Center Parcs Europe not refunding for booking beginning 3 April

Life__Goes__On

What method of payment did you use?

Phil_kakarot

I used a credit card. 

Life__Goes__On

Phil_kakarot said:

I used a credit card. 

Contact your card company

Raise a "Chargeback" against the transaction stating non-supply of service, (using proof of cancellation) also state that you have rejected any vouchers that you are entitled to do under English law.
Normally with a Chargeback the money is returned once it’s processed

The retailer (CP) can dispute the Chargeback, but it must supply evidence to the card company.

If the retailer (CP) is successful,  then the Chargeback is reversed and the money taken back from your account

If that fails then it's a Section 75 on the credit card.

raventuft

Success!
We were supposed to be at Centre Parcs in Holland on 22nd May; they emailed a voucher to me on 27th (not my request, an automatic email). I replied to say that I wouldn't be able to to visit next year due to other commitments and asked for a refund. They sent me a generic reply with ts&cs re: their voucher. Today I phoned my bank (Lloyds) and asked to start a chargeback request. They asked me the dates I made the payments, what my booking ref was and by the time the phone call finished the money was back in my account, plus interest!
They tell me that the next steps are that they will take this up with Centre Parcs directly. If CP come back to demonstrate that they have fulfilled the contract, then it could get reversed. But seeing as the cancellation came from them, I can't see how that would be successful.

raventuft

Forgot to add...I paid CP using a visa debit card, not credit card. Two payments; one in Jan 2020, one in Mar 2020.

Life__Goes__On

raventuft said:

Success!
We were supposed to be at Centre Parcs in Holland on 22nd May; they emailed a voucher to me on 27th (not my request, an automatic email). I replied to say that I wouldn't be able to to visit next year due to other commitments and asked for a refund. They sent me a generic reply with ts&cs re: their voucher. Today I phoned my bank (Lloyds) and asked to start a chargeback request. They asked me the dates I made the payments, what my booking ref was and by the time the phone call finished the money was back in my account, plus interest!
They tell me that the next steps are that they will take this up with Centre Parcs directly. If CP come back to demonstrate that they have fulfilled the contract, then it could get reversed. But seeing as the cancellation came from them, I can't see how that would be successful.

Just a waiting game now for the 45 days to be up.

sn1987a

Life__Goes__On said:

Just a waiting game now for the 45 days to be up.

Why 45 days?

We try to claim from credit card. Looking at the terms and conditions of the bank, the money will be returned, they will raise the issue with centre parcs and if their decision is in favour of centre parcs, the bank will get the money back from us.

We called centre parcs Belgium. They said that if the voucher is not used by the date expected, the money will be refunded after 3 months. The lady advised us to complain and we should get the money back, but we get the same generic reply when we contact them. We even had the extra insurance. Centre parcs said we can't claim. The insurance doesn't reply to our emails...

Life__Goes__On

sn1987a said:

Life__Goes__On said:

Just a waiting game now for the 45 days to be up.

Why 45 days?

We try to claim from credit card. Looking at the terms and conditions of the bank, the money will be returned, they will raise the issue with centre parcs and if their decision is in favour of centre parcs, the bank will get the money back from us.

We called centre parcs Belgium. They said that if the voucher is not used by the date expected, the money will be refunded after 3 months. The lady advised us to complain and we should get the money back, but we get the same generic reply when we contact them. We even had the extra insurance. Centre parcs said we can't claim. The insurance doesn't reply to our emails...

Once a Chargeback is raised the company has 45 days  to dispute it, and like you said if the dispute is successful they reclaim the money.

DragonQ

I've made it clear to Center Parcs France several times that I do not accept their voucher as compensation as I cannot use it. Every reply I get is a generic one. I tried calling once but they just pointed me to the online complaint form, which I've already filled in 3 times.

I made all of this clear to my credit card company and have received the money back, so hopefully that's the last I'll hear about it! 40 days to go...

Phil_kakarot

Sorry I forgot to update with my outcome, I had phoned them for a second time(after several emails) and then went on to fill out the online complaint form, but was told on the phone to enter "access to your personal data" as the reason for complaint, not covid 19. I requested a refund via the complaint form, got an email few days later saying they will refund me, then around a week or so after the email the money was back in my account. Hope this helps people out if you haven't already started the charge back process.