Global Work and Travel

75Weedon

My grandson booked for a work gap year in Australia with Global Work and Travel. When the pandemic started he realised that he could not go and cancelled in March and asked for his money back. They said no-one in office so could not reply. Recently they have offered about a quarter of the £1200+ that he paid despite the fact that there is a clause in the contract that the full cost will be refunded in the case of a worldwide health crisis. He was to go on June 30th (2020) but because he cancelled and had not applied for his work visa they now say that now he can go anytime, however long the travel restrictions last, and therefore he must either take up a situation some time in the future or accept their offer. The clause which appeared to cover the pandemic has no force in his case. Is this lawful and reasonable?

Life__Goes__On

75Weedon said:

My grandson booked for a work gap year in Australia with Global Work and Travel. When the pandemic started he realised that he could not go and cancelled in March and asked for his money back. They said no-one in office so could not reply. Recently they have offered about a quarter of the £1200+ that he paid despite the fact that there is a clause in the contract that the full cost will be refunded in the case of a worldwide health crisis. He was to go on June 30th (2020) but because he cancelled and had not applied for his work visa they now say that now he can go anytime, however long the travel restrictions last, and therefore he must either take up a situation some time in the future or accept their offer. The clause which appeared to cover the pandemic has no force in his case. Is this lawful and reasonable?

If there is a clause in the contract that the full cost will be refunded in the case of a worldwide health crisis, then he should get that.
But impossible to give anything certain without seeing the T&Cs he agree too, and the cancellation policy.

 

Life__Goes__On

Found their T&Cs https://globalworkandtravel.com/terms-and-conditions

9 Cancellation by you due to Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances

1. You have the right to cancel your confirmed trip before departure without paying a cancellation charge in the event of Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances occurring at your destination or its immediate vicinity and significantly affecting the performance of the trip or the transport arrangements to the destination.
2. In these circumstances, we shall provide you with a full refund but we will not be liable to pay you any additional compensation. Please note that your right to cancel in these circumstances will only apply where the Foreign and Commonwealth Office strictly advises against travel to your destination or its immediate vicinity. In very extreme circumstances, we may instead offer a Refund Credit Note instead of cash.
3. For the purposes of this clause, “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” means warfare, acts of terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination.

If those were the T&Cs your grandson agree too,  it looks clear (to me)  he is due a full refund.

75Weedon

I agree but they say because he cancelled in March his original preferred date of Travel (June 30th) is no longer valid and he could travel some time in the future. He knows now that he should not have cancelled and waited for it to be impossible to travel by that date but he is 18 and thought he was doing the sensible thing. Also he had not obtained his Work Visa. so they say obviously he can travel some time in the future. This is not possible for him but this does not seem to matter.. 

Life__Goes__On

75Weedon said:

I agree but they say because he cancelled in March his original preferred date of Travel (June 30th) is no longer valid and he could travel some time in the future. He knows now that he should not have cancelled and waited for it to be impossible to travel by that date but he is 18 and thought he was doing the sensible thing. Also he had not obtained his Work Visa. so they say obviously he can travel some time in the future. This is not possible for him but this does not seem to matter.. 

What date in March did he cancel?

75Weedon

I have checked and it was March 23rd

Life__Goes__On

Then it was after the WHO announced a global pandemic & FCO  advising against all non-essential travel.
As both advice is still current, and if it remains so until at least 30th June , then I can't see how the company can refuse a refund.

75Weedon

Many thanks. I will pass this on to my grandson. He has been trying since that time to get a refund but at first they said the  British Office was closed so they could not deal with the refund. it is only recently that their "Cancellation Team" have been finding reasons for not refunding. Unfortunately I have looked on Social Media and they do not seem a good firm to deal with (I know that reviews can give a wrong view of a company), The question is, what does he do next to press his claim?

Life__Goes__On

75Weedon said:

Many thanks. I will pass this on to my grandson. He has been trying since that time to get a refund but at first they said the  British Office was closed so they could not deal with the refund. it is only recently that their "Cancellation Team" have been finding reasons for not refunding. Unfortunately I have looked on Social Media and they do not seem a good firm to deal with (I know that reviews can give a wrong view of a company), The question is, what does he do next to press his claim?

What method of payment did you grandson use?

75Weedon

Hi
It was through a bank transfer. he does not have a credit card.

Life__Goes__On

75Weedon said:

Hi
It was through a bank transfer. he does not have a credit card.

Just want to check  it was via a straight bank transfer not a debit card transfer from his bank account.