Hotel 'holds' debit card payment at check-in

Hazzanet

Hooloovoo wrote: »

Which basically means you'll never be able to stay at any hotel ever again.

To be fair, I've found it all depends on where you are and what hotel.

In Switzerland and Finland, several times I've whipped the credit card out expecting a swipe and pre-auth at check in, only to be told they don't need it; you pay for everything (including the lodging) at the end.

It even differs within the same chain. For example, the Scandic Park in Helsinki didn't swipe my card, whereas the Scandic Paasi did.

UK, US and Canadian hotels pretty much always want to pre-auth tho.

Hooloovoo

Hazzanet wrote: »

To be fair, I've found it all depends on where you are and what hotel.

Fair enough.

UK, US and Canadian hotels pretty much always want to pre-auth tho.

And Australia too.

agrinnall

Hazzanet wrote: »

UK, US and Canadian hotels pretty much always want to pre-auth tho.

At least in the UK the answer is to stay in a budget hotel (Premier Inn, Travelodge, Ibis, etc.) where the cost of your stay is taken in advance and no further hold is placed on your card - although of course they retain the card number until after your stay in case there is a need to make an additional charge because you've caused damage or broken a rule such as smoking in the room.

Buzby

The terminology is incorrect - there is no 'hold' a pre-Auth is an automated process where the merchant is guaranteed funds at check out. The actual debit closes the Auth but some systems delay this. The merchant has no control over this - and neither would they be aware you were so close to having no funds (somewhat justifying their policy).

The money earmarked still yours, just that you cannot spend it. Using a CC is a much better way to work as this rarely works against you unless you about to hit the CC limit ceiling. I 'd suggest you get one and use this in future.

Hooloovoo

Buzby wrote: »

The actual debit closes the Auth but some systems delay this. The merchant has no control over this - and neither would they be aware you were so close to having no funds (somewhat justifying their policy).

That's a very good point.

The OP should realise that his very situation is the whole reason hotels do this in the first place. If everybody could be trusted to have enough money to pay up for any damage they cause (accidentally or otherwise) then there would be no need to pre-auth any amount.

getmore4less

I have just said no to having a hold on the cards when I don't intend charging anything and this is not been a problem in any hotel I have stayed at.

As said above use a CC for holds, never a debit card, you can always pay with it later.

Another thing to do is make sure you are on the loyalty programs even if you think it will be a one off.

Get on the emails for deals.

Accor chains have some good member only deals.

Wammer

I have actually refused to provide a credit card when checking into a hotel. I was snottily told that I wouldn't be able to charge anything to the room or use the phone in the room, neither of which I intended doing anyway.

DaveTheMus

Could you not have paid the bill with the money they put a hold on?

setdk54

I've just had a similar thing today, although not with a hotel. I placed an order for goods last week on my debit card and was told that a hold would be placed on the funds until the goods were ready to be dispatched, which I thought was fine and didn't see any potential problems.

However when the goods were sent out last week the company took a slightly less amount from my bank due to not being able to fully supply what I had ordered. I then found out from my bank that a hold was still in place on my account whilst the company had also taken the other amount...not happy!!

I got straight on the phone to the company who said "it's not our fault it's the bank's fault," phoned the bank who said "it's not our fault it's the company's fault!" Surely somebody can take responsibility and release the funds at a push of a button. Have now spent all morning on the phone backwards and forwards trying to have the hold removed from my account and still haven't got it sorted...irate is a bit of an understatement, it's my money but I have no power over it!

I have no idea when it will go back into my account, and wondering is it a case of just sitting back and hoping each day it will go back into my account and just accepting it or is there anything that can actually been done about it? I have had no joy from either bank or company, pushed from pillar to post and definitely feel as though I'm banging my head against a brick wall!

Judging by other comments though this seems to be quite a normal way for companies/banks to hold onto our money.

Any feedback or suggestions of what to do next would be greatly appreciated.

Smithers37

setdk54 wrote: »

I've just had a similar thing today, although not with a hotel. I placed an order for goods last week on my debit card and was told that a hold would be placed on the funds until the goods were ready to be dispatched, which I thought was fine and didn't see any potential problems.

However when the goods were sent out last week the company took a slightly less amount from my bank due to not being able to fully supply what I had ordered. I then found out from my bank that a hold was still in place on my account whilst the company had also taken the other amount...not happy!!

I got straight on the phone to the company who said "it's not our fault it's the bank's fault," phoned the bank who said "it's not our fault it's the company's fault!" Surely somebody can take responsibility and release the funds at a push of a button. Have now spent all morning on the phone backwards and forwards trying to have the hold removed from my account and still haven't got it sorted...irate is a bit of an understatement, it's my money but I have no power over it!

I have no idea when it will go back into my account, and wondering is it a case of just sitting back and hoping each day it will go back into my account and just accepting it or is there anything that can actually been done about it? I have had no joy from either bank or company, pushed from pillar to post and definitely feel as though I'm banging my head against a brick wall!

Judging by other comments though this seems to be quite a normal way for companies/banks to hold onto our money.

Any feedback or suggestions of what to do next would be greatly appreciated.

Hi,

Give this a try.

Contact your bank and ask for the authorisation number and for a fax number for your branch. Ring the company that have authorised the money from your account. Give them the authorisation number and ask them to send a fax to your branch on headed paper explaining that the payment was authorised in error, along with the authorisation number and the date and amount that was taken. Your bank should be able to release it immediately.

Let me know how you get on.

Cheers