is it standard for credit cards to let you continue going over your limit without declining your card?

[juicychops]

i have a credit card with my dp (its mainly his card as i dont use it) and he has gone over the limit by £35. he didn't even realise i just happened to notice this morning on the online banking.

i thought that credit cards declined if you were up to the limit on them? am i right, or do they just let you continue spending on them now like with an overdraft?

i cant get through to the credit card people now until tomorrow so i cant find out what will happen

what happens if you go over your credit card limit?? is there HUGE charges??

please someone help me cos me and dp are freaking out. he probably would have carried on spending on it if i hadn't found out

I think it depends how much you go over. Mine went over this month (foolishly not working out exchange rates) by about £17 and nothing happened, when I realised I checked online and it was flashing red self-destruct signs at me (Barclaycard) but then just said, "oi, you need to get below your limit" so I transferred some that day, and on this month's statement there are no additional charges.

Ive gone over in the past, I get charged £12 for the privilege. Not gone over by more than £40 and in my experience, card is declined if over limit.

ok cool. its only £35 showing at the moment but my online banking doesn't update straight away so its only transactions up to 29th oct. im waiting for dp to get back to me with whatelse he has spent since then.

there is also £50 interest charges from last month and until i speak to the credit card people tomorrow i wont be able to see if the charges have been added yet or not

My impression is that it is possible to go over the limit if you are using the card for smaller purchases that don't require authorisation. I think the card will be declined if a large purchase is attempted that requires the vendor to verify/authorise with the credit card company.

why did my one not decline i wonder?

its with HSBC

I went over my Egg Card limit by about the same amount (maybe even less) - I too didn't even realise as DP sometimes puts things on the card too (I didn't even realise I had a limit!) I got a fine of £17 I think it was. I rang Egg as I needed to use the card abroad the next week and wanted to check I could and got a sarky woman on the other end who gave me loads of hassle and was so rude that I wrote them and complained. In the end I got my fine paid back into my account...althought they wouldn't uphold my complaint that the woman had been rude but as long as I got my money back that was all I cared about!

I'm sure you can speak to HSBC on a Sunday? I bank with them and am always calling them at stupid o'clock about stuff?

ive already rang HSBC and they said because ive gone over the limit i need to speak to the credit card management department and there is no one there until tomorrow so cant speak to them til tomorrow.

so frustrating!! i want to sort this out now!!

Looks like HSBC charge £12 for exceeding credit limit - see HSBC (UK) - Interest Rates: Credit Cards

Article from 2008 about credit card companies letting people exceed credit limits.

EarlyBird pointed out the problem,

All retailers have a 'shop floor limit' for example £20, if you spend over the floor limit, be it on Debit or Credit card, the retailers will ring up your bank for authorisation.

But if you spend under the floor limit they won't bother checking and the transaction will go through.

Floor limits vary drastically, last I heard M+S was round about £100, but might have changed since.

While it might make it a little clearer, this doesn't help your situation, and I'm really sorry that you'll end up with charges.

Basically they will say it is your responisbilty to keep within your limit and if you don't they will make a charge. I'm not sure so check but think it is one of the things recorded on your credit file now as well.

The only thing that's ever happened when I've gone over the limit is that they instantly increase it - it's now so ridiculously large I haven't exceeded it for years.