School has cancelled trip but said they won't refund

NorthernLassie

Hi everyone, hoping some of you may be able to give me some advice

My year 6 child was due to go on a school trip to London last week. The trip cost over £300 pounds per child but I thought this represented good value as they were going to do some really exciting things, a West End show and trips to lots of attractions.

In light of the terrorist attacks the school decided to cancel the trip, at a hastily convened meeting with parents before the final decision to pull the trip was taken, the head and one of the school governors said that no refunds would be provided as the school no longer had the money.

We had paid the money to the school in instalments and then it had been paid to a company who were organising the accommodation, transport and activities on the trip. There was insurance taken out when we booked the trip but there doesn't seem to be any claim that can be made on this as the government advice was that travel to London is still safe and it was solely the schools decision to cancel the trip. I don't think the company who organises the trip is liable as the trip was still available, it's just that the school decided the trip was off.

My child has been really upset this week, they'd literally been looking forward to it all year . I didn't agree with the decision to cancel the trip as I think you can't live in fear of these things, you have to get on with life. However I do understand that it was the school's prerogative to cancel as they were the ones taking the children - I just don't think it's right that they are refusing to refund.

So my question is can the school legally refuse to provide refunds? Also is there anything I can do if they continue to refuse (beyond following the schools procedures to make a complaint), do I have any further redress?

Thanks for reading

pinkshoes

I'm a teacher and our school has just had a trip to London last week to see a West End show.
As there was no government warning against travelling to the capital, the trip went ahead. Any parents not happy could remove their child from the trip.

So no, the school cannot just keep your money as their decision was not made on reasonable grounds.

As the trip was paid and everything booked, they should have just said that any parent not happy could remove their child from the trip but no refund due.

Did you attend the meeting and made it clear you thought the trip should go ahead?

I would write to the school insisting on a refund on the above grounds.

NorthernLassie

Thanks for the reply pink shoes,

Yes I made it absolutely clear that I wanted the trip to go ahead and that my child still wanted to go. It was cancelled the day before they were due to go, they had their bag packed and had been doing a daily countdown on the calendar. Some of their classmates had withdrawn but there was still a good bunch of them who wanted to go.

Do you mind me asking, as a teacher, do you think it would cause problems for my other child who will still be at the school in September if I make a complaint to the school and ask for my money back?

Thanks

angryparcel

i can see exactly what has happened.
The parents have paid all their money, school booked hotel, west end show tickets, all transport and then school cancelled last minute, so they wont get refunded for hotel, show, transport and because no warning from gov. stopping trips to London they wont get anything from insurance. so school is saying no refunds as yes they dont have the money, but that is their problem and not the parents.
You are entitled to a full refund as the school cancelled the trip

agrinnall

As well as doing what pinkshoes says I would be starting to make a list of places where you can name and shame the head and the governer who made the decision (local paper, social media, etc.). And if it's an LEA school get your councillors involved. I'd also consider suing them personally for the money.

angryparcel

I dare say you wont be the only family this has happened too, so why dont the parents get together and approach the school as a group and if that fails speak to local media

LABMAN

Name and shame them!

pinkshoes

NorthernLassie wrote: »

Thanks for the reply pink shoes,

Yes I made it absolutely clear that I wanted the trip to go ahead and that my child still wanted to go. It was cancelled the day before they were due to go, they had their bag packed and had been doing a daily countdown on the calendar. Some of their classmates had withdrawn but there was still a good bunch of them who wanted to go.

Do you mind me asking, as a teacher, do you think it would cause problems for my other child who will still be at the school in September if I make a complaint to the school and ask for my money back?

Thanks

I would start by writing a polite letter stating that as there was no government advisory about travelling to London and many (most?) parents were happy for it to go ahead, then you are very disappointed that they chose to cancel the trip. I would then go on to say that on this basis, you are therefore due a full refund of £300, and you would appreciate it if they paid this money back to you as soon as possible.

The school are going to have a HUGE problem on their hands and I very much doubt you will be the only parent asking for a refund.

Whoever made the decision to cancel is an IDIOT, as they (the school) will now need to refund ALL people who paid, even the ones who demanded the trip didn't go ahead.

The school cannot claim this money back from the organiser or insurance as there are no grounds to complain.

Where they will get this money from I have no idea, as school budgets are tight. Someone's head will be on the line...! (Not your problem though)

If they had let it go ahead, it would not have cost them a penny!!

Try and keep it polite to begin with, but it might be worth getting together with other parents who wanted the trip to continue and writing a much more strongly worded letter if they are not forthcoming with a refund.

Good luck!

arcon5

It might result in a court case if they persist, you are entitled to a full refund

daveyjp

pinkshoes wrote: »

I would start by writing a polite letter stating that as there was no government advisory about travelling to London and many (most?) parents were happy for it to go ahead, then you are very disappointed that they chose to cancel the trip. I would then go on to say that on this basis, you are therefore due a full refund of £300, and you would appreciate it if they paid this money back to you as soon as possible.

The school are going to have a HUGE problem on their hands and I very much doubt you will be the only parent asking for a refund.

Whoever made the decision to cancel is an IDIOT, as they (the school) will now need to refund ALL people who paid, even the ones who demanded the trip didn't go ahead.

The school cannot claim this money back from the organiser or insurance as there are no grounds to complain.

Where they will get this money from I have no idea, as school budgets are tight. Someone's head will be on the line...! (Not your problem though)

If they had let it go ahead, it would not have cost them a penny!!

Try and keep it polite to begin with, but it might be worth getting together with other parents who wanted the trip to continue and writing a much more strongly worded letter if they are not forthcoming with a refund.

Good luck!

This, but rather than being too polite - don't use 'appreciate' - tell them as this is a unilateral decision by the school they must refund you and you are giving them 7 days to return the money.

If they fail you can go legal with a formal letter before action giving them another 7 days.

NorthernLassie

Thanks so much everyone who has replied, I'm new to the forum so I don't know how to use the thank you function but you've given me some really helpful advice and I feel more confident about asking the school for a refund.