Credit Card Protection

adeh61

Hi,
This my first post and I would like some advice about credit card protection.
In Aug 2011 I bought some hearing aids from an online retailer with my HSBC Mastercard. The package included home visits a two year warranty with lifetime servicing and lifetime aftercare. The company has now ceased trading leaving me with one aid that has been set up and the other just back from repair that needs setting up correctly. As this is an ongoing service is there any way that I might be insured by my credit card cover.

Thanks in advance

dalesrider

Yes.

Depending on the amount involved.
Could be either a chargeback or a S75 claim.

Talk to HSBC and explain the situation.

adeh61

Thanks for your advice. The aids cost just under £4000 I would not be able to afford another pair without some sort of refund. I will give them a call.

thenudeone

Don't expect the bank to fall over themselves to help you - after all, they may end up having to foot the bill, so it's in their interests to fob you off.

Read up on your rights and the processes here:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/section75-protect-your-purchases
and
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/visa-mastercard-chargeback

adeh61

Thanks, I have read the information on the links and was a bit unsure whether there is a time limit from the purchase date.

dalesrider

adeh61 wrote: »

Thanks, I have read the information on the links and was a bit unsure whether there is a time limit from the purchase date.

In effect there is.
Chargeback is 120 days from date of purchase. But in a ongoing situation such as this. Then it will still be in time.
Just the same as say. You by concert tickets in Jan, but the event is in Aug.
Way over 120 days, but the event date brings it back in time.

S75 is 6 years.

thenudeone.

You maybe surprised, but banks do actully help people in cases like this.
A chargeback will not cost them anything.
S75 is a diffrent matter and given that the co is not longer trading then there is a clear breech of contract.
All the OP needs to do is prove via the agreement, that they should have a copy of and it should be a pretty clear case.
It may be a simple matter of HSBC getting another company to do the setting up at their coast.

adeh61

I'd be happy if they could arrange a continuation of service but it's good to know I should be covered.

Hear-Hear

I would think the cc company would need evidence of the breakdown of costs that you paid for the hearing aids, showing the amount specifically attributable to the actual 'service' element. Might be hard to find this, as the standard contracts used by most audiologists do not require the costs to be separated in such a fashion. OTH, the cc company may want to refund you part of the payment as a gesture of goodwill ?

In any event, you will need to find an audiologist to take over the servicing of your aids. There is free help available to you from the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists (BSHAA). They will contact members local to you, at no cost to you, and will try to find one who is prepared to provide ongoing aftercare at zero cost, or at least vastly reduced cost.

Another option would be to contact the manufacturer of your hearing aids, with a request that they ask one of their authorised audiologists near to you to help out. Don't hold out too much hope with this option, though. The biggest manufacturers have a fairly strong policy on Internet sales. The likes of Phonak, Starkey, and others, all make their views clear on their websites - they do not support them (for the very reason you have found).

As for paying £4000.00 for a pair of hearing aids, there is no reason to pay more than £2000.00 / £2500.00 for a pair of the very latest state of the art aids from well-known manufacturers. Mid-range should be no more than £1500.00 for a pair, and a very basic pair for around £600.00. All of these from 'bricks and mortar' businesses run by qualified audiologists - independent and national chains. Buying hearing aids via the Internet is not a good idea.

adeh61

I have taken your advice and put in a claim to Mastercard. They would have receivedit on the 22nd of Feb at the earliest and I had I reply dated the 26th Feb.They have stated that under Mastercard rules and regulations they are unable toobtain reimbursement from the retailer’s bank because the timescales set byMastercard have elapsed and they have no further chargeback rights. It lookslike I am stuck with aids that I can no longer get service or use of.

Buzby

This is correct, for a chargeback.

However, you are asserting your rights under a Section 75 claim due to the merchant being unable to resolve your problem. Contact them, explaining that you are pursuing an s75 claim due to the merchant disappearing.

adeh61

Thanks for your advice. I will contact them and point that out. Hope this will sort it out for me.