greatly facilitated budget management.”
Desjardins Bank offers a variety of Visa and Mastercard credit cards, including Flexi Visa with a 10.9% purchase interest rate and no annual fee, and Remises Visa offering up to 2% cash back on purchases, according to information on the Desjardins website. Remises World Elite Mastercard offers up to 4% cash back, but carries a $100 annual fee.
Customers can manage their Desjardins Mastercard accounts online through the Card Assets tool, where they can view transactions, pay balances, and enroll in monthly online statements. The bank’s automated service can be reached at 1-800-854-7642 for card activation and PIN inquiries.