Dartcharge account (1 Viewer)

Sep 24, 2013
1,302
736
Norwich
Funster No
28,255
MH
Carthago A class
Exp
Since 2014
I've had a Dartcharge account for a while now and it generally has a few pounds in it. £1.67 until recently when I topped up with another tenner. After using the crossing last weekend I get a message saying my account has gone under the minimum of £10. Never had that before. Is this some change recently to extract more money from us citizens?
 
D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
If you have it set to auto top up then it triggers when your balance drops below £10. That's how mine is set up just for convenience.

There's nothing that says you have to maintain a specific minimum balance though. Perhaps they've decided £10 is a "recommended" minimum and just send a reminder when it drops below that?

From the T&Cs:

  1. 6.8 You must only maintain, at any time, an amount of credit in the Account that is reasonably required to meet future Charges applicable to the vehicle specified in your Account Application. If on reasonable grounds we believe that you are holding credit balances on your Account in excess of the amount reasonably required to meet future Charges (for example, if your Account balance is more than double the amount you pay into your Account per month (as specified in your Account Application)), we may, by notice, either reduce your credit balances and return to you the excess amount from your Account, or terminate your Agreement pursuant to clause 9.1(f)(ii) unless you can provide justification satisfactory to us as to why it is appropriate to maintain the level of credit balances in question.
 

Techno

LIFE MEMBER
Deceased RIP
Jul 28, 2010
15,475
20,752
Leeds the one up North
Funster No
12,905
MH
Rapido 7090F 3 litre 160
Exp
May 2010
Only used mine yesterday for first time since setting it up over a year ago.
I got the same message this morning but have no intention of topping it up as a very occasional user.
 

Techno

LIFE MEMBER
Deceased RIP
Jul 28, 2010
15,475
20,752
Leeds the one up North
Funster No
12,905
MH
Rapido 7090F 3 litre 160
Exp
May 2010
image.png
 
D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
I guess if you had 20 vehicles registered and all were crossing 2 or 3 times a day they would probably ask you to keep a much higher balance than if you only use is a couple of times a year.


Another bit of T&C:

7.1 It is your responsibility to keep your Account in credit. If you do not have enough money in your Account to cover the Charges or do not pay the Charges by another method you may be issued with Penalty Charge Notices. Continued non-payment could result in an increased Penalty Charge of £105 and the charge being registered as a debt against your name in the County Court. Having an Account will not prevent a Penalty Charge Notice being issued if your Account balance is insufficient to cover the crossing Charges, so please monitor your Account and ensure you have sufficient credit at all times.


I think these low balance messages are just a gentle reminder that if you forget to top up and get a penalty charge you can't complain about it.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Theonlysue

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 14, 2009
6,104
7,383
Essex
Funster No
8,456
MH
As Executive 50th an
Exp
Not long enough!
I have an auto top up as well.
Cheaper than a fine lol
 

Techno

LIFE MEMBER
Deceased RIP
Jul 28, 2010
15,475
20,752
Leeds the one up North
Funster No
12,905
MH
Rapido 7090F 3 litre 160
Exp
May 2010
I can cross 4 more times and still be in credit and I'm sure they'll keep reminding me anyway

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,003
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
I've had reminders every time we go below £10 so not sure why some are only now getting them if they've been below £10 on other occasions although I think the reminder only comes when you actually go through the crossing and it drops below the 'requested' minimum £10 on the account. I still don't top up though until it gets really low!
 

GJH

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 20, 2007
29,450
38,828
Acklam, Teesside, originally Glossop
Funster No
127
MH
None, now sold
Exp
2006 to 2022
I set up a Dart Charge account, with manual update, in January 2015, knowing that we would be doing a return journey later in the month. I put £10 in it (the minimum) and it was reduced to £6.66 by the return journey. I didn't receive any reminder about dropping below £10.

In October last year there was a thread about unused accounts being closed (in accordance with Ts&Cs) and money being lost so I got in touch with Dart Charge. I found a number of things wrong with their system and had an "interesting" communication with them (including involving Charlie Hewson, their CEO). It took a month to resolve but my account still has £6.66 in it and they haven't (dared?) threaten to close it :D
 

Techno

LIFE MEMBER
Deceased RIP
Jul 28, 2010
15,475
20,752
Leeds the one up North
Funster No
12,905
MH
Rapido 7090F 3 litre 160
Exp
May 2010
Yes I got the closure email too quite a while ago saying I had to cross within the next so many weeks to keep it.
I ignored it as I had no plans for that but having crossed this Tuesday I found my account was still active thanks (y)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Armytwowheels

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 10, 2012
6,446
14,775
Market Harborough
Funster No
22,346
MH
Carthago S Plus - Iveco
Exp
Since 2011
What a brilliant scam! Get thousands of people to put at least £10 in your account (earning you interest no doubt), then if they don't use your tunnel or bridge for a while you get to keep their money anyway! GENIUS, wish I had thought of that one. :clap2::clap2::clap2:
 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,003
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
What a brilliant scam! Get thousands of people to put at least £10 in your account (earning you interest no doubt), then if they don't use your tunnel or bridge for a while you get to keep their money anyway! GENIUS, wish I had thought of that one. :clap2::clap2::clap2:
Ah, but, there's nothing to stop 'punters' closing their account to get their money back out and then re-opening one later when they need it, it's just that people don't bother.
 
Apr 29, 2009
1,193
725
West Sussex
Funster No
6,505
MH
Burstner Nexxo T740
Exp
since 2008
I havent had any notifications and havent used it for a long time. I changed the Vehicle as we now have a different Van but it came up as class c as it was registered as a panel van. Have since changed it to Motor Caravan and removed and re-added the reg but it still comes up class c. Have used contact form to message them but waiting to hear from them.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
May 29, 2016
1,027
1,362
Hampshire
Funster No
43,352
MH
Carthago C-Line
Exp
Since 2016
I guess there must be different types of Dartcharge accounts: we use it very rarely so we have an "auto pay as you go" account - no money is preloaded in it, they just charge the card whenever we cross.
 
Nov 14, 2009
425
252
normandy
Funster No
9,328
MH
c class
Exp
16 years
I have just got a penalty charge notice from dart charge for driving over without paying! Trouble is I was in Portugal at the time and the car that was used was a BMW1 series and they had a number plate from a car that I used to own years ago. When I phoned them they say I have to contact the DVLA and get proof that I don't own the vehicle that went over the bridge!
 

Techno

LIFE MEMBER
Deceased RIP
Jul 28, 2010
15,475
20,752
Leeds the one up North
Funster No
12,905
MH
Rapido 7090F 3 litre 160
Exp
May 2010
I guess there must be different types of Dartcharge accounts: we use it very rarely so we have an "auto pay as you go" account - no money is preloaded in it, they just charge the card whenever we cross.
Automatic pay as you go gives no discount and will be charged as £2.50 per crossing.
Having an account reduces this to £1.67
 
May 29, 2016
1,027
1,362
Hampshire
Funster No
43,352
MH
Carthago C-Line
Exp
Since 2016
Automatic pay as you go gives no discount and will be charged as £2.50 per crossing.
Having an account reduces this to £1.67
Ahh right thanks, I wasn't aware that there was an option to get a discount. But I think for the number of times we use it we'll just stick with the non-discounted option - luckily the extra 83p isn't going to break the bank ;). And once the dealer's warranty runs out on the MH next year we'll probably never use the Dartford crossing again.
 

GWAYGWAY

Free Member
Sep 6, 2014
4,213
3,305
Dover
Funster No
33,216
MH
Hymer ML I 580
Exp
4 years
When I was burgled at home they took a debit card which I cancelled straight off and a new one obtained, Unfortunately that card number was the registered one for the Dartford Tolls and they cancelled the account without me knowing until I went through and run out of money to pay it. They wrote then but I opened the account again when explaining what had happened, they cancelled the penalty and only charged the standard fee. I understand they will soon be putting parking fees on there as well to stop people parking on the approaches for too long waiting to get through to the North.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Bailey58

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 23, 2010
8,782
29,099
Norfolk and Toftir.
Funster No
12,267
MH
Sold
Exp
July 2010 (ex tugger)
I had a closure notice this year after not using the crossing since opening the account a year earlier. I called them and explained "due to circumstances etc." and they kept it open. After crossing a few weeks back I got the under £10 notification which I've ignored, it's better in my pocket.
 

Cilfan

Free Member
Aug 3, 2016
108
522
Flint North Wales
Funster No
44,407
MH
Desperately Seeking
Exp
Devout Wannabe
At risk of asking a blindingly obvious question: If you only use the crossing once in a blue moon - as a number of you seem to - why bother with a Dart Tag anyway? Any discount is negligible unless you're a frequent user. Why not pay cash at the time? Sure you may strike unlucky on occasion and have to queue, but is think I could live with that once or twice a year.
 
Jul 5, 2013
11,713
13,681
Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells, UK
Funster No
26,797
MH
A class
Exp
Since 2013
There is no longer a Dart Tag. It has been replaced by a system based upon automatic number plate reading. And you can't pay cash because there are no longer any toll booths. You have to pay by phone or internet even if you don't have an account.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

GJH

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 20, 2007
29,450
38,828
Acklam, Teesside, originally Glossop
Funster No
127
MH
None, now sold
Exp
2006 to 2022
What a brilliant scam! Get thousands of people to put at least £10 in your account (earning you interest no doubt), then if they don't use your tunnel or bridge for a while you get to keep their money anyway! GENIUS, wish I had thought of that one. :clap2::clap2::clap2:
It's been a widespread practice for years. I first came across it in the late 1990s when leisure centres introduced membership cards which could be loaded with cash for spending in vending machines and the like. It was reckoned that a sizable chunk was never actually spent but the business had the money.
 

GJH

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 20, 2007
29,450
38,828
Acklam, Teesside, originally Glossop
Funster No
127
MH
None, now sold
Exp
2006 to 2022
At risk of asking a blindingly obvious question: If you only use the crossing once in a blue moon - as a number of you seem to - why bother with a Dart Tag anyway? Any discount is negligible unless you're a frequent user. Why not pay cash at the time? Sure you may strike unlucky on occasion and have to queue, but is think I could live with that once or twice a year.
In our case we knew we were going to make two crossings (one in each direction) almost immediately but were unsure as to whether/when we would make more. It was purely setting aside a relatively small amount for convenience.
 

Cilfan

Free Member
Aug 3, 2016
108
522
Flint North Wales
Funster No
44,407
MH
Desperately Seeking
Exp
Devout Wannabe
There is no longer a Dart Tag. It has been replaced by a system based upon automatic number plate reading. And you can't pay cash because there are no longer any toll booths. You have to pay by phone or internet even if you don't have an account.
Bl**dy hell, shows how long it is since I last used the crossing! I usually drop round the bottom of the M25 whenever I go south. Presumably this "new" system works like the London congestion charge then does it? Pay in advance / within X hours of use or get a penalty through the post? And what happens to all the foreign plated vehicles? Progress eh!
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top