My wife purchased a voucher for a day out from a well known company offering such experiences. We attempted to use the voucher and have been refused. We have contacted the company to get the voucher renewed and they have said 'no'. We asked for a refund they said 'no' as the voucher has expired, so we have lost our money.
When booking online you only get 7 months - if you phone you get a year. At no point when booking online is this made clear and when the ticket arrives, the expiry date is in very small print and on the back of the card - but the how to book form is actually glued over it! We left the two attached up until we came to make our booking. We mistakenly thought we had a year having bought one before via phone. What are our rights? Is it right that we should have paid and received no goods in return?
The company is likely to insist that the 7 month period is made clear during the online booking process, and regrettably I must admit it seems unlikely that you are going to get your money back. Nevertheless, given what you have said about the expiry date I would suggest the following:
To help you set out your case clearly and professionally, you might want to use our free Consumer Complaint Letter Builder.
Complain
Write a letter of complaint detailing what has happened and specify that:
- a) it was not made clear online that the expiry date was seven months away rather than a year,
- b) that you are already a customer of this company having previously bought an experience by telephone
- c) that this is not a situation in which you are merely trying to extend your voucher’s validity because of inertia on your part
- d) that you feel that you have been prejudiced as a result of the fact that the how to book form was glued over the expiry date, and that you left the two attached (which is hardly abnormal) until such time as you wanted to book.
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Try our Refund Rights Checker free, here on this site →Your Reasoning
I would also include the following: you feel, as a previously satisfied customer of their company that you have a legitimate expectation to be able to enjoy the voucher, and that it is unfair of the company to have supplied documentation in such a way as to make it confusing and unclear as to how/ when the voucher needed to be used. You can also say that you have acted in good faith at all times, and that there is a significant imbalance in your rights as consumer, and their rights as the business. While you understand that they need to fulfil their commercial needs, they must also take into account your rights and interests – and in this case you have been subjected to treatment which you consider unfair.
Round off your letter specifying exactly what you want –i.e. an extension so that you can still enjoy the benefit of the voucher – and add that you expect to hear from them forthwith. Make it clear that your letter is a ‘complaint’ rather than mere ‘correspondence’ as this could mean you get a quicker response.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
The Law
In answer to your original question, the company is within its rights to put a time limit on your ability to use the voucher. This means that you could easily have a situation in which you have paid money for a service that has subsequently expired (think lottery tickets, department store gift vouchers, credit notes.)
I was brought an experience voucher for helicopter ride over London costing £149 as this is seasonal it runs from march till sep but is only avalible weekends.
I went to book my experience and was told that the experience had been discontinued however I can exchange my voucher but for the value of £129 (so my voucher had lost £20 value some how) I didn't argue this as I just wanted to get something booked, I decided I would just exchange my voucher for the same as I had before but it was leaving from different location, I then had to post my voucher back to them with a letter explaining the situation and pay postage, then wait for my new voucher to arrive.
When my new voucher arrived but there was no dates available to book and my voucher was going to expire so I had to then get it extended, although they would only extend for so many months meaning it was only valid till march but the experience does not run through the winter months giving me one month to actually use it.
eventually I got my experience booked in march but they cancelled it the day before, my voucher then expired so I had to call to get it extended again, they was happy to do this as they were the ones that cancelled it, I rebooked again and then got a voicemail left telling me it was cancelled again however on the day of the experience some one called me to tell me I was supposed to be on the flight.
I rang then to sort this and the apologised for the mix up and said it was fine to use my voucher still although now they say they have no dates for weekends which is what my voucher is valid for.
After all the messing around I have had I do not even want to do this experience now it seems more hassle then what it is worth I have asked for a refund but they have refused but I believe after all the trouble I have had it is the least they could do, I am not sure what to do from here as I have spoken over then phone and email with them as they are still refusing
any advise would be great thanks
Golf Pro not happy, saying I'm "unfair to expect refund", but has today offered a £50 refund "as a goodwill gesture only" - he has investigated consumer law and I'm not entitled to anything. Should I accept and be grateful? Thanks Macca (5/5/15)
I would be grateful for your advice please
Thanks
Nat
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