Problems Using Nationwide Credit Card Abroad

I want to warn people about what happened when I used my Nationwide Credit card in Spain a few weeks ago. I picked up my rental car at Victoria Cars at the airport. I was presented with the bill in euro to sign, which I did. I emphasized to the employee that I wanted to be billed in euro, not sterling, and she said she understood. There was nothing on the bill to offer me the choice of sterling or euro anyway. So I thought it would be alright. I was wrong. When I got my Nationwide statement a few days ago, I had been billed in sterling by Victoria Cars. I calculated that I was approximately £10 worse off because they hadnt billed me in euro. I have rang Nationwide who have not been very forthcoming, trying to blame it on Visa and telling me to contact them, in other words, trying to pass the buck. I have told them I want to dispute the amount. They will send me out a form to complete, saying that I'm disputing it. They will then request a copy of the signed invoice from the car hire company to check for themselves if I was offered the choice of currencies. They did not believe me when I said I wasnt.

Anyway, when they see that I was not offered the choice of currencies, I can then say that I am not paying that amount, as it doesnt correspond to the amount I agreed to and signed for. It is then up to the car hire company to debit the amount originally agreed. This is what should happen. I am very interested to see how Nationwide will deal with it, as they havent been too helpful so far.

Everyone needs to be aware that if you do not agree with an amount on a credit/debit card statement, you can dispute that amount, and ask to see the original sales slip from the company abroad.

A similar problem happened once before with my previous credit card company, a Nat West company. They were only too pleased to help me and did resolve it very quickly and to my satisfaction. It is amazing the difference in attitude between the two banks.