What should they do? Compensation?

[splang]

Hi all,

As you may know I recently (24th Dec) bought a new car. I paid a further deposit on the 24th when I went to pick the car up - all fine etc...

I then tried to get some money out on New Years eve and was declined. Same thing when I tried to pay at a restaurant (only had my bank debit card with me).

Got home - early - and phoned the bank - to cut a long story short they said that MB dealer had put the deposit through twice (nigh on £5k each time). Once was authorised and the other had ring fenced the money but not physically gone out of my account.

This has left me overdrawn now and it may effect my credit rating (having gone overdrawn (unauthorised). I am also concerned about Direct debits etc...The bank said they should be able to remove the second transaction but they did say that it was a seperate transaction with a different auth code - although both within the same minute.
So, my account has been like this since Christmas eve - only not spotted before because we have been visiting the inlaws over christmas. If I hadn't tried to buy/ withdraw cash I wouldn't have known and all my Ddebits would have failed - serious implications to my credit rating and penalty charges I imagine!

To say I am not happy is an understatement....I think I shall arrange an appointment with the dealer principal in the morning.

What do you think? Any advice?

Cheers,
S

 

[Deleted member 6183]

You can only be compensated if you have suffered a loss.

It sounds like you have stopped this in time, plenty of bank holidays will have helped no doubt.

I'd wait and see if anything bad has happened, you could look like a whinge if you start kicking off about what might have been.

 

[Will]

Well I guess he has suffered a loss - being overdrawn surely has bank charge implications? Plus any bounced DDs.

The credit scoring damage could also be seen as a loss. I think they'd be silly not to offer some form of compensation - even if most of it is down to 'good will'.

But do remember, they're human too - everyone makes mistakes

Will

 

[splang]

True - it only ruined my New Years Eve (minor whinge there!)

 

[jaymanek]

I cant understand why MB would do that.. A pre authorisation is only done so that they can charge your card later for any extras etc... Somethings not right there..

 

[splang]

I did ask the bank to make sure that this was the case and they confirmed it - they initially said that I would need to get MB to fax in to say that they no longer wish to attempt collection of the money or wait 8 days for it to 'drop off' - does this make any sense Jay?

In the end I spoke to a manager at the bank (call centre) who said that they would remove it overnight... (just now)

S

 

[splang]

When they put it through the first time I do remember that it needed them to call for authorisation which they did - I spoke to the bank too and they then gave them an auth code...
Maybe they didn't put something in right? Jay - you work with these POS devices don't you? Is that possible...

 

[jaymanek]

Well its used mostly by hotels... or anywhere where you may authorise extra charges to your card without you having to be there.. e.g. car hire..

Ive never ever used this and cant understand why MB would.

Why were there two transactions?

 

[splang]

Don't know - the chap at the bank said they were both during the same minute (10.21am) but they were definitely seperate transactions (not duplicates) because they had seperate auth codes....

He was adamant that this means that MB put it through twice...

I only put my pin in once though!

I think I shall phone the bank again in the morning and get more details - I would hate to blame MB only to find out it was the bank.

 

[jaymanek]

Im pretty certain if they had done a pre authorisation then you would have had to have put the pin in again.

I think this sounds like a bank mistake.

 

[Colin_b]

I had something similar, though not for a car. John Lewis, some furniture.

Paid for it (£1500), no problem.

Following day my card was refused, so I checked online. The £1500 had been taken twice. Phoned JL and my bank... JL had tried to take the money 4 times, succeeded twice, then bounced twice.

JL had had some sort of ****-up their end, apologised and sorted it within an hour.

Following day a case of wine and a cheque for £100 arrived from them, unexpected

Finger problems do happen, how its sorted makes the difference.

 

[wemorgan]

Sounds like a mistake to me rather than fraud. Most people will notice an additional £5k leaving their account, so was always likely to be picked up early.

You've suffered a significant inconvenience, so I'd be looking for a goodwill gesture like; free service, new tyres. Something that will cost them little but save you a tangible amount of money.

Good luck.

 

[st4]

Its a mistake,

MBs merchant bank, will have keyed the transaction 2x generating two referal codes (i.e. 2 separate transactions). When a purchase refers its because its above the limit on the card or for other reasons.

They'll have approved one transaction and the other should have dropped off after 24hrs, it shouldnt have effected the balance on the account. Check the statement, there will be 2 transactions and your bank or the merchant will issue a refund. If you raise a complaint with the bank you may well recieve compensation.

 

[splang]

Spoke to the bank again this morning - they said that it will drop off on Monday - they can't do anything until then - they confirmed again what happened - the dealer put it through once - probably thought it was declined and then forced it through again...

So, no cash until Monday now - damn inconvenient....

 

[stevesey]

If you get any changes - then ask MB to pay for them as you believe it was their mistake, and a goodwill guesture whatever.

I wouldn't worry to much about your credit rating - a brief unauthorised overdraft is unlikely to have any impact.

 

[x332race]

Its an obvoius mistake...these things happen from time to time...hard to tell if tis the fault of the dealer or the bank in this instance...
If you have suffered any financial loss...overdraft charges or the like, more than likely either the dealer or the bank will waive these...I would not go looking for additional compensation as that would seem more like trying to take advantage of the situation...

 

[splang]

Shame it happened really - sat here on the last weekend of my Christmas holiday with no money...

My numbers will probably come up tonight on the lottery when I havent played it lol!