Expired store gift card

lthinklam

l have just checked a House of Fraser gift card to find it expired over 2 months ago. It has (or had!) £26 balance on it.
House of Fraser replied to my email request stating that they do not refund expired gift cards.
To me, 2 years is not a long enough expiry time when considering the old paper store vouchers didn't usually have an expiry date at all.
Bottom line - do they legally get to keep my money?

shaun_from_Africa

I'm afraid so.
Provided there was a date shown either on the card, or on an online access to it, then HOF can legally decide not to accept it.

Daisy_doo_3

The card normally states on the back what the terms are - some are that it has to be used in a period of time, others just activated i.e gettin a balance or using part! Sorry

MCGONIS

Hi. I think most retailers have a policy of 24 months with these plastic gift cards. i.e don't use the balance or make a balance enquiry and you will loose it.

Now I know for a fact that Burton Group/Arcadia have the same silly policy. I lost £24 on a gift card with TOPMAN.

I wrote to the head office saying I did do a balance enquiry within the 3 years that I had held the gift card.

By doing a balance enquiry means a transaction has taken place on the card account.

Burton Group wrote back giving me £24 on a different Arcadia group giftcard.

The thing is, HoF is one of these stores that sell things that can be bought elsewhere cheaper.

paddyrg

These plastic store cards are such a con! If you receive one, go shopping that same week as opposed to just another piece of advertising in your wallet and the danger of it timing out. Millions of pounds go unclaimed thanks to cards timing out. The 'gift' in 'gift card' is a gift for the store!!

Jakg

These cards have to have an expiry on them or it's a liability nightmare - for a start its an accounting problem, and secondly they need to keep every penny put on a gift card in a separate bank account forever just in case 5 years down the line people suddenly find millions of them.

lthinklam

MCGONIS wrote: »

Hi. I think most retailers have a policy of 24 months with these plastic gift cards. i.e don't use the balance or make a balance enquiry and you will loose it.

By doing a balance enquiry means a transaction has taken place on the card account.

Does this mean if you make a balance enquiry that the 2 years start again from that date?

halibut2209

Yes it does

lthinklam

Thank you, useful info for future reference.

tillytastc

Hello,

Some of the quality shops such as Next and WHsmiths will re-activate your cards quickly with no questions and fantastic service. They obviously understand how to treat customers and are quality stores.

BHS will consider it if you push and send it in with a covering letter and Dorothy Perkins will think about if sent in an e-mail -still yet to hear back

It isn't easy - but give it a go!!!!

neilmcl

This thread was from 8 months ago so I'd imagine the issue has been resolved.