Overcharged When Paying Over The Phone

WeeMann

I recently booked over the phone to go ten pin bowling with a couple of friends and our children. I was quoted £34.95 for the booking and gave my debit card details.

When we arrived we decided to change our booking to two games and one of my friends then paid the balance.

This week I have checked my bank statement and discovered that I have been overcharged, not much - only £4 - but overcharged all the same. I was charged £39.95, so probably a simple typing error when the price was being entered.

I rang to discuss and, within 24 hours was called back and told I would receive a refund to my card.

Two days later I received a message on my answerphone that someone else had looked at the issue and decided that my friend was charged the correct balance, therefore I would now no longer be receiving my refund (I'm not sure whether or not he was, I haven't spoken to him yet).

Am I right in thinking that what my friend paid is irrelevant in this case, that I have been charged more than I agreed, therefore I am owed this money back and that it is down to the company to either chase the rest of the money from my friend or write it off as their mistake? Or is the overall contract down to my friend and I as a collective and therefore, if I want the money badly enough, it is down to me to get it from my friend?

This all sounds petty when written down, but I don't see why I should be out of pocket due to someone else's mistake - with the economy as it is I know I need to look after every penny.

tomwakefield

Why can't you check with your friend and, if between you you've paid the correct total amount, just get the money off them?

I would expect this would be all you can do legally anyway, as I would have thought it counts as a single contract and, as they've taken the correct amount in total, the specifics of how much came off which card are irrelevant.

somethingcorporate

It's £4. Just take it as if you bought your mate a pint and move on with your life.

You'll worry yourself into an early grave!

steveE2

Am I right in thinking that what my friend paid is irrelevant in this case, that I have been charged more than I agreed,

You broke the agreement by changing the booking when you arrived,so no.

tomwakefield

steveE2 wrote: »

You broke the agreement by changing the booking when you arrived,so no.

An agreement can be amended if both parties agree to the change.

sunflower_2

its £5 !!!!

and regardless of the amount - OP needs a refund x

vicmorrow

sunflower wrote: »

its £5 !!!!

and regardless of the amount - OP needs a refund x

..why does the OP NEED a refund?

Parva

So, a £5 surcharge to add an extra game, that's ten frames x2 throws per person = another hour of entertainment for 5 people. And yes, I know that a strike results in just one throw etc, but I'm looking at averages.

Frankly, I would be willing to give them double that price if it silenced the rugrats! Pay up, you know it's right.

WeeMann

vicmorrow wrote: »

..why does the OP NEED a refund?

Because he's been overcharged - the company took more from my bank than I authorised.

Thanks for your replies people, much appreciated.

OK, let's up the ante a bit.

This time I've ordered a DVD player over the phone. They are on sale for £200 each, or a special deal of 2 for £380.

As I'm on the way down I bump into an acquaintance and we get chatting. Seems he wants a DVD player and this sounds like a good deal. he's done me favours in the past so I decide that I'm happy paying the £200 I was paying anyway and let him have the saving.

I pick mine up and am putting it in the car while he pays. Unbeknownst to me he only gets charged £160 for his. He doesn't question it or mention it to me. The first I know is when my bank statement comes through and I see I was actually charged £220.

That £20 is the difference between me being in credit and being charged for an unauthorised overdraft at the end of the month - another £25 fee.

I don't know how to contact this acquaintance as I only know him from the pub.

Shall I still just rack it up to experience?

Now ramp these figures up into the hundreds or thousands. The principle in law is the same, just the values changed. The company have taken more money than I authorised and I wasn't advised of the error in time to do something about it.

So where do I stand?

arcon5

In theory I suppose it would be classed as an unauthorised transaction and it should be reversed. However, since it is you who has the contract with the retailer in this example, they would also be able to persue you for the outstanding balance. It would then be down to you to chase the other chap contributing to the transaction for any discrepency.

But the difference in the original op and the example is the latter says you don't know how to contact him as he is a pub friend -- in the op you went bowling with your 'friend' -- so you can easily contact them and sort it out.

In reality though, if they won't refund you I doubt you would have any recourse. I would be surprised if a chargeback was successful once the retailer demonstrated you purchased £x worth of goods and paid £x for these.