Charged 59 Days After Transaction?!?

gayleygoo

OP I've been in the same boat and it is annoying! A few years ago I paid for some things by card, and it came out nearly 5 months later, taking me into an unauthorised overdraft by a few pounds. I had no idea, and went on a youth work residential, thinking I had about X amount of money for the weekend. We traveled just over the border into the south of Ireland, and every debit card transaction I made incurred a fee of £30. That weekend cost me nearly £200 in fees alone (I had no idea til I got back and was able to check my account balance :eek:)

I was angry with the shop for what had happened, when I finally figured it out. The woman at the bank explained that the length of time was unusual, but the shop could still take the payment. Looking back now, I know it wouldn't have happened if I'd kept a very close eye on transactions and my bank balance, and it wasn't the shop's fault I incurred the fees either. It's not a lesson that I've learned though, since I still wouldn't notice if a transaction didn't come out (it's easier to spot a transaction you don't think you made, if one shows up on a statement).

fozmcfc

After a certain time, it's not unreasonable to ask for time to pay.

In this case, I think it's too short a time and just shows poor account keeping by the OP, in not noticing or working out that their account hadn't been charged. Or perhaps they did, but thought, they might get away with it.

Will it mean they keep a closer eye on their account in the future, going by this thread I doubt it, cause they're clearly far too stubborn to ever admit, that perhaps they could also be in the wrong.

dzug1

In the dim and distant past it was not unknown for owners of bars, cafes, etc, in Med resorts to save up their (paper) card slips and bank them all at the end of the season. They lived on cash takings in the summer and used the card takings to live on in the winter.


I doubt if it could happen now but the logic running the system hasn't changed very much if at all.

jonesMUFCforever

Karnage wrote: »

Isn't the whole point of being a consumer the fact that I am protected from a companies 'human and system error' mistakes?

Why did you not post on here when you noticed that the transactions did not appear on earlier statements?
No free train ride I'm afraid.

I would be quite pleased if retailers did not process my transactions on time as then then they would be giving me an interest free loan.

darkidoe

Karnage wrote: »

' how can I be expected to remember I even made the transaction?'

Erm seriously? I am sure you would have thought about it before buying anything or paying for things. And that you would be able to pay the credit balance when it's deal.

lisyloo

Erm seriously?

I am actually with the OP on this one.
You aren't going to individually remember every sandwich or bus ride from months ago.
That's why I keep records :-)
The primary reason for keeping records is for your own budgetting.
With hundreds of transactions it's still not hard because there are usually only about 2 days worth outstanding if you are regularly checking on-line and not waiting for paper statements.

But yes seriously you aren't going to individually remember every sandwich or bus ride from months ago.

HelpfulTips

Contrary to what has been mentioned previously, merchants actually have 6 years to claim the funds for the transaction from the date of authorisation (years of experience in debit/credit card disputes). It's highly unlikely any merchant would take longer than 7 days, but sometimes it may be a few weeks before appearing if you have a fraud block applies to your card shortly after making the transaction.

lisyloo

I did mention the statute of limitations ages ago but that wasn't what the op was asking. That's not the same as how long an authorisation is valid.

p00hsticks

HelpfulTips wrote: »

Contrary to what has been mentioned previously, merchants actually have 6 years to claim the funds for the transaction from the date of authorisation (years of experience in debit/credit card disputes). It's highly unlikely any merchant would take longer than 7 days, but sometimes it may be a few weeks before appearing if you have a fraud block applies to your card shortly after making the transaction.

When I worked in credit card settlement processing a few years back, the computerised system would allow transactions up to 11 months old to be processed automatically - anything older got reported on and had to be picked up and dealt with clerically.

There were a number of reasons why transactions could be delayed - the most common were some sort of fault which meant that either the electronic till could not be "polled" overnight to pick up the transaction details.

Petra_70

Not sure why people are being so catty and snarky towards the OP. I think it's weird and unusual too, for a company to wait 2 months before processing a transaction. I think it would be worse if it was a debit card or a cheque though, as you would think you had say £300 in the bank, and then BANG, you have £240! (Because you had assumed it had gone through a couple of months ago...)

So I think the OP is quite entitled to be a little miffed, and people should stop giving them a hard time about it. Are people not allowed to have a moan without being attacked FGS?