Chargeback Fees

GemGem84

Hello i need some advise. I have been trying to get a refund back from a group hen party event that was cancelled last month. The company said that they are just the "middle man" but they can get us 50% back from the restaurant we was going to. I advised that we are not prepared to except this and so I will go through a charge back with the bank. They responded and said I will lose as no one has won a case against them, and they will also make us pay the charge back fees they incur. Is this right, can they do this? 

missile

Did you cancel or did they?
Speak to your bank.

Life__Goes__On

GemGem84 said:

Hello i need some advise. I have been trying to get a refund back from a group hen party event that was cancelled last month. The company said that they are just the "middle man" but they can get us 50% back from the restaurant we was going to. I advised that we are not prepared to except this and so I will go through a charge back with the bank. They responded and said I will lose as no one has won a case against them, and they will also make us pay the charge back fees they incur. Is this right, can they do this? 

They will pay a Chageback fee I think it's between £5-25
They could in theory try to recover the money if the Chargeback failed (they won) but I've never seen it happen
To me it's just an empty threat to try and stop you from doing a Chageback

If you give more details, we can advice of your legal rights, and the chances of winning a Chargeback

Alan_Bowen

No, the funds are repaid by the bank to you, not the operator so they cannot deduct anything from the refund. It is an empty threat. Once you have the money, and not before, tell us who the company was so we can all avoid it!

GemGem84

The event was booked for 9th of May. So the company said that because of covid19 they are going to give us vouchers for a later date. We said that we do not want a voucher, we want a refund. The company said that its thier policy that they do not offer refunds. I said that the other companies have given refunds, (tho one company did deduct £5.00pp for admin fees). I explained what the CMA had said which I found on the Martin Lewis site, saying that vouchers cannot be offered in replace of a refund etc... he said that the Martin Lewis site was wrong and the information was not correct. The company we booked with are a site that books hen and stag weekends. They said that the money is put into a HSBC account so the money does not go to them, and apparently the money gets paid directly to the restaurant from this account. However the restaurant we was originally booked with cancelled so we was then given a new restaurant. So I'm not sure that's completely true.

Life__Goes__On

GemGem84 said:

 So I'm not sure that's completely true.

That's the understatement of the year.
 You paid them, they need to refund you, what they have told you is just a c*ck and bull story.

GemGem84

The company have said that when they win the case, they will deduct the charge back fees out of the money we have already paid, so then the voucher will be of a less amount. So the total amount we paid was £144.00, they will take out the charge back fees from that amount, and whatever is left will then be the amount the vouchers will be worth.

Life__Goes__On

They owe you a full refund and the best way of getting it is via a Chargeback if you have proof it was cancelled.
The other option is to settle for the 50%
It's down to group  to decide what option you all want to take.

GemGem84

 I have sent my bank all the emails between the company and myself. The only thing that concerns me, is the fact they never used the word "cancel" they just said that they cannot provide the service on this date, so they will give us vouchers for another date. No one in the group wants to lose half of their money. No one would want to drive 126miles (252r.trip) to go somewhere for a 2 hour afternoon tea. They have said that it has to be used within the next 12months.

Life__Goes__On

GemGem84 said:

 they just said that they cannot provide the service on this date,

Great, that's perfect

http://www.theukcardsassociation.org.uk/individual/chargeback-for-credit-and-debit-card-purchases.asp
"if you do not get the goods or services you paid for"

If they have admitted they can't supply the service on the  agreed date, then you didn't get the service you paid for.

GemGem84

Thankyou, the bank said they are looking into it, it's just sitting in the background at the moment as they are understaffed. I'll let you know how I get on.