B&Q Refusing anything without reciept

TWATTY

I've got three and a half boxes of tiles left over after tiling the downstairs toilet. I also bought a toilet and basin when I got the tiles. The plumber has bought it to our attention that these are way to big for the room and we need a cloakroom set.
We've searched everywhere for the receipt and it's nowhere which I didn't think was a big deal so went to B&Q this afternoon to exchange. Apparently it is a big deal and the lady there made it clear, she didn't want to help in any way whatsoever.
I thought that with the stuff been only available in B&Q that it would be straight forward to get a credit note. I was told I'm stuck with what I've got but surely that can't be right, is it?

staffie1

I think it might be right, unless the goods are faulty...?

JReacher1

If you can't prove you bought it then you may have nicked it.

Did you pay by card? Maybe use a card statement as proof of purchase

SailorSam

Op couldn't you have thought of a better name than that ?

ThumbRemote

B&Qs returns policy changed about a year or so back, so they only accept change-of-mind returns with a receipt.

They don't have any legal requirement to accept these returns, so it's entirely down to them if they require the receipt or not.

Jim_Jupiter

If the goods aren't faulty you've no legal right of return whatsoever so you're at the mercy of B&Q's returns policy. If that insists on a receipt as proof of purchase then I'm afraid you need a receipt.

SuperHan

SailorSam wrote: »

Op couldn't you have thought of a better name than that ?

I don't know, I think it's quite fitting giving the scenario. I'm sure the woman who didn't want 'to help in anyway' would have picked a similar name

But no, B&Q are right. Even if you had your receipt, they legally aren't obliged to return unwanted goods (although their policy means that they will). Because there's no legal obligation, they can attach whatever T&Cs they like, and they've said you need the receipt.

In short - they don't have to do anything for you.

AJXX

she didn't want to help in any way whatsoever.

Why is it that when people don't get their own way it gets turned around on to the person in the store?

I'm sure she does not want to argue with you, if there was something she could have done then she would. Simple fact is you don't have a receipt therefore nothing to prove you didn't pinch the tiles in the first place.

I'm sure if she really wanted to the woman in the store could have gone against policy and processed a refund anyway - but why should she risk her job because you can't keep a receipt safe?

frugal_mike

ThumbRemote wrote: »

B&Qs returns policy changed about a year or so back, so they only accept change-of-mind returns with a receipt.

They don't have any legal requirement to accept these returns, so it's entirely down to them if they require the receipt or not.

For what its worth, I returned a Thermostatic Radiator Valve to B&Q without a receipt back in July (I think), so they can still do it. They looked up my purchase on the system and printed me a new receipt.

The TRV wasn't quite as expensive as bathroom furniture though, so that might have affected their policy.

bod1467

frugal_mike wrote: »

The TRV wasn't quite as expensive as bathroom furniture though, so that might have affected their policy.

I doubt it affected the policy, merely the implementation of it. i.e. they took a common sense approach in your case as the financial impact of doing so was relatively minor, whilst doing so probably gave you a good impression of the company. In OP's case the equation probably falls on the other side.

Given the comments in the other thread (about ID for non-age-restricted material), does this mean the B&Q operative was sensible in your case, but "thick" in OP's case? (After all, in OP's case the operative has implemented store policy whereas in your case they didn't).

frugal_mike

From memory, I think she got the supervisor to do it because she didn't have authorisation