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Original poster

Bank won’t let me retrieve credit on credit card

115 replies

tellingeveryonehowbadly · 22/10/2026 13:26

I have a credit card with a £640 credit balance on it. I actioned a balance transfer forgetting I had a refund coming in for a hotel (I thought it would be coming to my debit card).

I have messaged them multiple times asking to return it. They won’t because of a pending transaction. Every time I ask them what the pending transaction is, they won’t say.

They’ve said my only option is to spend it!!! £640!!!!

AIBU to complain to the financial ombudsman?

OP posts:
SomethingWitty44 · 22/10/2026 13:29

Are you able to make a cash transfer from the credit card? That’s what I’ve been able to do previously.

Original poster
tellingeveryonehowbadly · 22/10/2026 13:30

SomethingWitty44 · 22/10/2026 13:29

Are you able to make a cash transfer from the credit card? That’s what I’ve been able to do previously.

Apparently they’ll charge me interest on it!!

OP posts:
iwantaflamingo · 22/10/2026 13:31

Just use it as your regular debit card until the balance is returned to zero. Why can you do that?

SunshineSpice · 22/10/2026 13:31

Just use it for food and petrol if you don’t want unnecessary spending

Original poster
tellingeveryonehowbadly · 22/10/2026 13:35

To be honest I want to stash it in a high interest savings account for a year

OP posts:
latetothefisting · 22/10/2026 13:38

As per pp's I would spend it as and when. If you do all your normal spending on it £640 wont last that long.

There's no reason you cant also complain to the ombudsman as well - I'd be annoyed that they are refusing me access to my own money, particularly if you get cashback by using a different card you'd forego by using this one, or losing interest as you say.

Ombudsman services are notoriously not quick though and will expect you to have received a final formal complaint response (not just messaging your bank through the app or whatever) before they can consider it so it would make more sense to just start getting the money back while you wait, then you can put the money you would have spent in the savings account.

KindlySurfiingPlatypus · 22/10/2026 13:39

Buy your normal shopping and petrol on the card.
Each time you do, transfer the equivalent cash from your current account into savings.
Job done.

They cannot and will not give it back to you as cash. If they did it would be facilitating people fraudulently using credit transfer deals to get access to cheap cash loans. Credit transfer rates are a lot cheaper than cash loan rates so they have to be strict.

Original poster
tellingeveryonehowbadly · 22/10/2026 13:41

KindlySurfiingPlatypus · 22/10/2026 13:39

Buy your normal shopping and petrol on the card.
Each time you do, transfer the equivalent cash from your current account into savings.
Job done.

They cannot and will not give it back to you as cash. If they did it would be facilitating people fraudulently using credit transfer deals to get access to cheap cash loans. Credit transfer rates are a lot cheaper than cash loan rates so they have to be strict.

Edited

This is just so much extra friction because a bank won’t give me my money!

OP posts:
Aligirlbear · 22/10/2026 13:48

Use the credit card for your normal spending I.e groceries etc. and then transfer the same amount from your current account to your savings account each time.It won’t take long and the difference in interest paid on the deposit will be minimal.

TeamsThemeTune · 22/10/2026 14:02

You need to have exhausted the bank's complaints procedure before you can go to the Ombudsman, so I would make an official complaint to the bank first. Chances are you will get it sorted much quicker that way.

You shouldn't have to use the card to spend down the balance - what if you need it for something else? It's your money and it's unacceptable that they won't return it. My credit card terms even state that it isn't designed to allow positive balances and you should contact them if that happens.

TeamsThemeTune · 22/10/2026 14:03

KindlySurfiingPlatypus · 22/10/2026 13:39

Buy your normal shopping and petrol on the card.
Each time you do, transfer the equivalent cash from your current account into savings.
Job done.

They cannot and will not give it back to you as cash. If they did it would be facilitating people fraudulently using credit transfer deals to get access to cheap cash loans. Credit transfer rates are a lot cheaper than cash loan rates so they have to be strict.

Edited

Your second paragraph is absolute nonsense.

LuciferOverLancashire · 22/10/2026 15:29

SunshineSpice · 22/10/2026 13:31

Just use it for food and petrol if you don’t want unnecessary spending

i had the same situation once a lot less than £640 but used it up on everyday spends groceries petrol etc

peckishcats · 22/10/2026 15:31

Give it a few days, by which time this pending transaction should have cleared.

Rocknrollstar · 22/10/2026 16:00

tellingeveryonehowbadly · 22/10/2026 13:35

To be honest I want to stash it in a high interest savings account for a year

Do your normal spending on the card and put the money from your bank account into savings

Savah · 22/10/2026 16:13

Do your normal spending on the card and put the money from your bank account into savings, same result.
Why make such a fuss?

ProfessorSlocombe · 22/10/2026 16:49

I'd be annoyed that they are refusing me access to my own money,

That would depend on their T&Cs.

Sidebeforeself · 22/10/2026 16:50

latetothefisting · 22/10/2026 13:38

As per pp's I would spend it as and when. If you do all your normal spending on it £640 wont last that long.

There's no reason you cant also complain to the ombudsman as well - I'd be annoyed that they are refusing me access to my own money, particularly if you get cashback by using a different card you'd forego by using this one, or losing interest as you say.

Ombudsman services are notoriously not quick though and will expect you to have received a final formal complaint response (not just messaging your bank through the app or whatever) before they can consider it so it would make more sense to just start getting the money back while you wait, then you can put the money you would have spent in the savings account.

Edited

Yes I think you have to lodge a formal complaint first and they have somethingg like 8 weeks to respond etc before an Ombudsman will even accept a complaint.

Sidebeforeself · 22/10/2026 16:52

Also, if you are not expecting a pending transaction surely thats a red flag for a possible fraud? Have you tried that route?

Ponderingwindow · 22/10/2026 16:56

You are making this difficult for no reason. Put your normal spending on the card and use up the money.

Many people just charge everything and pay the bill in full once a month so wouldn’t even notice this. The card company just isn’t going to see a reason to process a cash refund.

CatsMagic · 22/10/2026 17:00

yes it’s annoying because it’s your money and you should be able to do as you please , but the easiest and quickest resolution is to stick your food shopping on your credit card, then transfer the money from your current account into whichever pot the original £640 came from.

Ledwood85 · 22/10/2026 17:01

Buy £640 of gift cards for Amazon or wherever you're likely to shop over the next few months?

Isobel201 · 22/10/2026 17:02

can you see what the pending transaction is if you look on an app or the website?

Lobsterteapot · 22/10/2026 17:07

I mean you’re not supposed to put a credit card into credit for money laundering reasons. I suspect that’s what they will say and that you’re in breach of the T&Cs

spotddog · 22/10/2026 17:09

OP, are you sure bank will charge interest if you withdraw cash?

I top up my Mastercard before travelling and use it for spending and cash withdrawals. No interest charged as long as account is in credit. That’s fairly standard as far as I know.

Original poster
tellingeveryonehowbadly · 22/10/2026 17:29

Lobsterteapot · 22/10/2026 17:07

I mean you’re not supposed to put a credit card into credit for money laundering reasons. I suspect that’s what they will say and that you’re in breach of the T&Cs

I had literally no idea it was going to happen. It was an unexpected refund.

OP posts: