Good morning HOPE THIS IS THE CORRECT FORUM, i have an issue and need some advice hopefully there some bank account/visa debit card experts here?

On friday 13th i went as usual to buy my weekly bus ticket on the First Bus M-tickets app ( i have never had this problem before) but when i clicked checkout i selected my card and instantly the screen came back with "transaction declined", i thought this is strange because i had the money in account ready.

I left it half an hour confused to try again but before i did i went to check my banking app to check my balance and low and behold the £20 for the bus ticket had been deducted form my balance. I went to check if my bus ticket had turned up in the app but it hadnt and the history said "transaction declined".

I phoned the bus company and was told they have no record of receiving my money and refused to issue my ticket on the grounds it says on their screens "transaction declined"

Ok sorry for that i just wanted to make the story clear for guidance.

I have checked today (still no bus ticket or money back in my account).

I am worried my money has disappeared into thin air, i have debt management plans to pay and i am on benefits so £20 going "missing" is quite a big deal at the moment....

What do i do will the money be returned to me?

Is their financial laws that state money must be returned in ??days.

Thank you i hope someone can advise this has really stressed me out

the bank has allocated it and expects the bus co to claim it at some point. the bank wont credit your account for several days so you need to moan at them about this. they will say it isnt their fault but beware, your balance may have had another payment hanging in thin air like this so the money may not be available anyway

it can take 3-5 days for the pending charge to be removed. The bank staff will say it cant be removed before it. Mainly because they dont have the ability to do it at branch level.

whats this DMP you are in

hope it not with a fee taking fleecer and you sent everyone you are paying through it a CCA request?

esp if you are paying powerless DCA's through it?

dx