Debit card pre-authorisation – help needed

john1002

Hi,

just need some advice to see if I understand the pre auth system.

Bought a new TV that still has not been delivered yet, as it stand the company put a hold that has now expired, so the money is back avaidable to spend.

Now after much googling it would seem that the company can take the money at any point as long as is in this case the pre auth was granted.

So my question is , is this assumption correct or would they need to apply again, also if I cancel as they have not delivered in the quoted timescale can I be assured they cant take the money and then me have a fight trying to claim it back.

hope that makes sense

john

rb10

They can certainly take the payment from your account when they deliver the product.

If you wish to cancel the order, then you would need to contact the retailer in order to do so.

Should they charge your card without delivering the item, then you can perform a charge-back, which should get your money refunded.

For future use, it's preferable to use a credit card instead of a debit card, as you get better protection (if the item costs over £100) and it's not your money that's waiting to be claimed - it's the credit card company's.

Gromitt

They don't need to apply again. They have 6 months to collect the funds.

If you cancel, you may be charged by them, it depends on the contract you agreed to when you purchased the product.

If they break the contract (ie, take the money but don't deliver), you can get the transaction reversed.

InsideInsurance

john1002 wrote: »

Now after much googling it would seem that the company can take the money at any point as long as is in this case the pre auth was granted.

This is incorrect, there is actually no need to get authorisation at all, you can simply go straight to collecting funds however due to the high risk nature of doing this any merchant that did do it on any form of regularity would have to pay massively higher transaction fees because of the high fraud risk they'd be running.