When I tried to buy my annual travel card from the Transport for London website, the payment was declined as the address I entered was not the same as my billing address. I amended the address, and the £1,284 was accepted. However, I discovered that two transactions had been taken. TfL says it was my fault for making a mistake with the addresses and that a refund will take up to seven days. SP, London
TfL says that banks can, and do, still authorise payments even when a transaction has been declined. “They check the cardholder has sufficient funds and ‘ring fence’ those funds to cover the pending payment,” says a spokesperson, who goes on to explain that only one payment actually reached TfL – the other was held in reserve by NatWest until the seven-day authorisation period expired.
NatWest says that when TfL sought approval for the two payments, it authorised both. The mismatched address was not an issue because other data identified you as the legitimate cardholder.
As TfL then rejected the first transaction, it should have undertaken an online reversal of the authorisation request to release the funds back to your account, but, according to NatWest, that seems not to have happened. TfL, unabashed, insists it followed correct procedures. You have now had your money released – but only after a six-day wait.
If you need help email Anna Tims at your.problems@observer.co.uk or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number.
