Can they do this!

washedupandout

Took some paint back to BQ today. No customer service station so have to walk to tills and queue. I did not have any receipts as they said they would e mail it to me. I wanted an exchange as I had picked up emulsion instead of gloss. They ask to see my bank statement of when payment was made. There were 2 on my account. They went away and came back saying could not find so I paid for the replacement and left with both  
Upon reaching car I found another payment so returned to store and this time they called a manager. She went away and checked and returned again saying they could not find said transaction even though it was clearly showing on my statement. They then requested I leave the store but they kept my paint!!

Manxman_in_exile

They asked you to leave and they kept both tins of paint?

Did they explain why they asked you to leave?  Did you ask for your paint back?

HampshireH

Why did you leave the paint behind?

If events occured as straightforward as written above without confrontation seems very odd they asked you to leave the store..
 
Was that all that happened?

Aylesbury_Duck

washedupandout said:

Took some paint back to BQ today. No customer service station so have to walk to tills and queue. I did not have any receipts as they said they would e mail it to me. I wanted an exchange as I had picked up emulsion instead of gloss. They ask to see my bank statement of when payment was made. There were 2 on my account. They went away and came back saying could not find so I paid for the replacement and left with both  
Upon reaching car I found another payment so returned to store and this time they called a manager. She went away and checked and returned again saying they could not find said transaction even though it was clearly showing on my statement. They then requested I leave the store but they kept my paint!!

To answer the question in your title, yes they can and they clearly did.

What exactly happened?  I suspect there's much more to this than you're letting on because unless there was a fire alarm, I can't see why they'd insist you leave the store without goods you'd already paid for.

washedupandout

Hi and thanks for replies. I am 77 female and disabled. No aggression bad language or threats were made and apart from being in tears thats it. They only kept the original can thAt I was trying to exchange value of £28. 

This had been taken with them when they went to the office to check that I had made the original purchase so I guess when they did not look hard enough they assumed I had not come into the store with it. Upon entering I made sure an employee knew I was entering with an exchange but could not find him later to verify. 

I queried as to whether the law stated with no receipts I could get an exchange but no refund they said that was not their policy. 

I assume I was asked to leave because I was in tears by the tills and drawing a crowd. At no time were there threats or raised voices. 

jon81uk

Legally you are not entitled to a refund if you bought in store and the product is not faulty.

You are entitled to keep your property so if you paid for the paint you should have been able to walk out with it.

Manxman_in_exile

Assuming you don't want to visit the store in person again, I suggest you visit their website and make a formal complaint.

If you go the the bottom of this page Contact us | Customer Support | B&Q (diy.com) you will see a complaints 'phone number 0333 014 3098 and a link to a contact form:  DIY Supplies & Accessories | DIY at B&Q.

And I'd advise you not to just say "They then requested me to leave" as that will raise all manner of questions in their minds as to why you were asked to leave.

Explain everything - including your disability and the tears...

Aylesbury_Duck

Go back and ask for your original tin of paint.  You're not entitled to a refund for the mistakenly-bought tin if you bought it in store because their discretionary returns policy requires a receipt.  If the tin were faulty, then they'd have to accept another form of proof of purchase, but in your situation, a receipt is required.  It's set out in their returns policy.

cymruchris

I would most certainly raise a written complaint with them, outlining everything (and I mean everything!) that happened, and also referencing the fact you have various payments on your bank account to them which were demonstrated when in store. They most certainly shouldn't have kept the tin of paint without good reason - the only good reason would be that they had evidence you'd stolen it - and if they'd had evidence you'd stolen it should have requested Police attendance. They owe you your tin of paint and a very significant apology based on the information you've provided so far.

sheramber

As B&Q could not identify the purchase of the paint from the bank statement payments there was no proof that she had bought it.

A payment of £x on a bank statement does not detail what was bought, just something with that value.

screech_78

Given the paint wasn’t fault and it was a change of mind, you aren’t entitled to a refund or exchange at all, regardless if you had a bank statement. Unless their policy allows this of course but I imagine their returns policy for change of mind items requires a receipt. And for purchasing in store, they absolutely can do this. 

I’m not sure why your age or disability is relevant. These policies apply to everyone.