£99 deposit on fuel.

50Twuncle
50Twuncle Posts: 10,763 Forumite
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Could someone please explain to me the thinking behind Asda (and others) plan to charge a "deposit" of £99 on "pay at the pump" petrol ?
I mean - surely - when you pay by this method - you put your payment card in first - and if you don't have the funds in your account - you will not be able to take any fuel anyway ?
So - if they intend to charge £99 - this is EXTORTION ?
They claim that any money taken will be refunded quickly - but what if, for example - you only spend £10 on fuel and only have £30 in your account ?
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  • Oakdene
    Oakdene Posts: 2,560 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    50Twuncle wrote: »
    Could someone please explain to me the thinking behind Asda (and others) plan to charge a "deposit" of £99 on "pay at the pump" petrol ?
    I mean - surely - when you pay by this method - you put your payment card in first - and if you don't have the funds in your account - you will not be able to take any fuel anyway ?
    So - if they intend to charge £99 - this is EXTORTION ?
    They claim that any money taken will be refunded quickly - but what if, for example - you only spend £10 on fuel and only have £30 in your account ?

    But by your reckoning, if you have say £20 in your account you should be able to draw £20 worth of fuel. However given that you draw your fuel after putting your card in you could in theory put £80 of fuel in....

    Edit, if you only have £30 in your account it won't go through it will tell you to pay at the kiosk...
    Dwy galon, un dyhead,
    Dwy dafod ond un iaith,
    Dwy raff yn cydio’n ddolen,
    Dau enaid ond un taith.
  • wymondham
    wymondham Posts: 6,354 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Photogenic Mortgage-free Glee!
    Just walk inside and pay - easier? Plus you can annoy other drivers by doing a mini shop at the same time!
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 5,186 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Extortion is the crime of obtaining something from someone, especially money, by using force or threats.

    https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/extortion

    This must be a @50Twuncle thread then...
  • facade
    facade Posts: 7,026 Forumite
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    edited 9 May 2018 at 10:50AM
    They don't charge £99, they put a "hold" on £99.
    Because everything nowadays is "modern", "better" and "computerised" this can take quite a while to sort out, so if you check your account balance straight after you will see two figures
    The first is how much is stashed in that little shoebox with your name on (hands up who gets that reference)
    The second smaller figure is how much is available to spend, which is £99 less. (As £99 has been reserved to cover a possible fuel bill of £99)

    Eventually, in the fullness of time, the actual amount that you spent is charged to your account, and the hold is released.

    The reason for the hold is that you could easily throw your card to someone who could quickly draw out your remaining funds/spend them on sweets in the kiosk and then there might not be any funds to pay for the fuel by the time the charge reaches your bank.
    I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....

    (except air quality and Medical Science ;))
  • 50Twuncle wrote: »
    Could someone please explain to me the thinking behind Asda (and others) plan to charge a "deposit" of £99 on "pay at the pump" petrol ?
    I mean - surely - when you pay by this method - you put your payment card in first - and if you don't have the funds in your account - you will not be able to take any fuel anyway ?
    So - if they intend to charge £99 - this is EXTORTION ?
    They claim that any money taken will be refunded quickly - but what if, for example - you only spend £10 on fuel and only have £30 in your account ?

    Or what if you only have £30 in your account - does that mean that the transaction doesn't get 'preapproved'.
  • facade
    facade Posts: 7,026 Forumite
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    Or what if you only have £30 in your account - does that mean that the transaction doesn't get 'preapproved'.

    Exactly. You will be told to pay at the kiosk.

    As I said, everything is "better" now it is "computerised" so there is no way for the pump to reserve all of that £30 and only allow you to have upto £30 worth.

    I believe that some chains don't do this, as people manage fill up just before the end of the month when they don't have enough funds, in the hope that they will have sufficient funds when the charge is presented. (Which is probably illegal in some way tbh)
    I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....

    (except air quality and Medical Science ;))
  • pogofish
    pogofish Posts: 10,852 Forumite
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    This is not news - we have had loads of threads here over the last couple of years from people who have been hit by this.
  • agrinnall
    agrinnall Posts: 23,344 Forumite
    First Post Combo Breaker
    wymondham wrote: »
    Just walk inside and pay - easier? Plus you can annoy other drivers by doing a mini shop at the same time!

    As I understand it this is being done at unmanned pay at pump filling stations, so there is no pay inside option available.
  • paulharding150
    paulharding150 Posts: 119 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    It is not by any stretch of the imagination a 'deposit'
    The campaign against overpowering signatures
  • 50Twuncle
    50Twuncle Posts: 10,763 Forumite
    Photogenic First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    It is not by any stretch of the imagination a 'deposit'

    OK a downpayment then ?
    a deposit is :
    "A sum payable as a first installment on the purchase of something or as a pledge for a contract, the balance being payable later."
    or
    "A returnable sum payable on the hire or rental of something, to cover possible loss or damage."
    I am guessing that the second one covers it ....
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