Members of LINK, the organisation that runs the UK’s cash machine network, has finally agreed to recommend giving customers early warning of charges.

Details have yet to be finalised, but the industry plans to have early warnings in place by 1 April 2004. The warnings will either be in the form of stickers or early on-screen messages before the transaction begins.

"This is a victory for the consumer and for common sense,” said the Nationwide Building Society, which has been campaigning against hidden cash machine charges, “Consumers currently face a monthly cost of £6 million in fees for withdrawing their own money from Britain’s 11,000 ‘convenience’ cash machines.”

Nationwide executive director Stuart Bernau said: “Our research shows that 95% of people want advance warning if they will be charged to withdraw their own money from cash machines."

"I’m delighted though that banks and building societies have at last seen sense and increasing numbers have come round to our way of thinking over the past few weeks.”

"Today’s decision represents a victory for everyone who uses cash machines and I’m delighted that common sense has at last prevailed. Any cash machine provider who fails to have warnings in place by 1 April next year would look foolish.”

"There has been no final decision on how consumers will be warned about charges - a sticker or a message on the screen before the card is inserted. We favour an early warning sticker and will continue to campaign for this."

Facts and Figures

• 11,000 ATMs in the UK charge a fee - this is 25% of the LINK network.
• There are 3.83 million transactions each month through machines that make a charge.
• The typical charge is between £1.25 and £1.50.
• In total consumers face charges of up to £6 million per month to withdraw their own money from Britain’s 11,000 cash machines.