Refund promised. Delayed. And now bank charges have been incurred. Where do I stand?

electronicdreams

My girlfriend paid for a gift voucher for a local cookery course (from a reputable business) as a Xmas present for someone, but money was taken twice from the website. We called and were told the previous payments — which had gone through despite no email being received — would be refunded. Another payment was taken over the phone as it could be handled easier apparently.

The problem is the online payments have been taken, not yet refunded, and subsequently incurred bank charges.

Do we have any legal standing to force the business to reimburse the bank charges as they told us the payments would be refunded immediately not 5 days later, which are still pending due to the current bank holidays.

foxtrotoscar_2

electronicdreams wrote: »

My girlfriend paid for a gift voucher for a local cookery course (from a reputable business) as a Xmas present for someone, but money was taken twice from the website. We called and were told the previous payments — which had gone through despite no email being received — would be refunded. Another payment was taken over the phone as it could be handled easier apparently.

The problem is the online payments have been taken, not yet refunded, and subsequently incurred bank charges.

Do we have any legal standing to force the business to reimburse the bank charges as they told us the payments would be refunded immediately not 5 days later, which are still pending due to the current bank holidays.

I suspect the Company have processed the refund immediately and it's the 'banking system' process that is the problem.

[Deleted User]

electronicdreams wrote: »

Do we have any legal standing to force the business to reimburse the bank charges

No.

Did you incur those Bank charges ONLY because the refund didn't reach your account?

If you can show that you were EXACTLY the same amount overdrawn as the refund you may be able to argue your case, but you have no legal rights to redress of Bank Charges from the retailer. Refunds are never immediate.

You might have better luck approaching your bank if this is a "first offence"

daytona0

Would also be interesting to hear about this "other payment" you mention

I do suspect that it may be because of the difficulties a company sometimes has in making partial payments (the systems can be rubbish sometimes!) and that you made a third payment for the full amount of the voucher. Correct?

Even so, making the third payment (regardless of amount) was ENTIRELY OPTIONAL!! You didn't have to give them another bean to sort this out! THEY OWED YOU MONEY!!

So one must beg the question as to why, despite knowing that it would put you in a position which was going to incur bank charges, a third payment was made?

Also, your post implies that a refund was requested on the 28th December ("not 5 days later"); what do you expect?! We've had at least 1 bank holiday day, as well as a weekend, between then and now! It should be in by Thursday 5th by my calculations (3-5 working days)

I mean I suppose that you could have been £x short to begin with and made the third payment, going £2x short, to help expedite the whole refund. But one must beg a further question as to whether you contacted the companies who were due to take money from your account? Did you call them and ask for a few more days? To ask if you could make a partial payment (ie that third payment you made)? How did you mitigate your possible losses? You lose a lot of sympathy if you simply *let it happen*

Those are the sorts of questions you will face if you start throwing bank charges into the mix. And the company won't entertain your request either; you will have to take them to small claims court in all likelihood. Good luck.

usefulmale

If your girlfriend is financially sailing so close to the wire, should she be frittering it away on frivolities like gift vouchers?

Stevie_Palimo

I would believe that if from how I read this 3 payments have now been made and from this one is correct as done on the phone meaning the two online ones had an issue against should by rights be refunded straight away and if done by debit card can be sorted out with the bank but you need to push them, If done by a cc then speak to them, You would normally need to go to the merchant first and if they are dragging there feet then look at other options, Also if a delay has caused bank charges then by rights the firm should cover it seeing as they took 3 payments when one was due.

electronicdreams

Thanks for all the comments.

She paid upfront and got part-payment from her siblings.

A quick call the to bank and it was resolved — they waived the bank fee!
Moral of the story: call the bank.

takman

electronicdreams wrote: »

Thanks for all the comments.

She paid upfront and got part-payment from her siblings.

A quick call the to bank and it was resolved — they waived the bank fee!
Moral of the story: call the bank.

I think the real Moral of this story is that your girlfriend really needs to sort out her finances and save up some money as an emergency fund so if anything like this does happen she has spare money to cover it. The bank won't make a habit of refunding the charges so when it happens again it will end up costing her money.