Charged over 4 months after using

Kazzea

I paid for an NCP car park with my credit card at the exit barrier (avoiding the huuuge queues at the pay stations on 12 November 2010 - however the amount was just taken off my credit card on the 30th March 2011. Can they do this?? Surely there must be a time limit on how long they can wait beofre charging the card??

Tiddlywinks

Yes, they can...

It was only a parking charge - how much of a problem can that cause your monthly budgets? Just let it go... there are more important things to worry about surely.

Kazzea

It was just a question - I owe them the money - I am not querying that - just wondering how long companies can take to charge your card.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

I remember someone once replied "up to 6 months" when this question was asked in the past. I don't remember if they were able to post a link to this, though.

CLAPTON

the debt is valid for 6 years

opinions4u

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Yes, they can...

I once had a debit card transaction appear a year to the day after it was made. I agree with Clapton on the six year thing.

It was only a parking charge - how much of a problem can that cause your monthly budgets? Just let it go... there are more important things to worry about surely.

I had 3 car parking charges from a two month period coming through at once a couple of months ago. They totalled over £100 - so it was an irritant, albeit one I should have realised was outstanding.

Car parking ain't cheap!

chattychappy

As suggested, two different issues.

Under contract law, the debt is enforceable for 6 years - that is given by s5 Limitation Act 1980.

How long the car park has to put the charge through depends on the merchant agreement. I have also heard 6 months. Some merchants might get away with putting it through later if they have your details. Given you are not a party to the merchant agreement and this limit doesn't appear in cardholder agreements, going beyond the 6 month limit would probably not give you grounds to complain.

So, in summary, the merchant probably has 6 months to put the transaction through but after that they have up to 6 years (from transaction date) to come to you directly for the money.

moonrakerz

Fruit_and_Nut_Case wrote: »

I remember someone once replied "up to 6 months" when this question was asked in the past. I don't remember if they were able to post a link to this, though.

That may have been me !

I had a strange transaction appear on my card from hotel in a town I had never been to. I queried it with Mastercard and it transpired that it was quite "legit", the debit on my account was initiated by "head" office about 3 months later.
Mastercard said that they normally allow late charges up to 6 months after the event to go straight onto your card without any question.
As has already been pointed out, the debt is still "good" for 6 years.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

moonrakerz wrote: »

That may have been me !

I had a strange transaction appear on my card from hotel in a town I had never been to. I queried it with Mastercard and it transpired that it was quite "legit", the debit on my account was initiated by "head" office about 3 months later.
Mastercard said that they normally allow late charges up to 6 months after the event to go straight onto your card without any question.
As has already been pointed out, the debt is still "good" for 6 years.

Yes, I suspect there is a different timescale for the debt to appear on your statement and for it to become statute barred.

P.S. I think it probably was you. Small world!

[Deleted User]

moonrakerz wrote: »

I had a strange transaction appear on my card from hotel in a town I had never been to. I queried it with Mastercard and it transpired that it was quite "legit", the debit on my account was initiated by "head" office about 3 months later.

Thanks for this. I now know that next time my wife looks at my credit card and enquires as to why I appear to have spent a night in the Romford Travelodge, I shall simply tell her that its a delayed charge by the Head Office of wherever we spent our honeymoon. Result!