Deposits returned via "credit" for services?

wmay91

Hi all, I'm looking for advice. I bought some tickets for a paint ball trip for a sizeable group of 70. I tried to book the date later on and they asked for a £700 deposit which I was shocked by but could understand. However, when I asked about this deposit, they said it wouldn't be returned to me but instead I would have £700 to spend with them at a future date. I'm sure this is legal but is it also legal to decline that? You're essentially trapped into spending money with them all the time until you no longer go and lose a sizeable amount of money! Any advice?

BrentMeister

Did you try to cancel the painballing after paying the deposit? Not clear from your post.

wmay91

Hi sorry, I have not paid the deposit, that's the quote and I promptly hung up on them. I have paid for the tickets and now I've tried to book a date and they've hit me with this deposit! Which I'll never see again. To me, this is not a "deposit".

shaun_from_Africa

If you've already bought the tickets, why the need for a £700 deposit?
Is it to cover any possible damages or loss to their paintball equipment?


If so, then as you won't be receiving it back, it's not really a deposit at all, simply an extra charge imposed by the business operators.

BrentMeister

Sorry, you've lost me.

Normally it goes something like this. Paitballing £15 per person, so £1050 for 70 people. £700 deposit required.

Final payment of £350 required before or on the day.

So how much is the total cost? How much have you paid for tickets?

wmay91

I've lost myself! I paid £350 for the tickets as they were selling tickets around university. I felt pleased with myself but hadn't gotten round to booking. I called to check if I need to book or if we just turn up and they've said that the deposit will be £700 and we can use this for future credit if we need it.

shaun_from_Africa

It still doesn't make sense.
So if you have bought and paid for the tickets, what is the deposit for?

unholyangel

Have you asked them to cancel and refund the ticket you purchased?

BrentMeister

Yeah, im still lost!

So you paid £350 for tickets for 70 people? Thats £5 a ticket.

There is no way you would be able to paintball for £5. You would be looking at around £15 each which would include hire of the equipment and about 100 paintballs, which would go nowhere.

So the £350 for entry and the £700 to spend on paintballs (£10 each) sounds about right making it £15 each for the day.

unholyangel

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

It still doesn't make sense.
So if you have bought and paid for the tickets, what is the deposit for?

Very likely the ticket will only provide x amount of paintballs (with x being a paltry amount) and the £700 will be used towards more paintballs on the day.

But if the £10 per person deposit is unavoidable, it should be included in the base ticket price otherwise its breaching the CCRs and possibly amounts to an unfair/misleading practice under the CPRs.

bris

I take it there is small print you have not read? Can you link to their website.


For £5 per person there is always small print as it cant be run for that. Sales tactics can be devious but even then they cant charge you for tickets then demand a non refundable deposit for twice the amount so more digging is needed.