Summer Takeover - has anyone managed to get a refund?

Fairdoos

My grandson signed up with Summer takeover for £1.  They promise accommodation and work overseas for about £500 which you pay in instalments prior to going.
When he looked into it further, dreadful reviews, he cancelled, on the same day, via the cancel link on their website and put a stop on his bank card. The company instantly took £39 off his card as admin fee, despite the stop on the card.  They do warn, in their terms and conditions, that they will do this if you cancel.   An email to them quoting Consumer Contracts regs and asking for a refund, go the response: "We do work from a live booking system so when the £1 is paid accommodation is booked for you and when accommodation is booked unfortunately there is no cooling off period."  Having visited said regulation on I know hotel accommodation is an exception but I do not believe they booked accommodation after a £1 deposit and I think it's extremely unreasonable, to say the least.     We have reported this to the bank, as there was a stop on the card, they are getting back to us.
I feel this firm is playing on the ignorance and naivety of young people seeking work and they are rip off merchants.
Has anyone else had dealings with these people?   Is it a tough lesson he has to learn and move on or do we stand a chance of a refund?    Thanks for any help.

Fairdoos

Well what do you know.... A review by me on Tripadvisor changed their minds and they have now refunded the £39.   Use this firm with great caution.  

BJP54321

Thank you so much for posting this review - unfortunately we saw it too late to stop my daughter paying her £1 and subsequent £49 to Summer Takeover, but at least you stopped us going any further. The company tried to say that they've improved in the last year with new management, but sounds like an identical set up and they wouldn't offer a refund even though the payment and cancellation happened within 2 hours of each other. So cruel to prey on the enthusiasm and dreams of young people, especially after the battering they've taken over the last couple of years.