Discrepancy between receipt a credit card statement?

[Shifluzzaman0]

Hi,

Looking back at my recent Airbnb receipts I noticed that the amount on my credit card is always a little more that total indicated on the Airbnb receipts. Is this normal? Is this the currency conversion fee? The receipt shows the amount in my local/credit card currency so I assumed that it already included the conversion charge...

Thank you

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

When you do a payment with a credit card there is always an extra fee that the banks charge you for using their card.

[Shifluzzaman0]

Really? I've never had any extra bank charges in all my years of using credit cards (UK & Singapore), online or in retail stores. The merchant always includes the fees into their prices. Maybe Airbnb is different.

Thanks for the reply.

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

Contact your bank card services and ask them.

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

@Oomesh-Kumarsingh0  This is absolutely not true and I caution you from telling someone that this is "always" what happens, when it very clearly doesn't.

@Shifluzzaman0  I'm going to assume this is a result of foreign currency translation, but you can Contact Airbnb to confirm.

[Shifluzzaman0]

Thank you for the reply. I think I will contact Airbnb just to be sure.

Just seems odd for the receipt to show an amount already converted to my local currency then being charged more on my actual credit card.

I'll reply once I get an answer.

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

Let me know what Airbnb has to say on this matter thank you. Ring your bank card services also.

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

This website shows the bank charges fee when you use a british credit card while paying in another currency http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/overseas-card-charges . Good luck!!!

[Shifluzzaman0]

IGNORE - sorry

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

@Cynthia-and-Chris1 let Shifluzzaman inquire about this matter, but i know for sure that there is a percentage fee charged by some banks when you use their credit card. If you do not about it try to find out and learn. All countries have different banking policies, think twice before telling people that what i have posted is not true!!!

[Shifluzzaman0]

Hi,

Apologies for the delay.

It was definitely not a bank charge. My credit card providers (from Singapore and UK, Amex and Mastercard - ANZ) do not charge for using their cards (other than the annual fee which is usually waived :)) unless making foreign currency transactions. Even if they did I would see the fee on my statements.

Airbnb take payment using the card's local currency hence the bank will not classify it as a foreign transaction.

After communicating with an Airbnb community support person it turns out it was indeed Airbnb's currency conversion fee of 3%. I did know about it as it's mentioned on checkout and in my booking detailed receipts but I mistakenly assumed that the amount shown on the payment section of the receipt included this charge as it was already converted to my local currency.

Something to do with the fact that the fee is not VAT deductable so they can't show it in the service fee. To put it simply, the 3% currency conversion fee is charged on the total amount payable after and is not shown. It's a little bit disconcerting that the amount you see on checkout is not the exact amount you will be charged but I have no problem with it now that I know. Maybe some room for improvement for them to make things clearer.

By the way, the Airbnb community support (I was helped by John H) is excellent! He replied promptly, with detail, and was very friendly.

Thanks to all here who replied to this post with advice. Very much appreciated 🙂