Advice required

andybroughton

Hi guys. Just wanted to run something past you. 

So I went into a retailer today and bought an item. Attempted to pay contactless which was declined due to needing Pin. Put card in, pin in and received product. Left and came home. 

When at home I’ve received an email from the store saying that payment was declined. Checked my online bank and it hasn’t been taken out. 

Quite happy to pay the money,and will be returning tomorrow to pay, that’s not an issue at all. 

Just curious - am I legally obliged to pay considering they’ve let me leave the store? What does the law say on it?

cheers

DB1904

andybroughton said:

Hi guys. Just wanted to run something past you. 

So I went into a retailer today and bought an item. Attempted to pay contactless which was declined due to needing Pin. Put card in, pin in and received product. Left and came home. 

When at home I’ve received an email from the store saying that payment was declined. Checked my online bank and it hasn’t been taken out. 

Quite happy to pay the money,and will be returning tomorrow to pay, that’s not an issue at all. 

Just curious - am I legally obliged to pay considering they’ve let me leave the store? What does the law say on it?

cheers

Yes, if you were charged twice you'd be after a refund. 

Alderbank

andybroughton said:

Hi guys. Just wanted to run something past you. 

So I went into a retailer today and bought an item. Attempted to pay contactless which was declined due to needing Pin. Put card in, pin in and received product. Left and came home. 

When at home I’ve received an email from the store saying that payment was declined. Checked my online bank and it hasn’t been taken out. 

Quite happy to pay the money,and will be returning tomorrow to pay, that’s not an issue at all. 

Just curious - am I legally obliged to pay considering they’ve let me leave the store? What does the law say on it?

cheers

I think the bank sees it as two transactions. The first contactless one failed hence the email which would have been sent immediately. The second transaction with PIN was successful. Online bank probably says it is pending.

From the cashier's point of view it was declined initially but eventually came up as paid when the PIN transaction was approved. The till receipt they gave you will say paid.

Legally, you are obliged to pay if that was the agreement. Different if after some unsuccessful messing about and it was a minor item such as a loaf of bread the shopkeeper said 'Look, I'm sorry about that, just take it.'
The relevance of leaving the store is that case law (I don't think it is statute) has established that the point where you leave the store without attempting to pay is the point where you have committed the criminal offence of theft.

andybroughton

Alderbank said:

andybroughton said:

Hi guys. Just wanted to run something past you. 

So I went into a retailer today and bought an item. Attempted to pay contactless which was declined due to needing Pin. Put card in, pin in and received product. Left and came home. 

When at home I’ve received an email from the store saying that payment was declined. Checked my online bank and it hasn’t been taken out. 

Quite happy to pay the money,and will be returning tomorrow to pay, that’s not an issue at all. 

Just curious - am I legally obliged to pay considering they’ve let me leave the store? What does the law say on it?

cheers

I think the bank sees it as two transactions. The first contactless one failed hence the email which would have been sent immediately. The second transaction with PIN was successful. Online bank probably says it is pending.

From the cashier's point of view it was declined initially but eventually came up as paid when the PIN transaction was approved. The till receipt they gave you will say paid.

Legally, you are obliged to pay if that was the agreement. Different if after some unsuccessful messing about and it was a minor item such as a loaf of bread the shopkeeper said 'Look, I'm sorry about that, just take it.'
The relevance of leaving the store is that case law (I don't think it is statute) has established that the point where you leave the store without attempting to pay is the point where you have committed the criminal offence of theft.

So looking at the receipts the card receipt states declined but the store receipt obviously states it’s all gone through. Checking the bank - it’s not pending or anything. It’s as if it is has been declined twice

Alderbank

...Quite happy to pay the money, and will be returning tomorrow to pay...

I think if it was me I'd wait a few days to see if the payment finally does show up. You could always phone the shop and tell them that.