No refund for 28 days. Can they do this?

moggiefan

I paid for a mattress online with my credit card but cancelled the order within 24 hours. The company now says it will take up to 28 days for them to refund my money. Can they legally hold onto my money like this when all they need to do is a simple transaction to credit my card? :mad:

mookie

Unfortunately yes.

They have 30 days not 28 under the distance selling regulations to process a refund once they have received the return.
http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/after_you_buy/buying_at_home/returning-cancelling/

SaraSeahorse

Good customer service would be to not take that long - it's funny how quickly it comes out of your account and how slowly it can take to come back!

uktim29

SaraSeahorse wrote: »

Good customer service would be to not take that long - it's funny how quickly it comes out of your account and how slowly it can take to come back!

But then the op has caused work for this company with no purchase made. So they're having to pay people to cancel an order then refund money with the op not spending a thing.

Why spend loads of money for a quick service for someone whos not spent any money with you? Thats probably why theres no rush. I bet they just write 28 days anyway to cover themselves.

SaraSeahorse wrote: »

Good customer service

The op has not paid for anything therefore is not this companies customer.

andyrules

uktim29 wrote: »

The op has not paid for anything therefore is not this companies customer.

They probably never will be now;)

uktim29

andyrules wrote: »

They probably never will be now;)

Why would they have been if they'd cancelled an order? It's a mattress, hardly something people buy frequently.

andyrules

Depends on the business, tim. If it only sells mattresses, maybe not, but if it's a general furniture co then they could well have shot themselves in the foot. OP might be furnishing a house! Word gets around.

When I order anything on the net, if it has 'up to 28 days delivery' on it, I would look for one with less. To me, 28 days on something (unless there's a good reason), signals 'I won't put myself out for you'.

uktim29

This isn't about 28 days delivery though it's about a refund. Now is it me or don't you think the 28 days is to cover themselves and not the actual time they normally take to refund?

andyrules

I know op is about a refund - I was pointing out that in business (from a customer pov) 28 days is off-putting.

It may well take less, but why not say that? Customers aren't mind readers.

I know you are going to come back with the if it took longer there'd be complaints blah blah, but even though they are entitled to drag their feet, they don't have to.

As I say, those companies who make an effort with whatever the transaction gets my vote. That's it really. Good customer feeling.

uktim29

andyrules wrote: »

I know op is about a refund - I was pointing out that in business (from a customer pov) 28 days is off-putting.

To be honest it's only off-putting to someone who won't spend money with you. Thats the only people who would have really noticed this. So it's not much if any of a loss.

andyrules

Well, just as an example - and I know this is a purchase (not a lot of experience of refunds;)) last week I almost bought an item from a well known retailer online - until i noticed there was a potential 28 day delivery. I wanted the item sooner than that, so I exited and went elsewhere.

No hard feeling, they just didn't get my business.

I'm sure I'm not alone.