Charges for using credit card

cityfan00

Hi I am new to this forum and am after some advice

I paid a deposit and months rent on my credit card totalling £1500 for my daughter to a letting agent when she moved into a private rented house.

After about two weeks the agency contacted me saying that I am being charged £51 costs for using a credit card. Now when I paid this they did not warn me that using a credit card would incur costs, if they had I would have used my debit card which I also had with me.

They have threatened to sue me for this so my question is am I liable to pay this even though they did not warn me I would be charged?

timbo58

Did you see or have made available to you a copy of the terms?
If you did and the terms state there is a charge, then it is unfair but legal AFAIAA.
If you didn't then you should write back telling them this and refusing the charge.

cityfan00

Thank you for a quick response.

We were informed by the letting agency that the agreement my daughter had signed did state that there would be a charge, however she was not given a copy of this straight away. A copy of this was not made available to me when I paid it on her behalf. Would she be liable for this cost if I refuse to pay

ironlady2022

Your Daughter signed having 'supposedly' read the terms and conditions and unfortunately even though a copy was not provided immediately, you are liable for the £51 charge. It's not dependant on how she paid, be it herself or you. Usually when you are using money to pay money eg in this case or currency, alarm bells should be ringing!

izools

The letting agents cannot hold you responsible for an agreement you didn't sign.

They can only enforce contractual terms with any parties other than those actually involved in the contract.

If you didn't sign it, you still don't remain liable.

Arguably your daughter may have been responsible for informing you of the term they refer to in the contract, as she signed it, even if she didn't read it.

As she did not inform you, as she didn't read it, she now becomes liable for the #51 fee.

If I were you my stance would be "Fine, refund the #1500 to my credit card and I'll pay it by debit card"... This would be seen as you being reasonable, if they refuse, welcome them to sue you. They won't get anywhere, not least because your daughter is liable but because you were being reasonable in offering to pay by debit card on condition they refund your CC.

And if they try to argue this point - remind them their card merchant provider won't charge them a fee on a refunded transaction.

timbo58

And if they try to argue this point - remind them their card merchant provider won't charge them a fee on a refunded transaction.

Is this correct? could you show me a link to say this is not chargeable anywhere?
As an internet retailer I get charged all the time for refunded transactions!
I'd dearly like to get that sorted!

Tiddlywinks

cityfan00 wrote: »

We were informed by the letting agency that the agreement my daughter had signed did state that there would be a charge, however she was not given a copy of this straight away.

You knew there would be a fee so why didn't you ask how much it would be?

Just pay up and put it down to experience as you are the one that failed to ask for full details before agreeing to pay.

Non-payment will only make things difficult for your daughter as she begins this new business relationship with the agent (and by default the LL if he is made aware).

Is £51 really worth all of the hassle? Take it on the chin and move on.