CTM refund due to rule change for vaccinated parents and children

Vma

Has anyone had a similar situation please? I’ve called three times. Sent first email and it was returned as wrong address, sent second email and heard nothing since August 16.  Basically they are refusing to refund and refusing to engage. Today I contacted Resolver and found a refund site on this forum. 

My family and I traveled from the UK to the USA on July 19, 2021.  That is also the day the Welsh government changed the regulations to allow fully vaccinated parents and their children under 18 to return to the UK and only have a day 2 COVID test.

I phoned Corporate Travel Management company on July 15 at 15:12 from my mobile number [REDACTED BY FORUM TEAM] to ask about testing as I was unable to book only day 2 tests at that point. I asked the person I spoke to what to do and she said the computer system wouldn’t be updated until 4 am on July 19. I asked if I could wait and book the day 2 tests on the 19th but she said that it wouldn’t allow enough time to get the PLF reference number before I flew.  She told me to book both tests and I would be refunded the money.

However when I called on my return on August 6th at 11:35 I was told there would be no refund. The gentleman said I should have cancelled the original order and reordered. This would have been difficult as I was out of the country and I also had not been advised to do this.

I believe I am due a refund. I believe the day 2 tests I ordered should have cost £264 and I paid £510 for day 2 and day 8 tests on the understanding that the system would be updated and I would be refunded. 

Neruda

Thanks for the 'phone number: our PPI specialists will be in touch shortly.

FatherTireseus

Please, do yourself a favour and remove your mobile number from your post. I can't see how it's relevant to the rest of the query and you're only opening yourself up to unscrupulous people who may get in touch claiming they can help you.....for a fee.

Caz3121

Vma said:

 I asked the person I spoke to what to do and she said the computer system wouldn’t be updated until 4 am on July 19. I asked if I could wait and book the day 2 tests on the 19th but she said that it wouldn’t allow enough time to get the PLF reference number before I flew.  

If 19th July was your outbound flight then there was no requirement to book your day 2 test at that point, it would have been needed for your PLF for the return flight....was the phone agent maybe confused thinking 19th was when you were returning to the UK?

sheramber

According to the Welsh Government   https://gov.wales/rules-foreign-travel-and-wales-coronavirus-covid-19-html

Post arrival tests must be booked before your departure, through the CTM portal.

onashoestring

sheramber said:

According to the Welsh Government   https://gov.wales/rules-foreign-travel-and-wales-coronavirus-covid-19-html

Post arrival tests must be booked before your departure, through the CTM portal.

Is this departure from UK or departure from the country you are visiting? 

The rules for Wales also say passengers arriving must have

•  proof of a negative coronavirus test, taken no more than 72 hours before departure - 

In this case they mean departure from the country you are visiting. 

KFTS

Same issue - still unsresolved.

I called CTM on the 5th August 2021 to seek advice on test kits required for myself and travel group (2 adults and 2 children) travelling to Spain (20th August – Amber list) as the Welsh Government advice was that test to return kits MUST be purchased through CTM. I was advised by CTM that due to the 2 children being unvaccinated I would need to purchase 2 x £170 test packages. I queried this again later that day when I tried to book through the portal and it would not let me select ‘child’ – I was informed by CTM that even though the children were 15 years old these were the correct kits and I should just select ‘adult’. I completed the transaction and paid £340 for the test kits.

I later on the same day 5th August I made a 3rd call as there was an issue processing the purchase for two adult kits for my husband and I. Upon speaking with another member of the team (a gentleman this time) I was advised that I had purchased incorrect test kits for the boys above and needed to order 2 x kits @ £88 each as they were children. I explained that I had asked twice before purchasing these kits and had been given incorrect information. I was informed that I could not change the order instead I would have to place another order for the £88 x 2 kits and that a refund would be processed which would take 10-12 days. I explained this was a lot of money but was given reassurance that the gentleman I was speaking with would process the sale of 2 x kits for £88 for me and he reassured that he had processed the refund for £340.

On the 18th August I contacted CTM to advise my refund had not been received and was told that it had been processed 15 days ago (which doesn’t quite add up?) however refunds were now taking 28 days and that I should wait.

Upon returning home I found that both kits had been posted and was concerned the original kit had not been cancelled and refunded as promised by CTM. I called again on the 28th August and spoke to a lady who advised the refund had been processed and the money would be retuned, they also advised that they had arranged for a Royal Mail courier to collect the cancelled order kits and they would collect from my address the next day – THIS UNSURPRISINGLY DID NOT HAPPEN.

Every time I called  020 7429 9983 I have been given incorrect information and do not receive any level of customer support - of note the operators hang up on calls relentlessly what asked for their names. On 3rd September I called through on 0127 472 6424 and spoke with Bradley – interestingly he is the only staff member up to this point I have spoken with who gave his name (upon asking other staff members they hung up the phone). After giving details of the reason for my call and requesting that the refund be looked into I was asked to be placed on hold. I was left on hold for 25 minutes, when Bradley returned he apologised for keeping me waiting and advised I would receive a refund that evening - I AM STILL WAITING.

On the 8th September I called 0127 472 6424 and spoke with Hasha who has advised me he has logged my issue and I will receive an email in one hour. Upon asking what is happening and why haven't I yet received a refund I have been told that he doesn't have that information, I cannot speak to a manager as they don't have one there and that I should wait for the email. 

Surely this company should not be operating in this way and giving constant misinformation to customers. Given they have mis-sold the kits through incorrect information a refund should not be difficult to process after taking further payments?

Of note we had booked a package holiday with TUI and the return test plus 2 day PCR bundle was £20 (with very helpful and honest companies providing the service as we paid this to use the return test) however due to living in Wales we have been forced to follow Government rules stating we had to book a 2 day PCR test through CTM at a cost of £88 (after being told by CTM it was £170 package we needed) - absolutely disgraceful!!

Vma

KFTS thanks for your message. I think it is disgraceful.  I have asked Resolver to look into it but heard nothing back.  Do you have any other ideas of who we could contact please? They have not responded to any of my emails and phone calls seem useless as you stated above. I was also told there was no manager to speak with.