Missing ref in bank transfer - do i have to pay charges?

pau.l

Hi,

We paid our ground rent back in April and got a letter at the weekend saying we hadn't paid and that charges totalling £150.00 were also now payable.. After checking we had paid by bank transfer but we put the wrong payment reference. They found the payment bit the company still says we have to pay these exta charges!

Do we really have to pay them?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

G_M

On the one hand, you paid on time and they (eventually) received the payment.

On the other hand, the delay, which presumably resulted in an administrative cost to resolve, was your fault.

.................................?

Biggles

They have had your money in their bank account for three months. And, unless the reference was, by coincidence, the reference of another of their account-holders, it would have stood out as unallocated and they ought to have sorted it long ago.

Most payees would say, 'OK, we've found it, be more careful next time'. To charge £150 for some minor admin is quite OTT.

DVardysShadow

As they have had the money, I would offer them £20, without prejudice, keeping a copy of the letter. And if they refused, I would be of a mind to let them take it to court.