A ban on excessive charges for people who use debit or credit cards to buy goods and services came into force on the 6th, putting an end to unscrupulous practices by business. Under the new rules, traders will be expected to make sure that any payment surcharges are representative of the actual processing cost involved and they do not charge more than this. This will make the process fairer and more transparent for consumers and no longer result in hidden, expensive charges at the end of the payment process. Surcharges are often cited in the airline sector but are also imposed by some retailers in other sectors, including rail, event tickets, cinemas, car dealerships and hotels. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) estimate that consumers spent around £300 million on payment surcharges in 2010 in the airline sector alone....Read more here

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