M&S Mastercard - how long do refunds take?

Zuzi

First time I encounter an issue like this so looking for some advice...

I have a M&S CC (Mastercard) and have booked a hotel for a business trip with free cancellation. I did this via TripActions the app because my company requires it. I ended up cancelling the hotel and choosing another one.
The amount had already been deducted from my CC. After the second booking, that amount was taken too.

It's been almost a full week and I am still waiting for the refund for hotel #1. TripActions is saying it was "processed" on July 31st and gave me a transaction ID, not sure how that helps. M&S says there has been no refund on my CC.

Is this still a normal timeline for a refund to appear, and if not, what would you do next? Thanks in advance.

born_again

Refunds take as long as retailers merchant bank take to process them. 

As refunds are unauthorised. The 1st M&S will know is when it hits the account.

Zuzi

Thank you - I still don't have the money back, I've now been told that it was actually Expedia that should be sending it back and I should wait up to 10 business days so that's what I will do.

What confuses me is that I've been given a bank transaction ID, surely if they can provide that then the transaction has already taken place and that would mean the money is somewhere in limbo between Expedia's bank and M&S?

born_again

The only ID that would count is a ARN (acquirer reference number) which relates to that unique card payment.

Sounds like the id they gave you is for the return from hotel to expedia. 

Who is the debit to on your statement?

Zuzi

I can't tell from the statement that it's Expedia who got the money - see below. First visible line is the trip fee that as far as I know went directly to the providers of the booking app, second is the flight for the trip - which seems to have been debited directly to BA and the third "Ta-HT-Tryp..." line is the hotel booking that I am expecting a refund for.

This statement is from August 2nd, and I have had no other transactions on my CC since. Is it possible that M&S did receive the refund and my outstanding amount will be reduced by its value (hence, they will take less via the next DD than what is on the statement?) Doesn't seem right to me, I would like to see it as a separate transaction "negating" the initial debit line, but if the "date" processed is indeed July 31st, maybe it hit a grey spot between two statements?

I'm going to wait until end of this week which should be the 10 business days, and then will probably ask for a remittance or similar to contact M&S again.

born_again

If it was Expedia. It would show as Expedia.
That to me is Hotel & BA taking payments themselves. If  there is a Credit, they usually have a CR showing.

Ask Hotel for the ARN, along with date & time they processed it. It is the only reference that will make any sense to M&S