Can I block a debit card charge?

Koicarp

I got this email earlier: "Good Morning Mrs XXXXXXXX,

You stayed with us on the XXXXXX Wedding evening, and when you departed you toke our parking permit with you.

Please post it back to us as soon as possible or a £50.00 pounds charge will be taken from the card we have in our file.

This will be done a week from the date of this e-mail.

Kind Regards,......"

I'm happy to post it back and will do so tomorrow, so it should be there before their one week deadline comes. But are they really allowed to charge for things after I've checked out? I haven't knowingly authorized this payment, so are they allowed to take it?

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

Koicarp wrote: »

But are they really allowed to charge for things after I've checked out? I haven't knowingly authorized this payment, so are they allowed to take it?

Almost certainly. You presumably agreed to their T&Cs when checking in. Think about things like phone calls and mini-bar consumption which may not be known until after you leave.

anselld

They swipe the card when you check in in case you do a runner (which you have effectively done with their parking permit!). So yes, you have authorised it on checkin.

Gromitt

Unless you have appropriate paperwork stating the charge that you agreed to (for example, when you agreed to the term of stay) then I would report such a charge as an unauthorised transaction to your card issuer. They would then have to prove that you authorised stated charge, or it would be refunded and they may have to pay other fines.

I would guess that they don't have the intention of doing as stated in the letter (at least, not after just 7 days, maybe if you refuse to return it), it's just to ensure people return such property promptly.

If you are going to return it anyway, then you have nothing to worry about, but if you decide to refuse, you would have to read the "Terms of stay" agreement that you signed. It's probably includes things such as missing items such as towels, food and drink, etc, possibly including parking permits.

YorkshireBoy

Koicarp wrote: »

But are they really allowed to charge for things after I've checked out?

Do you expect them to send someone up to the room there and then to check you haven't trashed it, broken a mirror, stolen the TV remote, emptied the minibar, etc, etc?

I haven't knowingly authorized this payment, so are they allowed to take it?

Yes.

You have recourse through the chargeback scheme, should they take a payment incorrectly.

In your shoes I'd both reply to the e-mail and telephone (take a name) to confirm you've posted it back to them within their stipulated timescale. This will be essential in supporting any chargeback claim.

PaulW922

When you check in and leave a card authorisation you usually enter your PIN - so it would be very difficult to go for a chargeback.

oldfella

I wonder if that counts as a continuous payment authority, if it does you can tell your bank that you withdraw permission

Hominu

PaulW922 wrote: »

When you check in and leave a card authorisation you usually enter your PIN - so it would be very difficult to go for a chargeback.

Before you enter your pin you are given the amount that will be debited. What happened here is that they threatened to make a another payment as "Card holder not present", so pin-less.