Refund for Self Administered PCR Tests when Country Changes Rules?

lm81

I fly to Dubai on 4th Feb and ordered fit to fly PCR tests where you test at home, post and then receive a certificate to travel.  Annoyingly, yesterday Dubai changed the rules to say that you must be tested at an approved facility and self tests are not accepted, so I have now booked these at an additional cost of £160.  My at home tests are unopened and I tried to request a refund on the Chronomics website but they state that as I ordered 14 days ago I cannot request a refund.  I only received the tests on Friday 29th Jan so should I not at least be covered by distance selling rules and have 7 days to change my mind?  I'm finding it hard to accept that I've wasted over £100 just because Dubai changed their rules last minute.

eskbanker

lm81 said:

My at home tests are unopened and I tried to request a refund on the Chronomics website but they state that as I ordered 14 days ago I cannot request a refund.  I only received the tests on Friday 29th Jan so should I not at least be covered by distance selling rules and have 7 days to change my mind?

Their Ts & Cs state "How long do I have to change my mind? You have 14 days after the day we email you to confirm we accept your order", which suggests that they categorise the contract as being a service one (30.2 below) rather than simply supply of goods (30.3 below), so, unless you find a way of challenging that classification, you wouldn't seem to have a legal argument to rely on.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/regulation/30/made

Normal cancellation period

30.—(1) The cancellation period ends as follows, unless regulation 31 applies.

(2) If the contract is—

(a) a service contract, or

(b) a contract for the supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium,

the cancellation period ends at the end of 14 days after the day on which the contract is entered into.

(3) If the contract is a sales contract and none of paragraphs (4) to (6) applies, the cancellation period ends at the end of 14 days after the day on which the goods come into the physical possession of—

(a) the consumer, or

(b) a person, other than the carrier, identified by the consumer to take possession of them.

Sandtree

Given how fluid rules are it makes sense to buy these things at the last minute... though its always a balance between risking rules changing and risking things not turning up in time. 

lm81

Thanks for your replies.