Multiple supermarket forecourts across the country have introduced a new rule that will affect all motorists who choose the 'pay at pump' option when filling up on fuel.
Up until now, drivers who paid at the pump were charged with a £1 transaction for the authorisation fee before the payment for the value of the fuel was then taken between one and three days later.
However, drivers filling up their car at Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury's will be charged a pre-authorisation fee of £99, reports The Liverpool Echo.
The new rule was introduced last year by Visa and Mastercard, which means that your bank can reserve £99 of your balance temporarily while you fill up.
The actual amount will be deducted once the transaction is complete, which leads to the larger pre-authorisation fee being cancelled and the reserved funds transferred back into your account.
Visa and Mastercard said the new rule was introduced as a "pre-check" to help customers manage their budgets to ensure they have enough funds for their fuel.
Drivers across Scotland have already taken to social media to warn other drivers in the Glasgow and Falkirk area of the £99 pre-authorisation charges they have found in some Asda petrol stations.
Some supermarkets have rolled out the new rule, while some are still trialling the process.
Here's what's changed.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's confirmed that they will be implementing the new rule under the requirements set out by Visa and Mastercard last year.
The supermarket's website said: "Under new industry requirements mandated by Visa and MasterCard, self-service pumps at Sainsbury’s Petrol Forecourts will request a £100 pre-authorisation amount before starting the fuelling process; this is to ensure that customers have sufficient funds to cover the cost of fuel dispensed.
"When the transaction has completed, the Pay at Pump terminal will send a message to your bank with the actual transaction amount which will be charged to the customer; the pre-authorisation amount will be almost immediately released back to the customer’s account.
"The introduction of this change means that the customer will almost immediately see the actual value of fuel dispensed in their bank account.
"Previously, customers had a £1 pre-authorisation was taken from their account to confirm that their card was valid before they began to fill up.
"The exact cost of the fuel would then appear on the customer’s account typically one or two days after the transaction, which could make it difficult for customers to track available spend."
According to the Express, around 60 pay-at-pumps sites operate on this system.
Tesco
Drivers who fill up at Tesco petrol stations will be charged the £99 pre-authorisation fee, as the supermarket has decided to trial the change.
The supermarket said: "We are currently trialling this change in selected locations. So you may find this payment change happens at one petrol station but not at another.
"If you have a problem with a payment, please contact your bank that issued the card, as this new payment rule is not under our control...
"There may be a small number of occasions where your card issuer doesn’t update your balance in real-time.
"We’ll only ever charge you for the value of the fuel you’ve purchased, but if you do have concerns, please talk to your bank for further details."
Asda
Asda is in the process of upgrading its forecourt rules to include a £99 hold payment.
The supermarket said: "On completing the transaction, the actual amount is deducted immediately from your account and the pre-authorised amount is immediately cancelled.
"The solution makes it easier for you to keep control of your finances when you pay for your petrol at the pump, however, if an issue does arise you should first contact the bank that issued your card."
Morrisons
Morrisons implemented the £99 pre-authorisation charge back in November last year.
Morrisons said: "Under new rules, implemented by Mastercard and Visa, we must now request authorisation from your card issuer for up to £100.
"Don't worry - once you’ve finished filling up, the final transaction amount is sent to your card issuer.
"We will only charge you for the value of the fuel you’ve actually purchased, the remainder of your pre-authorisation amount will be released without charge."
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