Forced to wait for refund until shop has cash.

AdmiralBumfluff

Hey just wondering what my options are here. Carphone Warehouse have agreed to refund me for a faulty phone I bought from them a couple of weeks ago but they didn't have enough cash.

I waited all morning and eventually they told me to try other stores in my area but that I couldn't call them first because they weren't able to tell people over the phone how much cash was in the shop.

I spent 5 hours travelling to 6 different shops around the city, none of them had cash. I actually started to wonder if I was going to be on a hidden camera show or something.

I still haven't received my refund and they've told me "You just need to wait until we do £300 worth of business, that probably won't be until Saturday"

Needless to say I'm a little annoyed. I have no phone for up to 5 days and their advice had me travelling all around town for nothing. Am I being unreasonable in thinking this is unfair?

Is there anything else I can or should be doing? Am I entitled to any expenses or anything in the interim period?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

cookie365

Who buys phones with cash these days? What's wrong with a credit to your card or bank account?

If you've specified that the refund has to be cash, how is it their fault you then have to wait until they have enough cash?

AdmiralBumfluff

I don't have a credit card as I have really bad credit (can't even get the ones aimed at bad credit) and getting a bank account is hard as I don't have ID (I cant drive and don't travel abroad) so I had to pay in cash.

I appreciate they can't give me what they don't have, I just thought there may be something more I could be doing or saying to speed things along.

It's possible I could be here in a month still waiting for a single store to do £300 in cash business. It seems from your response it's unusual to pay in cash.

wealdroam

Go back to the seller and give them 24 hours to get the cash.

It's simple... all they have to do is go to the bank to get the amount owed to you.

dekaspace

Not to sound cynical but I bet once the 28 days have passed they will claim they never offered you a refund and the time has passed for them to give you one and to go to manufacturer, has happened to me in the past.

Money-Saving-King

wealdroam wrote: »

It's simple... all they have to do is go to the bank to get the amount owed to you.

I can imagine any cash they take would be collected by a secure collection service taken to a cash collection centre and deposited into the companies bank account. I can't see that a member of staff or management could just walk into a bank and withdraw cash on behalf of the company they work for. This is a large company not a small business, it will work differently.

bluenoseam

wealdroam wrote: »

Go back to the seller and give them 24 hours to get the cash.

It's simple... all they have to do is go to the bank to get the amount owed to you.

Your average retail manager for a chain does not have the ability nor clearance to do this, if you'd read the post you'd see it was Carphone Warehouse!

Unfortunately OP you're caught in a difficult position as people wouldn't generally be paying cash up front for things in a mobile phone shop. They really should be at the bare minimum keeping a "float" within the safe for situations like this given the fact they cannot rely on incoming cash. I know in my line of work I regularly have to ask customers to return later in the day for major cash outs, but I also know that for pretty much everything I have which is likely to cause that situation I should have that in my till come 2-3pm.

I'd be asking to speak to an area manager & demanding this be rectified by the close of play that day, 5 days is an unreasonable length of time to me.

wealdroam

bluenoseam wrote: »

Your average retail manager for a chain does not have the ability nor clearance to do this, if you'd read the post you'd see it was Carphone Warehouse!

Unfortunately OP you're caught in a difficult position as people wouldn't generally be paying cash up front for things in a mobile phone shop. They really should be at the bare minimum keeping a "float" within the safe for situations like this given the fact they cannot rely on incoming cash. I know in my line of work I regularly have to ask customers to return later in the day for major cash outs, but I also know that for pretty much everything I have which is likely to cause that situation I should have that in my till come 2-3pm.

I'd be asking to speak to an area manager & demanding this be rectified by the close of play that day, 5 days is an unreasonable length of time to me.

Oh I read the original post alright.
I don't understand why you would think otherwise.

So we seem to agree... the OP should go back to the shop and insist on his refund.
Good to have that confirmation, thanks.

I really don't care whether it's the area manger or the CEO who sorts it out, but I would be prepared for them to have 24 hours to do it.

Money-Saving-King

wealdroam wrote: »

Oh I read the original post alright.
I don't understand why you would think otherwise.

So we seem to agree... the OP should go back to the shop and insist on his refund.
Good to have that confirmation, thanks.

I really don't care whether it's the area manger or the CEO who sorts it out, but I would be prepared for them to have 24 hours to do it.

Well you can say that but the op can't force them to do anything. It's an unfortunate situation but there's nothing much legally the op can do in the mean time.

bris

wealdroam wrote: »

I really don't care whether it's the area manger or the CEO who sorts it out, but I would be prepared for them to have 24 hours to do it.

And if they don't then what? Where exactly will empty threats get you?

Blackpool_Saver

Hmmmmm ????