Debit Card Problem for Disabled User

Tally-Ho_2

I am posting this on behalf of my older brother who is a disabled war pensioner.

He is hitting upon a problem with his debit cards and I'm not sure whether it is down to the retailers or banks to resolve. Both seem to be bouncing the 'blame' on each other.

Basically after he was invalidied out of the army, he hit a few financial problems, but I then took over his finances and for the last three years his accounts have been run without any problems what so ever. He has two current accounts, one of which issues a Solo card and another that issues a Visa Debit card (but it is one that 'phones home' to check the balance before approving a transaction if you see what I mean).

Anyway, due to his injuries he has an adapted mobility car as he cannot walk hardly at all. He normally uses a wheelchair, but can walk only a few steps with crutches. His car is his freedom and he drives everywhere in it. The problem he has is with things such as refuelling his car when he is alone, as he has great difficulty in getting to the kiosk, then queing up etc. The last time he did it he fell due to having to queue up whilst on his crutches.

He used to use Tesco Pay and Pump, but since they have had new pumps put in, they do not accept Solo or the visa debit that needs to 'phone home'. He also has problems at other petrol stations and shops, where he uses a service call bleeper (he presses the bleeper and a member of staff comes out to serve him). However the staff fetch out a mobile 'off line' terminal which again do not accept his cards. There are no petrol stations near him like my local Asda where you fill up and then drive to pay on exit.

He asked both his banks for a card that would work (ie a full visa debit) and explained the reasons, but both have declined and said it is down to the retailers to change their policies/equipment on card acceptance.

The retailers have said it is down to the banks to issue him a non authorising card.

Result - stalemate.

Has anyone any idea of a way around this problem, and should it be down to the banks or retailers? As 'Service Call' seems to be getting more commonplace at other establishments such as shops who again come out with an order and mobile terminal it is frustrating him, that although he is staunchly independent he cannot take advantage of systems put in to help disabled people because he has the wrong cards.

I did suggest going to the press, but he doesn't want to go down that route as he says he doesn't want the world to know about his problems.

Thanks for any advice. I didn't know whether to post this on the disability section or here, but chose here because of the banking expertise.

glider3560

Could he change to a bank that issues Maestro or standard Visa debit cards?
Another suggestion could be to use an ATM to withdraw the cash then pay the petrol station in cash (when the person comes out to help).

costaerer

credit card?prepay credit card?

Extant

You've touched upon the reason yourself here - his financial problems. His banks are going to be unwilling to issue him with a full debit card as it leads to the immediate potential that he could (intentionally or not) misuse the off-line authorization and run himself in to unauthorized debt.

Going to the press is one thing, but it doesn't alter this situation as a whole - the banks might do it for him due to the PR, but they would not change policy for all disabled users in a similar situation. Being disabled doesn't alter a credit risk decision.

I think he needs to investigate his alternatives here - i.e. a credit card that he can then just pay off in full immediately after the transaction. Yes, it's inconvenient, but he needs to rebuild a credit rating before the banks are going to be willing to look at him for full debit cards.

zzzLazyDaisy

What about a pre-paid debit card? He would transfer money to the pre-pay card, and then just use is like a normal debit card. If his own bank offers this he should be able to do an immediate transfer over the phone. He can't over-draw or spend more than his limit, because he can only spend what is on his card. More info here:

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/c/prepaid-cards/guide/

Alternatively, if he has a cash machine close by where he can park his car, he could pay the assistant by cash, but I appreciate that just adds something extra for him to have to deal with.

rb10

Are pre-paid debit cards not full-authorisation then? If not, then what is to stop you from going over the limit of the amount on the card?

terafarma

He should ask for signature only cards. I should assume that his cards are being routinely declined because of the 'financial difficulties' that he's encountered with the banks. Most filling stations in my opinion and experience do come out to help once you indicate to them that you're disabled and in need of assistance. There is no need for him to risk further injury to himself by struggling into the shops on his crutches.

Debit/credit card financial providers, are by law obliged to provide alternatives to chip and pin. He does not need to use the Pay at pump options at filling stations. Kindly help him get his finances in order with the banks and they may be more amenable to view his condition and situation more favourably, granting him his request.

All the best.

terafarma.

Lokolo

terafarma wrote: »

He should ask for signature only cards. I should assume that his cards are being routinely declined because of the 'financial difficulties' that he's encountered with the banks. Most filling stations in my opinion and experience do come out to help once you indicate to them that you're disabled and in need of assistance. There is no need for him to risk further injury to himself by struggling into the shops on his crutches.

Debit/credit card financial providers, are by law obliged to provide alternatives to chip and pin. He does not need to use the Pay at pump options at filling stations. Kindly help him get his finances in order with the banks and they may be more amenable to view his condition and situation more favourably, granting him his request.

All the best.

terafarma.

Did you not read the original post?

DCFC79

rb10 wrote: »

Are pre-paid debit cards not full-authorisation then? If not, then what is to stop you from going over the limit of the amount on the card?

i think how they work is you load say £20 on to the card and you go and spend say £9 in a shop and if you tried to buy something that was say £12 in another shop then the transaction would be refused as theres not enough funds left. You just top up the card when you want, its like a mobile on pay as you go

terafarma

Lokolo wrote: »

Did you not read the original post?

You ignorant fool. His problems are two pronged, financial and retailers passing the buck. He needs to sort the first one out and the second problem will be solved with the options that I talked about when he needs to pay at filling stations. My cards are non-authorising/signature only cards. This was what I suggested when I said he does not need to use the pay at pump option.

glider3560

DCFC79 wrote: »

i think how they work is you load say £20 on to the card and you go and spend say £9 in a shop and if you tried to buy something that was say £12 in another shop then the transaction would be refused as theres not enough funds left. You just top up the card when you want, its like a mobile on pay as you go

The funds aren't stored on the card - they work like full auth debit cards. So if they don't accept Solo/Electron, they won't take a prepaid card.