Banking maintenance issues.

[londonbridge]

Not sure if this has been bought up before but one to watch. Made two bus journeys yesterday using contactless. I'd had an alert from my bank that they were carrying out maintenance on the system from 23:30 Saturday until 15:30 Sunday. This morning I had another alert saying the work was finished early and all services were available again. I then found two emails from TFL, one timed at 02:15 saying my card had been declined and was therefore unauthorised for travel, the second timed at 6:28 saying it had been approved and would be available again from 06:54. What if I'd been traveling ovenight and had tried to use a night bus at, say 3am? Or if the maintenance was still ongoing and I needed to travel this morning. I do have a second card but anyone with only one contactless card and no Oyster or backup card could have got stuck.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Not sure if this has been bought up before but one to watch. Made two bus journeys yesterday using contactless. I'd had an alert from my bank that they were carrying out maintenance on the system from 23:30 Saturday until 15:30 Sunday. This morning I had another alert saying the work was finished early and all services were available again. I then found two emails from TFL, one timed at 02:15 saying my card had been declined and was therefore unauthorised for travel, the second timed at 6:28 saying it had been approved and would be available again from 06:54. What if I'd been traveling ovenight and had tried to use a night bus at, say 3am? Or if the maintenance was still ongoing and I needed to travel this morning. I do have a second card but anyone with only one contactless card and no Oyster or backup card could have got stuck.

Though it could indeed have left you stranded, this seems more of a problem caused by your bank than anyone else. Situations like this are exactly why I never go out without multiple cards of multiple banks from multiple issuers (Visa, MC etc.).

 

[Abpj17]

You should have multiple banks and card brands.

The majority of transport issues are avoided because transactions aren't online - but overnight scenarios like you suggest can happen.
Even during maintainance periods, cards should still work because banks use 'stand-in' processing. For whatever reasons, your transaction wasn't caught by this.

 

[Darandio]

You should have multiple banks and card brands.

Not everyone can do this.

 

[londonbridge]

You should have multiple banks and card brands.

The majority of transport issues are avoided because transactions aren't online - but overnight scenarios like you suggest can happen.
Even during maintainance periods, cards should still work because banks use 'stand-in' processing. For whatever reasons, your transaction wasn't caught by this.

Not everyone can do this.

And why should we? Seems to me to be yet another example of the dangers of becoming too reliant on technology and things going tits up when it goes wrong or breaks down.

 

[northwichcat]

You should have multiple banks and card brands.

If you have a debit and a credit card there's no guarantee you'll have a contactless credit card even if contactless debit cards are almost non-existent now.

 

[DarloRich]

You should have multiple banks and card brands.

I have one card. I doubt i could get a credit card and i don't have enough money to fill more than one bank account.

 

[sheff1]

You should have multiple banks and card brands.

Until recently, all anyone needed to travel the length and breadth of the country was cash in their pocket. Now, in the name of progress and convenience, they apparently need to open multiple bank accounts and carry multiple bank cards - you couldn't make it up !

 

[njamescouk]

it's not the OP that's doing it wrong...

 

[DarloRich]

it's not the OP that's doing it wrong...

I don't understand the point you make. Could you clarify?

 

[MikeWh]

Not sure if this has been bought up before but one to watch. Made two bus journeys yesterday using contactless. I'd had an alert from my bank that they were carrying out maintenance on the system from 23:30 Saturday until 15:30 Sunday. This morning I had another alert saying the work was finished early and all services were available again. I then found two emails from TFL, one timed at 02:15 saying my card had been declined and was therefore unauthorised for travel, the second timed at 6:28 saying it had been approved and would be available again from 06:54. What if I'd been traveling ovenight and had tried to use a night bus at, say 3am? Or if the maintenance was still ongoing and I needed to travel this morning. I do have a second card but anyone with only one contactless card and no Oyster or backup card could have got stuck.

I strongly urge you to take this up with Barclaycard. This is the email I received and there was no mention of problems using public transport in London.

Just to let you know we’ll be carrying out work on our systems from 23:30 on Saturday 9 June until 15:30 on Sunday 10 June.
What do I need to know?
You’ll still be able to use your card, but, we’re sorry, there are some things you won’t be able to do during this time:
• Manage your account by phone, online or in the app
• Use any services at cash machines (including withdrawing cash)
• Register for any Barclaycard services
How can I get updates or find out more information?
For updates, please search ‘Barclays service status’ in your web browser, follow @Barclaycard on Twitter or go to facebook.com/barclaycard
Your Barclaycard Team

 

[radamfi]

I have one card. I doubt i could get a credit card and i don't have enough money to fill more than one bank account.

There is no bank account that is optimal in all respects. For example, one bank account may offer more interest than others, another bank account may pay cashback on purchases, another bank may give you free cinema tickets, another bank may have conveniently located branches and/or open longer hours etc. Therefore if you want to take advantage of the various perks available you need to have multiple bank accounts.

That doesn't mean you necessarily have to have lots of money in each. Some bank accounts have quite onerous requirements but I have a Metro Bank account that is only used for spending and cash machine purchases in Europe outside the UK (as there are no transaction fees) and is easy to get. So I deposit some money before I go on a trip and withdraw it at the end of the trip. I might transfer some money from another account during the trip. The rest of the time there is £1 left in it.

 

[Dai Corner]

There are also pre-paid debit cards without an associated bank account.

 

[IanXC]

If you have a debit and a credit card there's no guarantee you'll have a contactless credit card even if contactless debit cards are almost non-existent now.

I'm sorry what? Are there meaningfully any providers out there not issuing contactless credit cards and contactless debit cards?!

 

[Darandio]

I'm sorry what? Are there meaningfully any providers out there not issuing contactless credit cards and contactless debit cards?!

Depends which account or type. Take Halifax as an example and their basic account, it does not offer contactless.

 

[Dai Corner]

I'm sorry what? Are there meaningfully any providers out there not issuing contactless credit cards and contactless debit cards?!

Well I have a contactless debit card issued Dec 15 and a non-contactless credit card issued Mar 16, both from the same bank. Both are valid for three years.

 

[headshot119]

I'm sorry what? Are there meaningfully any providers out there not issuing contactless credit cards and contactless debit cards?!

Lloyds are terrible for it, I myself have a Lloyds Visa debit with no contactless facility (A new card issued in May) , but they'll happily give me a contactless Lloyds Maststercard.

Lots of people I see in my day job also have Lloyds Visa debits without contactless.

 

[northwichcat]

I'm sorry what? Are there meaningfully any providers out there not issuing contactless credit cards and contactless debit cards?!

I have a credit and debit card from the same provider. The debit card is contactless but the newer credit card isn't but I do have the credit card on Google Pay.

 

[cactustwirly]

I'm sorry what? Are there meaningfully any providers out there not issuing contactless credit cards and contactless debit cards?!

My almost brand new Natwest card isn't contactless, but my Santander one is (both are Visa btw).

 

[Abpj17]

Not everyone can do this.

Everyone can try...and it would be highly unusual to pass the appropriate checks for one, but not two. (Being entirely unbanked is a different challenge)

And it's not just relevant for transport.

(and I didn't suggest they were doing anything wrong, just how they could further reduce the risk associated with the four or so hours when they wouldn't have been permitted to travel)

 

[cactustwirly]

Everyone can try...and it would be highly unusual to pass the appropriate checks for one, but not two. (Being entirely unbanked is a different challenge)

And it's not just relevant for transport.

(and I didn't suggest they were doing anything wrong, just how they could further reduce the risk associated with the four or so hours when they wouldn't have been permitted to travel)

Or just have a pre paid card, like a 'revolut' card instead.
However all cards bar credit cards seem to be Visa.

 

[SteveP29]

Not everyone can do this.

Only heineken can do zis

If you have a debit and a credit card there's no guarantee you'll have a contactless credit card even if contactless debit cards are almost non-existent now.

Both my HSBC debit and credit cards are non contactless

 

[gordonthemoron]

I have a credit and debit card from the same provider. The debit card is contactless but the newer credit card isn't but I do have the credit card on Google Pay.

They may be the same bank's name on the card but that doesn't mean that the cards are issued by the Bank's themselves. For instance HSBC, NatWest and Lloyds credit cards are issued by First Data (Access as was) whereas the debit cards are issued by the bank's themselves

 

[londonbridge]

I strongly urge you to take this up with Barclaycard. This is the email I received and there was no mention of problems using public transport in London.

I guess part of the problem is the way tfl contactless works in only requesting money at the end of the day. If I hadn't used my card Saturday no doubt it would have been accepted Sunday and we'd never have uncovered this scenario. As it happens in this case there was no issue, but as said before what if, say, the maintenance was still going on Sunday morning and I was trying to get to work?

 

[IanXC]

They may be the same bank's name on the card but that doesn't mean that the cards are issued by the Bank's themselves. For instance HSBC, NatWest and Lloyds credit cards are issued by First Data (Access as was) whereas the debit cards are issued by the bank's themselves

These type of arrangements are quite rare now that the cost of being an issued has fallen substantially.

In any case it doesn't apply to the example you cite; Access was sold to MasterCard, and First Data are an acquirer and not an issuer.

 

[gordonthemoron]

The TfL contactless scenario could have also applied to transactions made on Amazon on the Saturday IF they were processed by Barclaycard after 23:30 as Amazon does not authorise in realtime

 

[gordonthemoron]

These type of arrangements are quite rare now that the cost of being an issued has fallen substantially.

In any case it doesn't apply to the example you cite; Access was sold to MasterCard, and First Data are an acquirer and not an issuer.

First Data are a processer, they've just taken on TSB debit. They have between 30 an 40 portfolios in europe. First Data bought Access, then they moved them from Southend to Basildon

 

[gordonthemoron]

In fact, as far as I am aware, Barclaycard and Santander are the only UK credit card providers which process the cards themselves, everything else is First Data and TSYS