Some vendors declining to accept Monzo

Here’s something I’ve not experienced before - a pub wouldn’t let me pay for my drinks with my Monzo card last night because apparently “it takes too long for them to get the money into their bank account”.

I tried to explain that I was using the current account debit card and it wasn’t a prepaid card but the lady behind the bar didn’t believe me and said that lots of merchants in the area were having a problem with not being paid.

I’ve experienced Monzo having a reputation amongst bar staff for being slow for a payment to go through (due the “online” transaction) but this is the first time I’ve experienced outright refusal of Monzo cards for this reason.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I actually had a similar incident at some pastry shop in the Liverpool Street station - the clerk refused my Monzo (probably thinking it was prepaid, even though it’s the current account) saying that they had issues with getting the money into their account, even though the day before I paid just fine (different clerk) and the transaction did settle just fine. I call bullshit on that one.

Needless to say I never went back there.

8 Likes

Please report these merchants using in-app chat in the current account app with as much information as possible (especially if you have a contact there we could speak with!). We’re following up with many of these merchants to try and find out what the problem is. :slightly_smiling_face:

In many cases, the issue is not what the merchants believe it is but we’re happy to help them follow up with their card payment acquirer! :sweat_smile:

19 Likes

Isn’t there some rule saying that if a merchant accepts Mastercard then they have to accept every card with a Mastercard logo?

In any case, just tell the retailer you want to pay by card and let them ring it up and activate the contactless machine without showing them the card, then touch your card. By then it’ll be too late.

11 Likes

There is still room for an argument that could end up in you having paid and yet the merchant doesn’t want to give you the goods because according to them they won’t get the money.

No need to go to such extremes, if the merchant doesn’t like my card I look at them funny and go to their competitor right next that happily accepts my Monzo.

2 Likes

There is no legal basis for withholding goods once paid for, I think. Both the buyer and seller will have completed the necessary contractual obligations of offer, acceptance and consideration. Any dispute regarding money being withheld (or not) is between the retailer and Mastercard.

5 Likes

Surely a slow payment is better than a no payment, as I put my card back into my wallet and go to the pub across the road…

5 Likes

I’ve never had this issues but good to know still can’t believe a merchant has point blank refused to use your Monzo card - what the actual hell!? They might as well have refused you to pay at all never heard of this before. I’m sure Monzo will sort :wave:

I had that on Friday so I took my business elsewhere :slight_smile:

Reported it in app and :monzo: are looking into it.

1 Like

Those :mondo: cards are so bright. If only there was a boring blue or black card. :roll_eyes:

No. Wait. That’s another conversation :hushed:

7 Likes

Yes, please report this. They actually aren’t allowed to do this under Mastercard’s terms, but obviously we’d rather resolve it with them in a friendly way :slight_smile:

13 Likes

Slight tangent here… but the curry house I use regularly are happy to let me use my Monzo card to pay them if I stick it in the machine, but they are refusing to let me use contactless, even though I’ve used it there before, claiming that “the owners won’t allow it because there’s no way of knowing it’s your card”. I’ve looked to see if there are any rules regarding refusal of contactless but I’ve not found anything so far (and they’ve upgraded to a contactless machine after me badgering them for months that it would make paying them a lot easier, so basically they are saying I’m a thief unless I use my card in their machine and type a PIN! :scream:)
Any idea if they are allowed to refuse a contactless transaction? :thinking:

2 Likes

If it does not have your name on they have a point and doing chip and pin proves it is your card

Do they though?
Are there specific MasterCard rules/laws requiring the merchant to verify the person that presents the card is who they say they are?

Well, it proves you know the PIN…

2 Likes

CA preview card… it does have my name on it, but if I just turn up with the card an no other ID, how do they prove it’s my name on the card and not a card I found in the street that has a name on it?

1 Like

True… but they know me and the name I have been ordering under from them for over 15 years… the card has my correct name on it and they have let me use contactless before. Maybe they believe it will reduce fraud is they insist everyone uses their PIN.

Indeed. But are they allowed to force you to use contacless?

It would be interesting to get a summary of the rules that Mastercard require the merchants to follow. I wasn’t aware that the merchant can’t refuse one Mastercard for instance.

2 Likes

I see no issue with a retailer inviting a customer to use Chip&PIN over Contactless.

If I were a retailer (I used to be) then I choose to accept or decline the customer’s offer to pay.

I don’t see who is being forced to do anything here?

3 Likes