Tesco Petrol Pay@Pump taking £120

dcub24

This morning I put £20 diesel into my car at Tesco Tetbury. It was so expensive at £1.949, so decided to fill the remainder of the tank elsewhere.  However, although I only bought £20 of fuel, I soon discovered that Tesco automatically deducted £120 from my account.  I have the receipt. Six phone calls later, and I managed to make contact with Customer Service who told me that it's now "standard practice to take £120 before fuel is dispensed, and that I should have seen it publicised a year ago!"  "The refund should be made back to my account within 1-2hrs, but 5 hours on, I'm still waiting. He helpfully suggested that, if there was a risk that there was only £120 in my bank account, to buy shopping from Tesco store before filling up, so that I would be without fuel rather than food!!  Luckily, I do have more than £120 in my account, but many have not and, this ridiculous advance charge could see those less fortunate incur overdraft charges, or worse.  Surely, this can't be genuine practice?  It must be a mistake in programming of the machines.  This is a new build garage, with no kiosk or staff and Pay @ Pump is the only option.

jackieblack

Yes, it’s been widely reported about for more than a year, including here https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2021/07/changes-to-pay-at-pump-up-to-p100-withheld-from-customers-accoun/ - just Google it and you’ll see all news outlets and consumer websites warning of it

sheramber

VISA/ MASTERCARD  requirement  

https://www.visa.co.uk/pay-with-visa/pay-at-pump.html

https://www.mastercard.co.uk/en-gb/personal/ways-to-pay/pay-at-pump.html

DullGreyGuy

dcub24 said:

This morning I put £20 diesel into my car at Tesco Tetbury. It was so expensive at £1.949, so decided to fill the remainder of the tank elsewhere.  However, although I only bought £20 of fuel, I soon discovered that Tesco automatically deducted £120 from my account.  I have the receipt. Six phone calls later, and I managed to make contact with Customer Service who told me that it's now "standard practice to take £120 before fuel is dispensed, and that I should have seen it publicised a year ago!"  "The refund should be made back to my account within 1-2hrs, but 5 hours on, I'm still waiting. He helpfully suggested that, if there was a risk that there was only £120 in my bank account, to buy shopping from Tesco store before filling up, so that I would be without fuel rather than food!!  Luckily, I do have more than £120 in my account, but many have not and, this ridiculous advance charge could see those less fortunate incur overdraft charges, or worse.  Surely, this can't be genuine practice?  It must be a mistake in programming of the machines.  This is a new build garage, with no kiosk or staff and Pay @ Pump is the only option.

Its not taken from your account, its ringfenced. the money is still in your account, its not with Tesco, but your bank is stopping you spending it in case Tesco come and ask for it.

The ring fence should drop off automatically when the £20 charge comes through and that actually leaves your account but sometimes the process fails. If it does fail then its down to your bank how long they keep the ring fence in place, most its a week or so but some can be up to 3 weeks

molerat

Filled up at a few different Tesco pumps over the past couple of weeks and some are £120 and others still £99.  It does state the max fill amount - which will be the card hold amount - at the time. One way to avoid it seems to be by using a Tesco credit card as the clubcard - for the 1 point per £1 - then it only holds £1 whatever card you use to pay Where I have had a large hold at another garage it had been released and charged correctly pretty much as soon as I was driving away from the pumps.

dcub24

molerat said:

Filled up at a few over the past couple of weeks and some are £120 and others £99.  It does state the max fill amount at the time. One way to avoid it seems to be by using a Tesco credit card as the clubcard - for the 1 point per £1 - then it only holds £1 whatever card you use to pay

That's good advice, thank you.  I have a Tesco CC, so will do that IF I ever fill up at Tesco again.

photome

dcub24 said:

molerat said:

Filled up at a few over the past couple of weeks and some are £120 and others £99.  It does state the max fill amount at the time. One way to avoid it seems to be by using a Tesco credit card as the clubcard - for the 1 point per £1 - then it only holds £1 whatever card you use to pay

That's good advice, thank you.  I have a Tesco CC, so will do that IF I ever fill up at Tesco again.

if you pay at pump, it s not just Tesco that do it, so you may run out of options

jimjames

molerat said:

Filled up at a few different Tesco pumps over the past couple of weeks and some are £120 and others still £99.  It does state the max fill amount - which will be the card hold amount - at the time. One way to avoid it seems to be by using a Tesco credit card as the clubcard - for the 1 point per £1 - then it only holds £1 whatever card you use to pay Where I have had a large hold at another garage it had been released and charged correctly pretty much as soon as I was driving away from the pumps.

The other way to avoid it is not to pay at pump but in the kiosk. Or use a credit card and you'll probably never know, I've certainly never experienced these charges

Bigwheels1111

Credit card payment only now at pumps, then you have 3-4 weeks for it to sort its self out.
I keep one card in the card just for fuel.
Filled up at Asda today, £99 on credit card.
£60 spent.
Checked again 90 minutes later and had updated to £60.

Grey_Critic

Personally I never pay at pump but then I remember when people used to fill your tank, check your levels and clean your screen. Far more civilised

motorguy

Big fan of pay at pump as it means i dont have to go in and queue.

I use a credit card so never had an issue.