Bank had been charging us 4-5% Merchant Service Fees (MSF) from 2009 - 2016

Hi Everyone,

A little background: I work for a small business that use eftpos machine on site from one of the big 4 banks since 1997. Back then the company agreed to 3% per transaction value.

In 2016, our current bookkeeper (she works at other businesses too) which we had just employed notified us that we've been charged between 4-5% to process card transactions (Visa & Mastercard) which is high considering the market rate between 1-2%. I then went to our records and found statements as far back as 2009. Between 2009-2016 we had been charged 4.6% on average. The difference between 4.6% and 3% we agreed amount to around $20k (not counting interest).

So I contacted our bank and explained the situation. The person I spoke too say it is indeed excessive to get charged that much and then she put us into their current merchant service plan (1.5% flat) and she would see what see can do in regards to get some refund to us. Later on she got back to me and said the bank had been correct in applying the merchant service charges. We then contacted Financial Ombudsman and see what they can do.

The monthly statements we've been receiving state the Merchant Fees for the month with the breakdown of transaction (the 2nd page says the % charged). This our weak point, the bank did state the % they charged us but our previous bookkeeper never mention anything and not until we had a new bookkeeper, she pointed out immediately. I know as a business owner, you are supposed to be aware after your own financials, but my boss argued that the bank never sent him a notification letter when they increased the rate from 3% like when banks increased your mortgage rate, they will send you a notification letter and will not just simply increased the rate and expect you to notice from the statement.

I checked 3 out of big 4 banks and they were charging between 1-2% depending on the card in 2010 including our own bank based on the statement from another small business that our bookkeeper manages. So it looks like when the rate increased from 3% that we agreed in 1997, the bank increased our rate but when the rate went down, the bank did nothing.

I tried to check if there is any legislation that limit how much bank can charged us and the most relevant legislation I could find is the "Payment System Amendment Bill 2005). But it doesn't deal specifically with Merchant Service Fees but deal with interchange fees between banks to control excessive bank charges on credit card transactions by introducing a cost-based maximum interchange fee that could be charged.

The RBA addressed the credit card interchange fee issue in three main ways. It permitted merchants to pass on any credit card fees to consumers and allowed new credit card issuers to access the market. However, for present purposes the important change was the introduction of a cost-based maximum interchange fee that could be charged. The standard interchange fee covers costs and a reasonable return to the bank. The RBA announced the new lower fees that were to apply from 31 October 2003.4 As a result banks’ income from MERCHANT SERVICE FEES fell from $1.837 billion in 2003 to $1.522 billion in 2004. So my understanding is that Merchant services fee is charged by bank based on the interchange fee.

The other argument we are trying to make is business owner is expected to only pass their merchant services fee as "credit card surcharge" to the customers (this became law recently, before that some business were charging their customers more that their cost). So if we got charged by our provider between 4-5%, how can we charge those rates to our customers? I've never seen in Australia since 2005 at least that someone charge me 4-5% when I paid by credit card.

I am not sure if the ombudsman will rule in our favor simply because they did say the rates they were charging. Then again they never sent us a "notification letter" of a rate increase (not sure if they need to do this by law). If anyone would be able to point out relevant & current legislation that can support our case, that would be great. Thank you in advance and for reading this long post.

Comments

  • Why would you go to Fair Trading instead of FOS?

  • I'm not sure Fair Trading is the right venue. Don't withdraw your application there, but also look to contacting the Financial Services Ombudsman. The only possible issue is that this is a B2B matter, not a B2C matter so you lose a lot of rights (and sympathy) because you're right - as a business, you should really be looking after your own financials better.

    • sorry I meant I contacted the ombudsman and not fair trading. I have another unrelated case with Fair Trading and I mixed the two. The bank defence is they sent us statement with the interest rate charged and by paying it, we accepted their rate.

      • That's technically true. Even home loan variable interest rates don't need to be formally notified - almost all loan agreements have a clause where the bank only has an obligation to publish any new rates on a certain place (usually their website), and it's up to the customer to check that themselves.

        • On my personal home loan, the bank always send a notification letter whenever there is interest rate changes hence why I think in home loan cases, the bank have to give the notification. Not sure if that applies in B2B case like this one.

        • +1

          @rave75: Yes, banks do this. But they legally don't have to.

  • +2

    So you didn't change banks after they defrauded you?

    • +1

      It is troublesome to change all our accounts with that bank and since we are now under their 1.5% flat rate plan which is standard across the other banks, we didn't change bank.

      • +1

        At the very least I would have mentioned I'd be taking my business elsewhere, considering another bank could provide the same service and wouldn't have made you feel misled. They may have offered some form of further incentive to stay. (Worst case, you ended up in your current position with the 1.5%)

  • Mightn't the Financial Ombudsman Service be a better place to start your enquiries than OzBargain?

    • +1

      I've already started with FOS, I put the post to see if someone can help me make my case stronger.

  • +1

    You lost me after Hi

    • +6

      thank you for your time reading "Hi"

  • -1

    4% is the going rate for merchant fees for credit cards. You include this in your cost of doing business. Same as Paypal, Afterpay etc.

    • +4

      where did you get that 4% from? if you check the big 4 banks, they have 1.5% average rate for Visa & Mastercard

  • I would at least try to leverage them with the threat of changing banks. Going into it like a mitigation where you're going to make a concession, but get a fair middle ground. They are probably in a legally stronger standpoint but they could be losing future business, you've been a customer for 20 years. You're making them a profit, so see if they will refund some of the difference as a sign of good faith? If after mitigation you get nothing make the effort and change. That's the only way they will be driven to take action, if they've lost business before.

    If all else fails you can always try the 'with a royal commission into the banks I thought you would be trying to look after their customers and treat them fairly'

  • What has happened between 2016, when the business was advised, and now?

    Usually any "notification letter" is included with the monthly statement. Would be more likely that is was ignored, just like the monthly charges.

    • We keep any notification letter with the statement if received both at the same time.

  • +4

    It's not their fault you didn't shop around for all those years. It's like me complaining to Optus now that I had been paying $100 for a 10Gb 10MBPS plan from 2009 when my friend got 500GB @ 20MBPS for $79 in 2014.

    • +1

      with internet plan, they don't both increase or decrease the price. With interests such as home loan and Merchant services, they do vary the rates. I am questioning why the bank increase our rate from the original 3% (without notification) while went it went down due to bank reform 2003 Bill, they didn't decrease the rates.

  • Its your word against theirs with regards to a notification letter. For all you know, they sent it and Aus Post lost it. No one has proof. Your book keeper should have been on top of it all. Afterall, that is what you are paying them for. The bookkeeper/accountant and the owner should have noticed changes and questioned it especially when it is their job. In your case, it was a good thing you got a new bookkeeper as they immediately identified a problem and took action to help you get a better rate and saving you money.

    Same could apply to your person mortgage really. If the bank raised interest rates and they sent you a letter and for whatever reason you never received it. It doesn't mean that the rate rise is invalid. Surely the difference would prompt some questions being asked. If you choose to ignore, it is not the bank's fault.

  • I was in the exact same situation with our family business, paying around the 4.5% mark from god knows when up until 2010. Family at the time were not savvy enough to shop around. When I took over the operations, I over hauled everything and was also very shocked to see the very high MSF still being charged. Upset like you, I ended up cancelling with the NAB and moved all business away as I was disgusted however also realise we were also at fault too.

    Those old rates were the good days when as consumers we were drowning in credit card points, bigger signup bonuses etc. Them days are gone now as emphasised with the new legislation regarding credit card fees. Works both ways.

    In short, I think if you can get something out of them you've done well otherwise chalk it up as a lesson.

    PS. I do a yearly review on my MSF- takes about 5-10mins on the phone to ensure I am on the best rate they can provide and move on.

    • Thanks for your reply. I've been working for them for 3 years only, I guess since it is family business, they were kinda trusted their ex bookkeeper more than they should. I am pretty sure since that Bill in 2003, the banks are not allowed to set ridiculous interchange fees which in turn made MSF lower.

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