Credit Card Refunds

Rosie68_2

This morning I purchased a £9.05 train ticket using my Barclaycard (which had an available balance of £16), specifically stating that I required it for Saturday evening. When I was handed the ticket, it was dated for today, so I asked for it to be changed to tomorrow. The teller processed this as a refund and new transaction but my card was rejected, because the payment for the original ticket had gone through, but not the refund. I did not have enough money anywhere else to buy the ticket, so had to leave without it, with the teller not even admitting his mistake.

I then phoned Barclaycard, who told me that although the payment had been earmarked to my account instantly, the credit would not be processed until at least the 22 November, even though the payment and credit receipts were dated one minute apart. I asked (politely at first) if anything could be done, for example, faxing them a copy of the receipt so that the money could be credited more quickly, so that I could visit my mum after all. I was transferred from Customer Services, to Disputes and then back to Customer Services, who said I had been put through to them in connection with a request for an increased credit limit (which I did not, at any point, ask for as they had refused such a request two months ago). I explained the situation again several times but the only response I received was 'There is nothing we can do'. When I asked to make a complaint, I was told they did not have a complaints department and there was no one more senior I could speak to, I just had to wait for the refund to go through and 'there is nothing we can do'. Eventually, the guy agreed to log my complaint about the unfairness of the differing speeds with which payments and refunds hit the account on their system, but from his attitude, I'm not entirely sure he did anything.

Now, through no fault of my own I cannot visit my mum, even though I know the money is available, and I just wondered if anyone has had a similar experience with Barclaycard (or any other credit card company) or any suggestions as to how I might take the matter further. I know it's only a small amount, but I'm a mature student and hence, completely broke, and going to mum's for some home comforts is something I really look forward to.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

leicsmarkyr

This is standard practice, it is not the fault of the card issuer that an error was made by the retailer.

99.9% of the time a refund is never approved or authorised. It just appears as a credit onto your account when the transaction comes in. Generally if the sale and refund is done on the same day they should be applied to your account the same day. I would expect them to appear overnight on Monday.

I don't see any warrant for a complaint with BC as not their fault.