Pay as you go balance refunds (GIFFGAFF)

untamedclare

I've had an account with giffgaff for about two years now, they have been great during that time but now I'm porting out to a better deal with my broadband supplier and GG sent me a text saying that they won't refund my balance!
I put some money on top up for my holiday back in June so I had credit abroad and there's still over £5 on there which I want back. I would understand if that money had been used to by a goodybag but it hasn't. Is there any legal loophole or something which can help me get my money back? I don't think it's right for them to keep the money.
I know it doesn't sound like much but that's the amount I usually pay for a month's connection (or half my weekly shop) and when you only get £100 a week it's a lot of money really.

JJ_Egan

This is an often asked question see MOBILE section .
Answer is NO refund .

societys_child

Why not just use up the credit?

wealdroam

You have purchased a service. The service you bought is there for you to use. You have decided not to use it. Why do you think that service provider should refund you? He has done nothing wrong, has he?

j0nathon2

When I was with EE, and they changed their T&C, they offered a refund on any unused credit if you didn't accept their new T&C: this would have had the effect of terminating the account and number entirely though.

Not sure if GiffGaff do the same, how often they change their T&C (i.e. would you have to wait two years for this) and whether losing the number is suitable for you.

Hintza

societys_child wrote: »

Why not just use up the credit?

That would be too simple.

Bit like ordering a pint and drinking half and expecting a refund on the other half!

It is your choice OP.

neilmcl

Hintza wrote: »

That would be too simple.

Bit like ordering a pint and drinking half and expecting a refund on the other half!

It is your choice OP.

Totally agree, good analogy.

j0nathon2

Bad analogy. You order a pint because you want to drink a pint. If you wanted half a pint you would buy half.

You buy the drink when you want it, because you want it.

You can't predict the length of a call, then top up exactly, can you? Even more difficult abroad.

I am not saying the OP has any entitlement, but the pint analogy is not good.

societys_child

Bad analogy. You order a pint because you want to drink a pint. If you wanted half a pint you would buy half.

But that is what the op has done, bought more than they needed . . . in other words, bought a full pint when they only wanted half, and now want a refund on the bottom half of the pint . :cool:

Or to really put it in context with the thread, they bought a pint of lager but after drinking some have decided to they'd rather have cider, and would like a refund for the remaining lager . . .

So good analogy.:beer:

j0nathon2

How on earth do you know how much you need in advance?

And I understand GiffGaff is a minimum of £10.

In context of the thread, OP was going to a pub and had to pre pay for drinks a week in advance[going on holiday abroad]; in fact OP is a non drinker but wasn't sure if they would begin to dehydrate when in the pub [they might need to make some calls, but not sure how many]. They sent the pub £10 [GiffGaff topup]. When they went in the pub, they decided they only wanted to drink £5s worth [make £5 worth of calls] but the barman [GiffGaff] still has their other £5. The barman has done nothing for that £5 except process the payment [Topup] and securely hold the funds.

That is a better analogy. Sounds ridiculous? That's because most telco business models are: you have to pay for what you won't use, be it monthly call allowance that goes mostly unused, broadband bandwidth that you won't use etc.

Again, I am not saying this isn't clear when you top up. I just dispute the analogy.

Money-Saving-King

If I were the op I'd just use the remaining Giffgaff credit then go over to the new deal.