Auction prize cancelled due to Coronavirus

mgs1001

At the end of last year I bid on, and won a charity auction for a survival weekend experience for my kids, they love this sort of thing and it was for my oldest sons birthday - we booked the event for April - but obviously and quite rightly it was cancelled, but there are no new dates and the company running the events are no longer replying to my emails or answering their phones. I paid £1500 for the weekend and now am left with nothing and two unhappy kids - I paid by credit card and have travel insurance, but haven't claimed yet as I don't want the charity to lose out as it was a donated prize from the event company - what should I do?

[Deleted User]

Wait to see if the company gets back on its feet. You might also want to check with the charity in case they have any information.

Failing that I would try a chargeback or S75 and redonate what you feel is a more suitable amount. However, you need to check carefully exactly what the transaction was for. If it's interpreted as a donation, a chargeback won't succeed.

Semple

As above, I think what will complicate your situation, and may remove any of the usual protections is that what you actually paid for was a donation to a charity. 

The survival event company provided a free-of-charge promo if you will, to the charity, of which they passed onto you.

I think your only options here are to wait for the survival company to restart their business again, and get back in touch to arrange a date. 

superbigal

I agree with above and also add if the company was good enough to donate a prize of that value then they must surely be decent.  Perhaps the organisers of the charity event have a personal contact to have gotten such a prize ?

Thrugelmir

What did the company previously say to you when you enquired?