We are making a change to the pre-authorisation amount, which is the amount temporarily reserved on your payment card when you start a charge on the GeniePoint network.
The current pre-authorisation amount is £8 for registered drivers and guest users / contactless payments.
From 10:00 on the 16th August 2023, the pre-authorisation amount will change:
- For registered drivers, the pre-authorisation will be £25
- For guest users / contactless payments, the pre-authorisation amount will be £35
What is a card pre-authorisation?
A Pre-authorisation is a temporary hold of funds on your payment card account, to make sure the money is available to pay for a product or service.
As GeniePoint is a ‘Pay as You Go’ network, a pre-authorisation amount is reserved on your payment card when you start a charge session. It is held temporarily and is released by your bank once the total fee for the charging session is processed.
A pre-authorisation is a standard process and is used by many businesses including electric vehicle charging, hotels and car hire.
Why is the pre-authorisation increasing?
The pre-authorisation ensures that the funds are available within your account to charge your vehicle sufficiently. We are increasing the pre-authorisation to ensure it is in line with the typical total cost of purchase on our network.
Frequently asked questions
What happens after the charge session is completed?
Once your charge session is completed, the cost of the charge will be debited from your payment card.
- If your charging session totals less than £25 as a registered driver, or £35 for guest users / contactless payments, a single payment will be applied to your payment card.
- If your charge costs more than £25 as a registered driver, or £35 for guest users / contactless payments, then two payments will be applied to your payment card, one for £25 and another for the remaining amount.
When will the pre-authorisation be released?
The release of the pre-authorisation amount is outside of our control and the time taken to do this is up to your own banking services provider. The refunding process can take up to three days but should normally be processed within 24 hours.
Will I see the pre-authorisation on my receipt once my session has ended?
Yes. If your charge is successful, you will receive a separate VAT receipt and this will detail the amounts debited from your payment card.
What happens if I attempt a charge more than once?
Please be aware that the pre-authorisation amount will be applied every time you attempt to start a charge session and multiple attempts will result in multiple pre-authorisations. If you ever require any help with starting a charging session please contact our Customer Service team who will be happy to assist you.
What do I need to do?
Nothing – we are informing you of this change so you know what to expect when you charge with us.
If you have any questions about any of the above, we’re here to help 24/7 via email or phone:
E: geniesupport@equans.com
T: 020 3598 4087
Thanks for being part of the GeniePoint community!