Credit card blocking frustration

rogann07

Does anyone know why it can take up to 2 weeks to unblock a credit card after a hire car has been returned undamaged? My bank say it's up to the hire co and the hire co say it's up to the bank?!? Any knowledge on this would be appreciated.

oldsmokie

This is normally more of a problem with a debit card.

I had a major row with a very poor quality car hire company and RBS last year about this. As you say, the two organisations blamed each other and despite making complaints I never got satisfactory resolution and I couldn't be bothered to escallate the matter.

My suspicion is that it suits the bank to freeze funds as it maximises overdraft interest and minimises interest on credit balances.

Buzby

Do you mean the 'shadow charge' ? Not a debit, simply a reduction in spending power. It cancels when the final balance is charged to the same card.

dalesrider

rogann07 wrote: »

Does anyone know why it can take up to 2 weeks to unblock a credit card after a hire car has been returned undamaged? My bank say it's up to the hire co and the hire co say it's up to the bank?!? Any knowledge on this would be appreciated.

The hire co are telling porkies.....

Many co's say that its your banks fault... Funny, but who requested the payment?
But do not expect their counter staff to know how banking works, just the same as you would not expect your bank to know how car hire works.

hire co need to get their merchant bank to remove the auth that is outstanding.

I guess that as the debit was not the same as the auth they placed it has not automatically cancelled its self out.

14 days is a timescale Visa/mastercard have in place.

I guess as its causing a issue you are upto your limit.

rogann07

Thanks for all your replies. Like you Old Smokie, I just got fed up and couldn't be bothered to escalate. Sometimes the angst you cause yourself aint worth it even though you know what is going on aint right .