Visa Debit Card Claim

kquigley · 2 August 2005 at 9:04PM

I purchased a TV from the company Tiny a few weeks ago. Tiny went into administration last week. I purchased the TV for £1100 with my Visa Debit card. I have phoned Tiny customer services and basically they can't tell my anything but reports on the internet suggest I'm unlikely to receive my TV or get a refund as I will be an unsecured creditor.

I phoned Halifax as soon as I found out and asked them if I had any chance of getting my money back and I was advised as it was a Visa card that there could be a chance, I was told to go to a branch and fill in a claim form which I did straight away. The lady in the bank who was helping me fill the form in had no idea if I would receive my money back as she had never come across the situation before. This confused me as I was told earlier on in the day I had a chance. I phoned Halifax customer services again when I got home and was told that I wouldn't get the money back. I know I'm not protected like a credit card but I thought maybe because it was Visa that I had a small chance, the only chance of getting anything back. The people who work at Halifax have told me different stories. It will take approx 4 weeks to find out how the claim will go.

Does anyone know if I can claim from Visa??

daveboy · 2 August 2005 at 9:13PM

To begin with I was nearly going to say this is the wrong board, but I think it is actually the right one for this thread.

The Consumer Credit Act only covers credit cards, and whilst the debit card you have is operated by Visa, the cover you have from that card is next to nothing. People who use credit cards would also be lost if it weren't for the support of the law.

In essence, a bank account debit card, in my own personal view, affords you no rights if things go wrong. That is why for large purchases a credit card is always the way to go - even if you have plenty of money and can pay it off soon afterwards.

My view is that you probably won't get the money back - and if you do it will be because the Halifax have suddenly become generous. I can't see them doing this out of the kindness of their heart, but I wish you all the best in getting the money back.

boogiemaster · 2 August 2005 at 9:15PM

Credit cards are covered but debit cards are not, you are covered for theft on the visa debit card, but not companies going out of business.
I doubt you will get your money back, I think you can take out insurance for debit cards.
Visa is a company and covers visa cards credit cards, visa debit is just run through there computers for checks.
If it’s the Halifax BS I doubt it

pin · 2 August 2005 at 9:21PM

Don't know if this thread will help you in anyway (have a look at the last page):

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=349565#post349565

grumbler · 2 August 2005 at 9:41PM

Some other thread: Purchase protection with debit card?

All this originates from BBC website: Can you count on your card?

daveboy wrote:

...whilst the debit card you have is operated by Visa, the cover you have from that card is next to nothing...

I think it is better to avoid so categorical assertions ...

daveboy · 3 August 2005 at 9:29AM

Well, I stand corrected - I've learnt something I didn't know.

But if I wanted Mr Moderator above to tell me what to post, I'd send you a PM.

You made it so obvious that your reference to my post was an afterthought....it took you 6 minutes to come back.

boogiemaster · 3 August 2005 at 12:25PM

Hope you do get your money back :-) I hate getting ripped off and have been, bought a tv on debit card and the companie went under, neever knew that grrr.
All the best to you

kquigley · 9 September 2005 at 1:56PM

Just to say I did in fact get my money back. I made a non fraudulent claim, I received my money back within 2 weeks from Halifax. Very lucky indeed.

Rikki · 9 September 2005 at 2:07PM

Well done kquigley. You were lucky. :j

rich_jtg · 11 September 2005 at 5:16PM

I remember seeing the original feature on Working Lunch, and at the time they seemed to imply that the same cover wasn't available on a Visa-Electron debit card, just a plain Visa one. :-\

newfoundglory · 12 September 2005 at 11:38AM

I don't know about the specifics of visa electron, but i'm sure Visa has its own rules to protect cardholders from non-delivery of goods. With a Visa debit card, as far as i'm aware you should get your money back. If Halifax don't, i'd keep persuing it, and contact visa themselves to find out what their rules are!

I think its the switch/maestro debit cards from mastercard which you have to be careful of. These debit cards don't have any cover as far as i know, making the visa ones obviously safer to use.

Its possible Halifax have become confused (no surprises there!), as there WERE a Switch-issuing bank, and of course they are now visa/delta.

And as someone pointed out, credit cards are slightly different and carry protection under UK consumer credit law.

Visa Debit Card Claim

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