Tesco Fuel Holding onto money

[crumbledog]

Does anyone else experience Tesco fuel holding onto the £120 reserves for petrol for days on end ?
I put £30 of fuel in on Sunday, its now Tuesday and they're still holding onto the money. .
I have tried to pay in the shop since the first time it happened, but can't always do that.
First time round my bank explained it as a glitch and the money should have gone straight back into account once the transaction had been completed, but it happens every time I pay at the pump now.
On the pumps there is a disclaimer from Tesco blaming the banks for holding onto the money. The bank blames Tesco.

I've heard stories of asda petrol stations causing the same issue.

https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/policy-and-guidance/guidance/pay-at-pump

This suggests it's the card issuer that puts the hold on the funds rather than the petrol station

If you do online banking just shift most of the money out of your account before you fill up. When you put your card in it'll tell you the max amount of petrol you can have, which is whatever is in your account. Then move it back once you've filled up

I am aware that they place a hold on money when you take the fuel, but my bank explained it should go back in immediately, it never does and it takes days to return to my bank account.
I'm not fully onboard with them taking so much money in the first place, I'm certainly not happy about them holding onto it for days and it happens everytime, so clearly not a glitch as explained by my bank.

Mine always puts it back immediately. It takes £120 as I scan it, then has refunded the rest before I'm back in the car.

Sadly the amount was increased because of an increase in people who only had a couple of quid in their account filling up; although if you use a pre-paid card, it'll pre-auth to the total amount on the card, and then only let you dispense that much petrol.

If you're able to get a credit card, use this to pay for fuel and set up a direct debit to pay the bill in full every month. You won't notice the issue then.

Its the bank that needs to remove the hold on the funds as its their system that puts the hold on in the first place.

That doesn't work. It often takes me overdrawn and empties my bank account. A couple of times I have had to shift money into my current account to pay for groceries, when my card has been declined because of this practice.
I do try not to pay at the self service, on principle, but can't when the shop is closed.

Open another account just for fuel or go inside to pay.

I don't want to have to use a cc to pay for fuel. They shouldn't take the money for so long. Its completely unethical imo.

What bank is it? This is definitely a bank issue. Their systems should have been primed for this scenario a long time ago. The pre authorised amount should be released instantaneously by them when the transaction amount is processed.

Here’s a link to VISA (for example) explaining the process. It is 100% down to the bank despite what they may tell you.
www.visa.co.uk/pay-with-visa/pay-at-pump.html

First Direct. HSBC

Here’s another…

www.mastercard.co.uk/en-gb/personal/ways-to-pay/pay-at-pump.html

Interesting. What type of card are you using?

Use a credit card instead of a debit card

I don't want to have to use a cc to pay for fuel. They shouldn't take the money for so long. It's completely unethical imo.

Ok, but they do and you know it's a problem so instead of repeating the situation why not open another account and transfer your fuel money into it so you have a different debit card for pay at pump?

I don't blame you, but it's instant for me - so it sounds like it is your banks problem?

Mastercard debit

I'm not getting at you, just airing my frustration, but why should I have to ? It's my money.

Thanks. I will complain to my bank.
I have a Halifax account too, so might try paying with that card next time.

The issue does not lie with Tesco, it’s with your card issuer. Pre-authorised transactions like this have a maximum turnaround of 3 business days.
You have two possible solutions…
• Avoid pay at pump
or
• Get a credit card with a £250-£500 credit limit and just pay it off in full each month.

It happened to me once and it was kept for a week, very frustrating. I bank with Halifax

I have a Halifax account too, so might try paying with that card next time.

I'm trying to work out why you have made an issue when you already have an alternative bank card? Complaining about going overdrawn and not being able to buy groceries more than once when all you had to do was use the other card.

I’ve got a Mastercard debit with First Direct and this has never happened to me so I doubt it’s any kind of policy - just a hiccup - when you spoke to to FD did you explain it was specifically a petrol station pre-authorisation? I’d call again tbh and quote the Mastercard link I posted - the onus is clearly on them to sort this out. Specifically step 4 and 5.