Experience day voucher - do I need to pay for an extension?

stripey1969

Bought an experience day voucher as a Christmas present for my partner, and it expires on 2 October.

Just tried to book the experience, and was told they don't have any places until after October, and that I'll have to extend the voucher at a cost of £20.

As I'm well within the expiry period (well, 7.5 weeks within it!) should I have to pay this when it's the suppliers who can't fulfil their side of the contract?

And if legally I'm within my rights to have the extension fee waived, is it the voucher company who need to waive this, or the suppliers? (I'm guessing the suppliers don't get paid unless they can submit the used voucher to the voucher company, and that expired vouchers would not be paid for by the voucher company, which makes it tricky to work out who needs to say it's ok to use it although it will have expired!)

eddddy

It's really down to checking the terms of the contract - whoever bought the voucher will have agreed to those terms.

So if the terms say they can charge an extra £20 in those circumstances, they haven't breached the contract. (The legal argument would be that the purchaser shouldn't have bought the voucher if they didn't like the terms.)

Having said this, I thinks it's worth contacting the voucher company and explaining the situation. I would hope that they would waive the £20 as a gesture of good will.

pinkshoes

eddddy wrote: »

It's really down to checking the terms of the contract - whoever bought the voucher will have agreed to those terms.

So if the terms say they can charge an extra £20 in those circumstances, they haven't breached the contract. (The legal argument would be that the purchaser shouldn't have bought the voucher if they didn't like the terms.)

Having said this, I thinks it's worth contacting the voucher company and explaining the situation. I would hope that they would waive the £20 as a gesture of good will.

I disagree with this.

That would classify as an unfair term.

If you have tried to book within the time frame and they are saying they have no spaces then that's their fault, not yours, so they shoukd extend free of charge or issue a full refund.

OlliesDad

Which company did you book this through? I got given an experience day for my birthday and I know the website advised to allow at least 8 weeks booking notice.

Just checked and it still says the same:

http://www.redletterdays.co.uk/Experience/Ref/EUPZU/A-Double-Supercar-Blast-With-Hot-Ride?clickRef=112591562331

Availability
Weekdays only (or choose to pay a £20 upgrade fee for a weekend date). At least one date per month. Please allow at least eight weeks advance booking notice. MUST be booked and taken by 31 December 2014.

pinkshoes

OlliesDad wrote: »

Which company did you book this through? I got given an experience day for my birthday and I know the website advised to allow at least 8 weeks booking notice.

Just checked and it still says the same:

http://www.redletterdays.co.uk/Experience/Ref/EUPZU/A-Double-Supercar-Blast-With-Hot-Ride?clickRef=112591562331

In which case, does that imply that the booking can be made up to the date that the voucher expires to be used on an experience after that date?

Otherwise it would technically be a 10 month voucher rather than 12 months if you can't book during the last 2 months of the expires date.

SuperHan

pinkshoes wrote: »

In which case, does that imply that the booking can be made up to the date that the voucher expires to be used on an experience after that date?

Otherwise it would technically be a 10 month voucher rather than 12 months if you can't book during the last 2 months of the expires date.

I don't think so. The voucher is for the experience, not the booking of the experience. So you have 12 months in which to have the experience. They say it takes 8 weeks from booking, so you have a 10 month voucher to book and a 12 month voucher to have.

I think as they've been clear that you need to book well in advance then their conditions will stand if you book later and can't get a date.