Credit Note Validity

AWOL_2

I hope this is the right board.

Does anyone know how long a credit note is valid for. I brought something from a shop and returned the item. They gave me a credit note. They are saying that the credit note is valid for only a year. Can they do this.
Credit note is worth £250 otherwise they will keep the £250 surely this is not correct. Anyone offer any advise on this?

Thanks

fizzyfeet_2

Hi Awol, which store is it?

dmg24

For what reason did you return the item?

If it was just because you didn't like it, then they can limit the time that the credit note is valid for.

AWOL_2

it was because i didnt like it.

Are you serious they can limit the time that it can be used in?
Surely this is an unfair contract term. Is there or does anyone know of any legal rights associated to this.

Surely it cant be legal for someone to keep £250. I dont have the item and i have a piece of paper that is going to be worthless soon.

Thanks

dmg24

Sadly they can, as long as they made you aware of it when you accepted it.

A retailer is under no obligation to take back an item because you did not like it, and therefore the credit note was just a goodwill gesture (the alternative being that you could have kept the item).

Have you contacted the shop and asked if you could extend the validity of the credit note?

Alternatively, a little underhand but, why not spend the credit note on something else, return that and voila, a credit note valid for another year?! x

Am interested in what shop it is? I am from Nottingham too.

Butlers1982

Thats right they can do that but some stores will extend it if you ask.

I have been caught out with this twice, once with a jewellers and also at a designer clothes shop.

The other thing you could do is try to sell it on Ebay or somewhere

Ill give you £100 for it if you want rid!

AWOL_2

Oh its not a shop in Nottingham. Its a shop in Birmingham its a Boutique a one man shop.

I dont think i can buy something and return that due to them knowing who i am. If it was a chain then it may have worked a treat.. i like the way you think.

So basically if i dont buy something i dont need, i am likely to lose all the £250 without having anything to show for it.

My legal knowlegde is somewhat limited, but i cant see how they can enforce a validity date. Anywhere i can find case law on this.. i am not going to give up that easily! ha.

saintscouple

I don't know if their policy has changed, but if you are issued with a credit note at B&Q it is only valid for 24 hours!!
This was when i worked in their call centre 5 yrs ago.

imahappyguy

Are You Are Joking About B&q, The B&q Credit Note Is Vaild For 1 Year .

mk-donald

So let me get this right ... you went and bought something and took it away... you had no grounds for rejecting it as misdescribed or unfit or not of merchantable quality... you just decided you wanted to cancel the contract without any just cause. You had not obtained any prior commitment from the retailer to cancel the contract and accept the goods back if you decided you wanted to be a fickle purchaser. However you were lucky enough to find the other party to the contract was as a GOODWILL gesture prepared to let you welch on the deal and let you have a credit note valid for one year.

I think you were lucky to find a small retailer so generous. Trying to say there is something unfair in their providing you with a whole 12 months to have a second attempt at a finding something you were happy to keep sounds like you are protesting too much.

Sorry but you should be looking on the positive that the retailer was good enough to give you a credit note in the first place, not moaning it's only a 12 months one.

Here's the quote from the DTI Guide to the Sale of Goods Acts:

"Credit Notes
Buyers do not have to accept credit notes
if goods do not conform to the contract.
However, they may be offered where
the buyer has no legal right to any redress
but the retailer wishes to be helpful e.g.
the purchaser has a change of mind.
The essential point is that credit notes are
voluntary items. Retailers do not have to
offer them and buyers do not have to accept
them but it is sometimes beneficial for both
parties to use them. The particular Terms
and Conditions will explain the details
of how they are to operate."

From an optimistic viewpoint you have got nothing to lose from ASKING them if they'll be kind enough to extend the validity - though don't push your luck too far. I've done this successfully several times with various vouchers and organisations (usually due to my inefficiency/oversight) - though when I was graciously negotiating that extension I did regard the extension as an undeserved goodwill gesture not my right in anyway.

dmg24

AWOL wrote: »

Oh its not a shop in Nottingham. Its a shop in Birmingham its a Boutique a one man shop.

I dont think i can buy something and return that due to them knowing who i am. If it was a chain then it may have worked a treat.. i like the way you think.

So basically if i dont buy something i dont need, i am likely to lose all the £250 without having anything to show for it.

My legal knowlegde is somewhat limited, but i cant see how they can enforce a validity date. Anywhere i can find case law on this.. i am not going to give up that easily! ha.

My legal knowledge is pretty good in this area (though others is better!), and I am not aware of any cases that would back up your viewpoint.

As I said, the credit note was offered purely as an act of goodwill, they didn't have to offer it to you at all.

Sorry x