Getting refund from Three after they took money from my credit card

Herongull

In February, I ordered a PAYG dongle (with credit) from Three. Unfortunately they sent my two dongles and charged my credit card twice.

I had to phone them multiple times before they finally agreed to allow me to return one of them (I was well within the 7 day DSRs cooling off period).

They sent me a pre-paid bag with instructions which I followed to the letter.

I waited over a month (according to the DSRs refunds have to be made with 30 days of cancellation), but no sign of refund.

Tried phoning them up to ask about it, but just got sent round the houses again and put on hold and cut off.

I used the email form on their website to contact them and insist on my refund in accordance with their legal obligations. No reply.

I then filled in the complaint form on their website. No reply.

I believe I have to wait 8 weeks before I can take this to the ombudsman. The trouble is you don't get given a copy of the complaint or emails when you contact them via the website, so I don't have evidence of my initial complaint.

I could complain again and take a screenshot of the complaint form before I submit it - would that work as evidence of an unresolved complaint? It wouldn't have a date on it though.

Or should I write to them recorded delivery? This would incur a postage cost and they will just ignore it anyway.

Or should I just try to get a chargeback for the unauthorised withdrawal of £35? Or would I then get hassled by "debt collectors"?

MataNui

I would just do the chargeback. It is very unlikely they will pass it on to debt collectors and even if they do they dont have any power to do anything to you. You would only have an issue if they went to court to get a judgement against you (which they are very very unlikely to do). Even if they did do that so long as you can prove they sent 2 by mistake and you returned one then they will lose.

As its a payg and not a contract they cant touch your credit file either. So just do the chargeback and let them deal with it.

grumbler

Herongull wrote: »

Or should I just try to get a chargeback for the unauthorised withdrawal of £35?

Yes for the chargeback, but it wasn't "the unauthorised withdrawal of £35".
Contact the card provider and tell the full story.
Once I successfully done this after cancelling my hotel booking (well before any cancellation charges kicked in) and getting runaround with the refund from the company.