Pre-authorisation
What is the purpose of pre-authorisation and when is it used?
A pre-authorisation is simply a hold of a certain amount placed on your card. This is similar to giving a credit card when you check into a hotel. We ask your bank to set aside a certain amount to cover your journey. It is not a payment though it may appear as such in your online banking. This usually happens for your first few journeys, when you add a new card, and in other similar cases.
I’ve received a bank alert saying Wheely has charged me more than the journey’s cost, why is that?
Your bank may have sent you a message about a charge from Wheely, but this is just the pre-authorisation — your account hasn’t been debited yet. Some banks may call this a “charge”, but most now call it a “hold” or “pre-authorisation”. Rest assured you will only ever be charged for journeys you take.
How does the pre-authorisation process work?
When you book your journey, Wheely asks your bank to set aside a certain amount on your card. This is not a charge, but a pre-authorisation for the expected cost of your journey. If the journey costs more than the pre-authorised amount, Wheely may ask for an increase in the set-aside amount. When your journey ends, the final cost is taken from the pre-authorised amount, and Wheely quickly releases any leftover money back to your card. If the journey costs more than the pre-authorised amount, the extra amount is charged. The time it takes to release the hold varies by bank. Most banks return the released money immediately, but some might take a few days, so we ask for your patience as this process may take up to 5 days, depending on your bank. If this delay continues, we suggest reaching out to your bank to expedite the hold.
I booked a journey for tomorrow, but Wheely has already charged the cost, why?
If you’ve booked a journey in the future, the pre-authorisation might appear a few hours before the journey begins to secure the cost. Rest assured that this is not a charge, just a hold on your card that will be released after the journey.
What happens if I cancel the journey?
If you cancel within the first 5 minutes after your chauffeur starts heading to your pickup point, there’s no charge and the full pre-authorised amount is returned. However, if you cancel later or once your chauffeur has arrived, a cancellation fee, reflective of the selected fare class, will be taken from the pre-authorised amount. Any remaining balance will be promptly released back to your card. For more details, we invite you to review our Cities and Fares section.