Gift Voucher Expiry HELP! (Me Vs Them!)

Kas4

Hi Everyone

This is my first (of hopefully many!) contributions on the MSE forum! I am here seeking advice!

My friend brought a gift voucher for me from Irregular Choice (an established shoe shop in store and online) in January 2015. She put the receipt inside too (so she could prove how much she had spent). There was no expiry date on the gift card at all, nor on the receipt anywhere.

I went to spend it and was told it was expired and that there was nothing I could do. I argued that there was no expiry date provided to me and no other conditions of purchase detailed anywhere.

They argued back that the terms and conditions were on the website and I should have referred to them. (No website address was even provided on the receipt either). They sent me packing and said if I wanted to complain I should do so online.

Even online I tried to explain that I felt that it should have been on the receipt but they were adamant it didn't need to be.

Who is right and why?

In the end they extended the voucher for 3 days! They didn't agree to extend my voucher on the basis that it didn't have an expiry date. But "AS A GESTURE OF GOOD WILL" extended it probably because I am a dedicated customer who was trying to use a £25 gift voucher on a £490 purchase!!!!!

I would love to be able to have the last laugh and go back with one more email explaining my consumer rights and I am sure someone out there can help me! :A:rotfl:

Thanks for your time!

George_Michael

Kas4 wrote: »

I would love to be able to have the last laugh and go back with one more email explaining my consumer rights and I am sure someone out there can help me!

As you didn't make the initial purchase then you don't have any consumer rights regarding the transaction. These rights lie with the person who gave you the gift card.


It's possible that the expiry date was mentioned when the card was purchased and if this is the case, there is no legal requirement for it to be written on either the card or the receipt.
Have you asked your friend if they were advised of the validity of the card when they bought it?

Kas4

Hi!

Thank you. No I asked my friend who still has her original receipt. She was not verbally told at the time of purchase - she is prepared to follow it up for me (as obv she holds the status of 'consumer').

Kirsty

Sgc

I have a similar situation with a gift voucher that my wife purchased for me.

No expiry on voucher nor any explanation of expiry dates when purchased.

It’s a small establishment that issued the voucher, and the receptionist we spoke to was less than useful. I would really like to be able to know what rights, if any, we have in this situation.

JJ_Egan

When purchased ?? When tried to use ??

Aylesbury_Duck

I’m amazed that vouchers are still going. Viewed rationally they are such a strange thing.

“I really haven’t thought much about what to get you. Cash gifts seem a bit vulgar so I’ll get you pseudo-cash where you know exactly what it’s worth but that it comes with restrictions.”

Sgc

TBF it was Christmas 2016. Tried to redeem this Christmas. I’m just wondering if anyone knows the actual law of vouchers without an expiry written on them, or is it a very grey area and open to interpretation?

gettingtheresometime

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

I’m amazed that vouchers are still going. Viewed rationally they are such a strange thing.

“I really haven’t thought much about what to get you. Cash gifts seem a bit vulgar so I’ll get you pseudo-cash where you know exactly what it’s worth but that it comes with restrictions.”

I said exactly the same thing to a relative yesterday!

jcb208

Sainsburys are the same gift card expires after 2 years and refuse to give a refund or replace due to terms and conditions ,must be a good profitable side line for these company's and about time the law was tightened up so there is no expiry time

KatrinaWaves

A dedicated customer who hasn’t bought from them in 2 years?

Or a dedicated customer who forgot they had a gift voucher for 2 years...

davidmcn

Sgc wrote: »

TBF it was Christmas 2016. Tried to redeem this Christmas. I’m just wondering if anyone knows the actual law of vouchers without an expiry written on them, or is it a very grey area and open to interpretation?

I would expect it to be the normal prescription period for debts i.e. 6 years in England & Wales or 5 years in Scotland.