Drivers fury as Tesco increases ‘pay at pump’ charge to £120 from £100 – even if they spend much less
DRIVERS have blasted Tesco for blocking out £120 from their debit or credit cards when paying at petrol pumps - even if they spend much less.
The £120 - up from £99 in the last month - is meant to be returned immediately after the customer has paid for fuel, although some say they have waited several days.
One driver wrote on Twitter: “You took £120 on Friday plus £17.51 for fuel. It’s now Monday and I still don’t have it back.
“Please explain how this makes sense and why anyone should continue to use this system?”
The measure - where a temporary hold of £120 is applied to a customer’s account - is intended to stop people driving off without paying for fuel, or filling their car with more than they can afford.
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Another wrote: “Can someone contact me about a pay at pump payment which has been pending from bank account for a week!
"You've taken the actual payment so why is £120 still pending. No-one seems willing to sort this out."
Tesco said the new system was due to Visa and Mastercard’s payment rules and that the £120 should be returned immediately after sale.
Last year the retailer changed the way it sold fuel at a small number of forecourts - which involved “reserving” £99 in customers' accounts when they paid at the pump.
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The measure is intended to stop people driving off without paying for fuel, or filling their car with more than they can afford.
Before that, it reserved just £1. Some Tesco petrol garages still only take £1 from accounts - but the new £120-checking system will be rolled out to all of them by the end of the year. Customers can get round it by paying in the kiosk rather than at the pump.
In recent weeks the amount customers can pay in one fill-up has risen from £99 to £120 at Tesco and Esso Alliance forecourts, due to the rising cost of fuel.
But that means the pre-authorisation figure has also risen to £120.
Tesco said if a customer does not have £120 in their account, the pump will tell them how much they have available and allows them to refuel up to this amount.
Tesco said if a customer does not have £120 in their account, the pump will tell them how much they have available and allows them to refuel up to this amount.
Asda and Sainsbury's still only pre-authorise £99 and £100 respectively.
Mastercard said: "Although customers may notice in their banking apps an initial transaction for a higher ‘pre-authorised’ amount than the fuel they bought, this is very temporary, as almost immediately after the sale is made the exact value of fuel dispensed is withdrawn from their account, and any remainder of the pre-authorised amount is released for use."
"Should cardholders experience any issues or have any questions regarding this new process they should contact their bank."
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This is not the first time Tesco has come under fire for price increases on the forecourts.
In June one man took three trips to the pumps after seeing only £1 had seemingly come out, but he was bitterly disappointed to learn it was the pre-authorisation check.