Asda home shopping - holding money

Laura_Scotland

I noticed this on Watchdog earlier too, it must be so annoying!

I luckily never had this problem when I used to order from Asda (since switched to Tesco) and I'm with Nationwide, so must depend which bank/building society you're with

gettingready

The money was "released" only today so took the whole week (shopping was delivered last Thursday and money, the correct amount taken off the account last Thursday too).

What adds to my annoyance is the fact that the online statement shows so and so as CR BUT you can nto take money oou/pay with card till it dropps off, nowhere online banking shows that anythign is "pending" or "unavailable".

Was rtying to pay my TV for few days now, every day "declined", today only it went through which means it has been released.

I do nto understand Asda blaming Banks for it - if it only happens with Asda and not other shops - it clearly is not banks' fault but some problem with Asda's system, isn't it?

gettingready

Can not find any ref to Watchdog and Asda on this particular issue, can anyone please post a link?

There are other ones but not this particular issue...

gettingready

Oh, just found another topic about that too:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1804065

It is from 2009... so 2 years and they done nothing about that... Brilliant...

LilacPixie

I had the same issue with Asda so i stopped using them. Far too much hassle. I do a big monthly shop of around £200 and to not have the use of that for up to a fortnight (halifax) does throw up some issues as we have a specific account we use for food and fuel. It has say 1000 and you do a shop for 200 guide price so it looks like you have 800 availible for withdrawl. the shopping arrives and cost 190 so you availible amount goes down to 610. Tesco don't work that way.

gettingready

Need to check if Tesco accepts my card now - last time I tried it was last year and card is ok in the shop but not online

I too do one big shop and it normally is well over £100, sometimes £200 and REALLY can not have that money taken and equivalent frozen on the account for a week...

So ridiculous that nothing gets done about that

stclair

My friends parents transfer the correct amount they need to pay into another account and pay using that card
then it dont buggar up the bank account and asda cant pre auth a higher amount as the money isnt there.

I know it may not be an ideal solution however its something that may work for some people.

gettingready

I can see what you are saying - if someone has more than one bank account that would work.

What is really funny though is the fact that, imagine this scenario:

I have 100 on my account, order £90 worth of groceries from Asda, they Freeze £90, at delivery it comes to £97 and this gets taken (so only £3 left on the account) and then they can keep the original £90 "frozen" to their heart content as I simply do not have it on my account and it does not bother me if it is "pending" as they will not claim this money as such anyway.

BUT

I have 200 on my account, order £90 worth of groceries from Asda, they Freeze £90, at delivery it comes to £97 and this gets taken (so theoretically have £103 left on the account) but they "freeze" the original £90 so I can only use £13 from my account till the £90 "drops off" after a week orso.

same shopping amount, 2 scenarios.... idiotic system

stclair

Asda has been playing this game for years im not sure how they get away with it to be honest.

Have you considered contacting watchdog for something about this scenario.

gettingready

If you look above, some people said it was on Watchdog today - can not find a link though...