• When does the credit and debit card surcharge ban come in to effect?
As of 13 January 2018.
• What businesses will be affected?
It will be illegal for any business to charge extra for using a debit or credit card in the EU. All businesses large or small will be affected.
• Aren’t credit and debit card surcharges already illegal?
No. Under the Consumer Rights Act, companies can legally only pass on charges to the consumer than genuinely reflect their costs.
• What about minimum charges for using a credit or debit card?
Some retailers have a £5 or £10 minimum spent before they even accept a card payment. Under the new directive, this will be legal and a way for companies to get around not being able to charge customers for paying using their card.
• How will the surcharge system be policed?
It will be up to the Trading Standards Officers at local authorities to receive complaints about companies continuing to impose surcharges after 13 January 2018.
• As this comes from the EU Directive, will it still be law after 2019?
Following a vote in parliament in March 2017, the directive has been incorporated in to UK law already. Thus, it will remain law after March 2019, when the UK leaves the EU. However, as with all law updates it could be repealed in the future.