Restaurant did wrong currency - extra charge

ForumUser7

Voyager2002 said:

See my thread about DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion).

First check the transaction slip: if it says that you were offered the choice and chose to pay in pounds then there is nothing you can do.

Incidentally this was not a mistake but what restaurants in Spain do as standard: they get part of the extra charge and the staff know this and simply ignore requests by tourists to pay in Euro.

Thanks for highlighting this (https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6506329/dynamic-currency-conversion-without-consent-what-are-my-rights/p2). I will ask to see the receipt, but I reckon it says that - seeing as the waitress pressed for pounds not euros and the receipt wouldn't differentiate between us doing that, and them doing that.

That would seem odd in this situation - the waitress asked us £s or €s.

surreysaver said:

Hoenir said:

As the transaction happened abroad. UK legislation wouldn't be applicable. 

If the card was issued in the UK, and the agreement made according to UK law, surely UK law applies 

That's what I'd thought too - hopefully if not the case, the bank will help anyway

prowla said:

A good reminder to always pay in local currency.

It's more a good reminder to keep hold of the card machine until you have your receipt and not let the staff select the currency for you - as long winded as that reminder is.

sausage_time

Another thought on this.  I had a similar experience a few years ago at a hotel.  Despite my request, the hotel put the bill through in pounds "by accident".  When I challenged that they then did a refund in Pounds and charged the amount again in Euros.  The pound transactions cancelled each other out to within a few pennies.   

This could be a good strategy if this happens again.  And it makes the vendor take the hassle and any hit.

born_again

surreysaver said:

Hoenir said:

As the transaction happened abroad. UK legislation wouldn't be applicable. 

If the card was issued in the UK, and the agreement made according to UK law, surely UK law applies 

No. legislation is where the retailer is based.

eskbanker

born_again said:

surreysaver said:

Hoenir said:

As the transaction happened abroad. UK legislation wouldn't be applicable. 

If the card was issued in the UK, and the agreement made according to UK law, surely UK law applies 

No. legislation is where the retailer is based.

I think this exchange is at cross purposes!

There are two different contractual agreements involved here - the one between OP and their card company is governed by UK legislation and regulations, whereas that between OP and the merchant will be covered by the latter's location.

I could be wrong but believe that any dispute about reimbursement of costs incurred via unauthorised DCC is more to do with the former than the latter....