# How long before laser transaction should hit account?



## fobs (23 Jun 2008)

There is an amount pending on my laser account of 147.14 according to my provider (AIB) but they cannot tell me who the merchant is and when the amount will hit the account. This is over a week ago and as we do not remember spending this amount were trying to get the details of the transaction. The bank claim they cannot see the details and only know this amount is pending. How long can this item remain pending without us knowing what this amount is for?


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## Graham_07 (23 Jun 2008)

I would think this strange as laser transactions usually hit the account very fast. However, I have experienced situation in a petrol station near me where they don't use chip n pin on laser, still have to sign and sometimes there would be 2 or 3 laser transactions from there come through in one go even though there could be a week or so between the transactions. If you do not have a laser receipt, either pinned or signed, I'd be asking the bank for more action.


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## birdy (23 Jun 2008)

Rembember that the amount total could also include a cashback amount ie goods may have been €107.14 and you got €40 cashback. This happened me once when looking at payments pending on NIB online


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## g1g (23 Jun 2008)

2 working days to reach account. Aib CAN and SHOULD put a trace on this if you have queries still about it.


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## g1g (23 Jun 2008)

g1g said:


> 2 working days to reach account. Aib can put a trace on this if you have queries still about it.


 
Sorry, just noticed it is "pending". They wouldn't have access to see the merchant until it was taken from your account and available for you to see online unfortunately.


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## fobs (23 Jun 2008)

Thanks for the answers guys but we don't have any receipt for this amount so was wondering how long it could stay pending (therefore putting a freeze on the amount) before they had to present it? If we knew the merchant it would make the investigation easier. Have rang the bank twice and also called to our Branch but they could tell us nothing else.


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## bond-007 (23 Jun 2008)

I had some transactions from a petrol station stay pending for 6 months before they were finally debited from my account.


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## superdrog (24 Jun 2008)

I have had a similar problem with Smyths Toystore , sale is not even pending and transaction takes about a week to appear. Must be something to do with the application that they use.


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## bond-007 (24 Jun 2008)

It is to do with when they batch their transactions and send them to their bank. Batching should be done daily.


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## milly123 (24 Jun 2008)

Hi there, i have the very same problem, spent €70 in Topshop in mid May, its  still pending on my account.  AIB weren't any help, couldn't tell me what the hold up was..... might get back on to them.


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## bond-007 (24 Jun 2008)

They have not sent the transaction to AIB for settlement. 

There should be some rules which dictate how merchants behave in such transactions.


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## fobs (24 Jun 2008)

bond-007 said:


> They have not sent the transaction to AIB for settlement.
> 
> There should be some rules which dictate how merchants behave in such transactions.


 
Thats what I was trying to establish. Even having read the terms and conditions it is not clear as to how long the payments could be pending before hitting the account or what information the bank would have on pending transactions. It makes it harder to reconcile the account if we do not know what merchant is pending.


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## bond-007 (24 Jun 2008)

In an ideal world they should only ever be pending for 2 to 3 days max before they appear on the statement. They will remain pending until the merchant sends the transaction to the bank for settlement. 
The bank should know who the transaction is pending for in the interim. I can phone up MBNA and they will tell me what the pending transactions are. Not rocket science.


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## fobs (24 Jun 2008)

> The bank should know who the transaction is pending for in the interim. I can phone up MBNA and they will tell me what the pending transactions are. Not rocket science


 
My BANK claim they can't!


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## Sue Ellen (24 Jun 2008)

As you have only spoken with the bank and paid a visit if you are almost certain that you did not spend this amount then IMHO you should send a letter asking them to freeze this payment until such time as they have cleared same with you.  This throws the onus back onto them.  Seems stupid that they haven't offered to do this already in light of your enquiries.


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