Refused Refund - Event

babb

Hi, I am hoping someone can give me advice. I had registered to do a charity cycling event last summer (registration fee fully paid), which was re-scheduled for this July because of Covid. I had also suggested a couple of friends join me this year. We had made travel arrangements, and I had even made my family change their holiday plans so they didn't coincide with the event. However, a few weeks ago the organisers (not the charity - who get any sponsorship - but the ltd company that runs the event and takes the registration fee) announced that they had made the decision to change the date to October because some attendees were nervous about the July date. My friends and I can't do the October date (and who wants to do a long cycle in October anyway!), but the only options offered were lose the registration fee or register for another event next year. My friends can't register for another event (they are hoping to adopt siblings in the winter amongst other things). I have requested a refund and the company has replied that their Ts&Cs say no refund if a change is out of their control. This makes no sense to me since the decision was quite clearly in their control - their email explicitly says "we made the difficult decision". But they are standing firm, even when I offered to donate the money directly to the charity. It isn't a huge amount of money, but it's a point of principle, and I feel bad that I encouraged friends to register and now they stand to lose their money too. Any advice? I am considering making a claim via the Small Claims Court (although I don't think it's called that anymore).

[Deleted User]

babb said:

But they are standing firm, even when I offered to donate the money directly to the charity. 

If you want to donate your entry fee to the charity, then simply rebook for October or next year and just turn up if you want to. Seems by far the easiest route.

babb

It won't go to the charity. The organisers will keep it.

epm-84

Did you pay by card? If you did you could look at a chargeback or S75 if they refuse to refund you.

babb

epm-84 said:

Did you pay by card? If you did you could look at a chargeback or S75 if they refuse to refund you.

Good call. It was a while ago now so I can't remember for sure, but it's a possibility. Is that the same for debit cards (I don't tend to use credit cards)?

epm-84

babb said:

epm-84 said:

Did you pay by card? If you did you could look at a chargeback or S75 if they refuse to refund you.

Good call. It was a while ago now so I can't remember for sure, but it's a possibility. Is that the same for debit cards (I don't tend to use credit cards)?

Chargeback is available on debit cards, S75 is not.

Normally it has to be done within 120 days of the date of transaction but if you made a purchase for an event in the future then it's 120 days after the event date for the limit.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/visa-mastercard-chargeback/