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The debit card transaction that didn't transact

I paid for a product from a high street retailer early-May 2005 - cost just under £30.00. The receipt confirms the payment and the authorisation code is shown. The transaction has never showed on my statement. I called my bank to query this yesterday and they told me the transaction is sitting, authorised, but the merchant hasn't taken the money.

Called the store and they told me that as far as they are concerned they have been paid. HSBC tell me that unlike a cheque which will not normally be cleared after 6-months, a debit card transaction like this sits on the account in perpetuity. They tell me they can't unauthorise it and that the shop can claim the payment at any time in the future.

I don't really want this sitting on the account - in case it happened to take me overdrawn etc. at some future date.

So store not interested, bank can't unauthorise it - surely there must be a way to clear this transaction?

Comments/ideas please.

Reply to
Wireless Reader
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This happened to my relatives and many other customers of a Citroen dealership in Lancashire, although the amounts are significantly larger than £200...

Reply to
fishman

Why not return the product for a full refund, then buy another and pay in cash ?

Reply to
fisherofsouls

I have a similar issue, I've just added an entry in the software I track my finances with so I dont forget it. Every month I change the date of the transaction to be the following month. If they are in no rush to take the money I don't really care.

Gav

Reply to
Gav

Well Game's head office have contacted me this afternoon to get more details. I guess they will waive the transaction (my honesty) in return for details of the problem at the specific store.

I can't see how getting a refund would necessarily reverse the existing transaction in limbo.

Reply to
Wireless Reader

Close the account and open another?

Reply to
Mike Barnes

It is one option - but I am sure the banks T&C's still make me liable for this future charge, whether or not I am a customer.

Reply to
Wireless Reader

"Wireless Reader" wrote

Weird. It seems you'll have to consider your overdraft limit to be 30 less than it actually is, in case this 30 ever comes in. So when you have 29.99 in your current account, or think you do, you may in fact be overdrawn by

0.01 should the beneficiary happen to choose that day to put it through.

Very odd though. What kind of business doesn't bother to collect what it's owed when collection's this easy? You should tell us who this was, in case any of us has shares in them and now wants to sell!

Reply to
John Redman

Yes this is what I must do, together with a few cheques which people take months to clear.

It's Game Stores Group Limited - they (Ms R Crook) did reply to my email yesterday asking for a number to contact me on - but they haven't bothered to call me yet. It is frustrating - I am happy to pay to clear this "debt".

I am beginning to think of reverting to cash for such things in the future.

Reply to
Wireless Reader

So what ?

Reply to
Fergus O'Rourke

If you had been following this thread you would know I want the payment settled now - not at some inconvenient time in the future.

Reply to
Wireless Reader

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