Debit made 5 months after transaction

Mids_Costcutter

While on holiday in Greece in August we used a credit card to pay for a €37 meal. This didn't appear as a debit on our account until 17 January this year: over 5 months after the transaction was made.

I was wondering if there's a limit to the time before a transaction can be applied?
It looks legitimate: we remember the restaurant.
Did the trader perhaps just forget to submit to Mastercard and noticed when doing their accounts in the winter?

chanz4

6 years is the limit

Mids_Costcutter

Crikey, that's a long time! Unless a major purchase, I'd be hard pressed to remember most transactions after one year never mind six!

chattychappy

chanz4 wrote: »

6 years is the limit

6 years is certainly how long they would get to claim the money directly from the OP under English contract law (but this was Greece, of course).

I thought there was a shorter time limit before an authorisation expires (?6 months). After that they can still put it through, but it isn't guaranteed. (Something like that - someone will clarify.)

bigadaj

Believe that they need to inform cardholder before putting it through after six months. At the end of he day the vendor has given you an interest free loan for several months, not a good way to run a business really.

jonesMUFCforever

Yawn!!!!!!!!!!! You made the transaction - you had the meal!

You have had an interest free loan since August as they have not debited you for it.

Unless you can claim that you did not make the transaction pay up and move on please.

Mids_Costcutter

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

Yawn!!!!!!!!!!! You made the transaction - you had the meal!

You have had an interest free loan since August as they have not debited you for it.

Unless you can claim that you did not make the transaction pay up and move on please.

I wanted to know what the rules were on transactions like this and several members kindly provided useful responses. Others might find this information useful too. That's all.

If it's not interesting enough for you, well there are other boards. Perhaps you might find Pensions, Annuities and Retirement Planning more gripping?

Gromitt

They can debit your account for upto 6 months, after then its stated that you may not remember the debit. However, they can chase you (or attempt another authorisation) for upto 6 years.

Chances are they simply forgot about the payment and noticed the discrepancy in the accounts.

You could request that they send a receipt for proof (which might cost you as you should already have received one at the time), but since you remember, there is no need.

Chomeur

Funny, I had a similar experience with Olympus Airlines. Perhaps it's a Greek thing.

bigadaj

Chomeur wrote: »

Funny, I had a similar experience with Olympus Airlines. Perhaps it's a Greek thing.

Well they haven't got the best reputation for financial management. I wonder if they may be trying to give things away just to !!!! off the Germans!

dalesrider

Mids_Costcutter wrote: »

I wanted to know what the rules were on transactions like this and several members kindly provided useful responses. Others might find this information useful too. That's all.

If it's not interesting enough for you, well there are other boards. Perhaps you might find Pensions, Annuities and Retirement Planning more gripping?

I guessing that mastercard will work to the same timescales as VIsa.
Which the retailer has to debit within 6 months. But many get round this by not supplying the origonal date it was made.
If they gave proper date and then debited after 6 months it can be charged back.

But as jonesMUFCforever said. You have had the meal and if it was chargedback. the retailer would have a legal right to take you to court.

Best bet is t save all reciepts and balance them off.