Company wants me to pay card charge after I bought item

lantro

Hi,

Sorry not sure if this is the correct forum for this.

I bought a car today but as it is a Sunday, I have left it with the dealership until I can buy tax for it tomorrow.

After I bought the car on a credit card and took the logbook home (I left keys with them to collect tomorrow) they have rung me up saying they meant to charge me 3% for using my credit card, something they did not mention at the time.

I have the money and would have paid on debit if there was a charge but they did not mention one. I asked them to cancel the credit card payment and let me pay by debit card but they say they can't as it has gone through.

I have said we'll talk about it tomorrow but I am worried they will not give me the keys unless I pay them the £85 charge.

Any advice appreciated, thanks.

matttye

They can still send the payment back even though it has gone through. It will just delay the purchase because they'll have to wait for the money to clear before they can send it back.

Just tell them you would have paid by debit card if you were aware of the 3% charge, so they either waive it or send the money back and let you pay by debit card.

[Deleted User]

I'm not a solicitor but I think the deal has pretty much been done here. Since you were not made aware of the charge and money has already changed hands then the car is yours.

This is very different to a recent post in which someone was asking if they still owed money after a company failed to collect payment at all. You've paid your money - it was they who failed to add their arbitrary card fee.

Maybe a quick call to the Citizens Advice Bureau (not sure if it would be them you had to ask)? Seems like a fairly straightforward case though - a deal has been struck and you have taken ownership of the car.

chattychappy

Agree with the above, but I would check any paperwork that you signed (eg T+Cs) to see if in fact you did agree to pay this charge.

[Deleted User]

lantro wrote: »

Hi,

Sorry not sure if this is the correct forum for this.

I bought a car today but as it is a Sunday, I have left it with the dealership until I can buy tax for it tomorrow.

After I bought the car on a credit card and took the logbook home (I left keys with them to collect tomorrow) they have rung me up saying they meant to charge me 3% for using my credit card, something they did not mention at the time.

I have the money and would have paid on debit if there was a charge but they did not mention one. I asked them to cancel the credit card payment and let me pay by debit card but they say they can't as it has gone through.

I have said we'll talk about it tomorrow but I am worried they will not give me the keys unless I pay them the £85 charge.

Any advice appreciated, thanks.

So they never mentioned anything about a 3% charge before you got home? Are you sure about that? e.g. is it perhaps in their terms & conditions you presumably signed when you purchased the car?

Anyway, you say they won't give you the keys unless you now pay £85? They are prepared to lose your goodwill over £85 they failed to even mention, let alone charge you when you paid?

I'd be really tempted to tell them to stick the whole deal up their proverbial.

But the fact you say they gave you the logbook does leave me somewhat confused, sorry :cool:

Buzby

It is up to them to cover their 'loss'. Any fee has to be disclosed prior to the deal - 1.5% is 'normal', 3% is having a laugh. If there was no disclosure, then you can pursue them for breach of contract. If you CC shows the debit, then they have no right to demand (or withhold goods) because of a later change of mind. I believe they are hoping you will buckle, don't!

You have already explained you would have used your debit card instead and this was your compromise. As they have rejected this, explain you are prepared to cancel the sale on a point of principle. As to speak to the Dealer Principal (not the salesman).

[Deleted User]

Buzby wrote: »

... 1.5% is 'normal', 3% is having a laugh. ...

I know our local car dealer charges 2.5% for credit card purchases.

But as I said, the fact the OP claims the dealership gave them the logbook does leave me somewhat confused.

Gromitt

I'd tell them that since I wasn't told before hand about the charge, that I wish to cancel the sale and I'll bring back the log book. I wouldn't mention debit cards. Most will just write off the amount rather than lose the sale, some will be picky.

bigadaj

Report to trading standards, very poor service, if they fail to mention a charge at the time of sale then they have to cover it.

londonTiger

have you tried just refusing, would they hand you your car keys or keep it hostage?

londonTiger

as others have said 3% is a ridiculous rate. It's what a merchant like nochex would charge them that doesn't do any credit checking at all.

A viable company can easily get a merchant account from their bank or major provider like streamline with 1.5% for credit cards and just a fixed 35p for debit cards.