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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think that the petrol station should bear this loss

46 replies

PizzaSlut · 01/10/2012 12:28

And not contact the police getting me to pay for petrol that they forgot to add to my bill.

On Friday night, I filled my car up, bought some groceries from the shop.

Placed the basket down and said number 2 as wel please. Put groceries through, put card in and paid. Didn't notice the amount as was packing shoppping at that point.

Cut to this morning and the police have rung me asking to pay for the petrol, surely this is a waste of poilce time and that as it was the operators fault the petrol station should bear the loss.

OP posts:

WelshMaenad · 01/10/2012 12:58

I bought some sweets and drinks at the little tuck shop at DD's Taekwondo last week and only realised later that night that they'd undercharged me by 50p.

I insisted on paying them back last night. I think they thought I was mental but it's the PRINCIPLE.

Sallyingforth · 01/10/2012 12:59

I don't see any shade of grey here. It doesn't matter in the slightest who said what or who did what.
You got the fuel - you pay for it.

megandraper · 01/10/2012 12:59

If the mistake in the transaction had been the other way round and the petrol station had charged you £1500 (or other large amount) for your petrol, would you think you should bear the loss or that they should repay you?

Original poster

PizzaSlut · 01/10/2012 13:00

Don't worry I'm going to pay, just a bit pissed off I'm being treated like someone who fills up and runs.

On average I go to the petrol station at least twice a week and the bloke who served me has served me several times in the last few months, so a quick word would've been all it took for me to pay.

Hey ho, you live and learn.

OP posts:

FredFredGeorge · 01/10/2012 13:03

YANBU to expect the police not to follow up a simple civil debt if the store acknowledged from the CCTV record that you did indeed attempt to pay.

However YABVU to expect not to pay, you have the debt pay up.

Mintyy · 01/10/2012 13:04

Look, the guy on the till made a mistake and you are being asked to pay for goods that you have taken away and used. Its such a tiny thing, I don't understand all this fuss. Don't take it personally.

AnneTwacky · 01/10/2012 13:15

YABU You got the petrol so not sure why you don't want to pay.

OK the guy made a mistake but if he'd overcharged you by a tenner, I bet you'd be down there in a shot.

WelshMaenad · 01/10/2012 13:17

Having been on the receiving end (mistakenly) of a police petrol theft enquiry, I do agree you get spoken to like shit on a shoe. I'd sold my car to my cousin, several days later (before DVLA effected change of ownership I guess) he went to fill up, realised he had forgotten his wallet. He went in, explained, left his watch and house keys as security and went to get his wallet. They phoned the police (why??), who by the time he returned to pay had pitched up on MY doorstep being very rude and accusing me of filling and running. YANBU to object to the rudeness. You'd just BU not to go back and pay.

Floggingmolly · 01/10/2012 13:22

a quick word would have been all it took for me to pay
Somehow I doubt that.

You've already claimed it should have been a freebie, as it was the operator's fault the petrol station should have borne the loss!!!

bradbourne · 01/10/2012 13:34

"a quick word would have been all it took for me to pay"

So why did you title your post: "AIBU to think that the petrol station should bear this loss"?

geegee888 · 01/10/2012 13:38

I meant YABU!

LemarchandsBox · 01/10/2012 13:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

monkeysbignuts · 01/10/2012 13:50

Its one of those things, they didn't hear and you didn't check. Probably totaling up the pumps and realised it was short. They contacted the police because they had no choice & now you are aware of it if you don't pay its theft.
I can see where your coming from but you do need to go & pay. Imagine if you put £10 in and got charged £90 but never noticed until later, you would most certainly want your money back.

FredFredGeorge · 01/10/2012 14:20

LemarchandsBox No, the police would not normally get involved in a civil debt, and anyone with legitimate reason can get the registered owner of the car to track it from DVLA not just the police. However it would be expected to be reported as a bilking as it's quite common for people to bilk in that way with no acknowledgement of the debt.

Unlike WelshMaenad I've also been phoned by the police after a bilking, they were very friendly - "Hello, do you own..., did you stop for petrol at ..., did you forget to pay?" "Nope, I paid." "Did you buy 78 quids worth of ..." "Nope it's a Ka, you know that, I'd've have to fill the boot to get that much in!", "We'll check, Merry Christmas, bye!"

They were friendly etc.

LemarchandsBox · 01/10/2012 14:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CovMum · 01/10/2012 15:37

The police treat it very seriously. My dad went to get some petrol for £5 years ago. As he went in to pay a work colleague was coming out. The next morning the police were at the door at 5.30am claiming he didn't pay. He said he did and had a witness. He was interviewed three times and eventually the case was dropped. Someone else had driven off and my Dad was the unlucky one that they wrote down his registration number. It took a lot for the police to believe him. If he hadn't have had the witness then who knows what would have happened.

freddiefrog · 01/10/2012 15:48

It happened to me too and the police were very rude about it.

I'd put £50 worth in, but they'd only put £5 through to the card. I'd glanced at it, but hadn't noticed the missing 0

I get the police at my door the following morning

The fact that I'd paid £5 should indicate that it hadn't been a deliberate attempt on my part but a mistake by their cashier, but no, hammering on the door at 8am

WithoutCaution · 01/10/2012 15:56

Saying No. 2 could be misunderstood as you asking for scratchcard No. 2 - I've had that happen before but realised when she tried to give me a scratchcard. Now I always say pump 2 and the £ it should be etc since I've also been charged for someone elses fuel (I only put £20 in and was charged for £60. Turned out that they'd already had someone else pay for my fuel. Still wasn't paying £60 though)

McHappyPants2012 · 01/10/2012 16:03

OP lesson learnt always check the amount you pay.

lljkk · 01/10/2012 16:10

YABU. How else would they have found you except by going thru Police & DLVA?

snigger · 01/10/2012 16:17

You should move to our wee tiny incestuous gossip ridden corner of the world.

I filled up, got caught at the garage door chatting to a toddler group mum I hadn't seen in months, and in a cloud of dizziness wandered back to the car and drove off, convinced I'd paid and all was well.

Garage staff watched me do one, went a street away and chapped on the door of the toddler group mum's sister-in-law, said "Tell Mary her pal forgot to pay for her fuel this morning", I get a call half an hour later, sorted!!

Isn't quite so delightful if you're shagging the postie, but hey....

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