Charging to Top up a Leap card

grainne whale · 07-11-2014, 15:14

I've just tried (literally) to top up my Leap Card at Spar in Parliament Street I was asked for an extra 50c to top it up. I thought it was illegal to put a charge on topping up a Leap Card - yet these shysters are still charging for it.

Mark Gleeson · 07-11-2014, 18:11

Go somewhere else... Seriously they will learn quickly when business goes elsewhere

The location has been troublesome for sometime. It has been reported

grainne whale · 07-11-2014, 18:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Go somewhere else... Seriously they will learn quickly when business goes elsewhere

The location has been troublesome for sometime. It has been reported

Yep I said that to them (that they had been reported) - I intend to report them to NTA and Consumer Affairs also.

Jamie2k9 · 07-11-2014, 19:27

Do retailers get a fee annually or how do they benefit. Is it just increased business for the benefit?

A 50c fee is very steep even if it was legal.

Mark Gleeson · 07-11-2014, 20:46

There is a commission paid

Thomas Ralph · 08-11-2014, 15:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by grainne whale

I've just tried (literally) to top up my Leap Card at Spar in Parliament Street I was asked for an extra 50c to top it up. I thought it was illegal to put a charge on topping up a Leap Card - yet these shysters are still charging for it.

There is no law against it. It is a free country; they are free to charge whatever they like for the service and you are free whether or not to pay or to use a different outlet.

James Howard · 08-11-2014, 18:35

You can avoid having to pay extra to top up by doing it on-line, setting up auto top-up or using a luas machine. As a matter of principle, personally I wouldn't pay a premium for phone credit or a leap card top-up, but it is obvious that it costs more to provide the service if it requires a human to process the transaction.

By using an automated service, you are cutting the transaction costs for leap, and you receive a benefit in the form of the lack of a transaction fee.

What would be helpful for occasional users would be the option to set a 5 euro auto top-up threshold. I go through spates of using my card every few months as mostly I travel on my rail only pass. I would rather not have 10 euro sitting unused on the card for months. As I only use the card around Dublin, a 5 euro reserve is plenty for my purposes.

grainne whale · 10-11-2014, 08:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas Ralph

There is no law against it. It is a free country; they are free to charge whatever they like for the service and you are free whether or not to pay or to use a different outlet.

I've topped up at Easons in Hueston and Centra in Celbridge, neither of these charge extra for a top up.

comcor · 10-11-2014, 11:36

None of the shops in Cork are charging commission for top-up, but one is refusing to load taxsaver bus passes.

dowlingm · 12-11-2014, 17:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas Ralph

There is no law against it. It is a free country; they are free to charge whatever they like for the service and you are free whether or not to pay or to use a different outlet.

They may not be prosecutable but if they are in breach of their sales agreement they are fair game for complaints to Leap/NTA, surely.

07-11-2014, 15:14	#1
grainne whale Really Regular Poster Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Celbridge Posts: 259	Charging to Top up a Leap card I've just tried (literally) to top up my Leap Card at Spar in Parliament Street I was asked for an extra 50c to top it up. I thought it was illegal to put a charge on topping up a Leap Card - yet these shysters are still charging for it.

07-11-2014, 18:11	#2
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	Go somewhere else... Seriously they will learn quickly when business goes elsewhere The location has been troublesome for sometime. It has been reported __________________ Unhappy with new timetable - let us know

07-11-2014, 20:46	#5
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	There is a commission paid __________________ Unhappy with new timetable - let us know

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

07-11-2014, 19:27	#4
Jamie2k9 Really Really Regluar Poster Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 2,146	Do retailers get a fee annually or how do they benefit. Is it just increased business for the benefit? A 50c fee is very steep even if it was legal.

08-11-2014, 18:35	#7
James Howard Really Really Regluar Poster Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sligo Line Posts: 1,115	You can avoid having to pay extra to top up by doing it on-line, setting up auto top-up or using a luas machine. As a matter of principle, personally I wouldn't pay a premium for phone credit or a leap card top-up, but it is obvious that it costs more to provide the service if it requires a human to process the transaction. By using an automated service, you are cutting the transaction costs for leap, and you receive a benefit in the form of the lack of a transaction fee. What would be helpful for occasional users would be the option to set a 5 euro auto top-up threshold. I go through spates of using my card every few months as mostly I travel on my rail only pass. I would rather not have 10 euro sitting unused on the card for months. As I only use the card around Dublin, a 5 euro reserve is plenty for my purposes.

10-11-2014, 11:36	#9
comcor Really Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cork-Dublin, Cork Commuter and occasionally DART and Dublin-Wexford Posts: 855	None of the shops in Cork are charging commission for top-up, but one is refusing to load taxsaver bus passes.