Offered a full refund for a course and then offer retracted

Caporegime
Joined
30 Jul 2013
Posts
28,822
Hello

My girlfriend signed up with a local place for 6 yoga sessions and then developed a bad back.

Their terms and conditions state:

2.2 Payments for missed sessions are non-refundable or transferable. It is sometimes possible to attend an alternative class. However, this is subject to availability and not guaranteed. Furthermore they are subject to the following terms:

She emailed them this:

Hello.

Due to a sudden ongoing problem with my back, I have been unable to attend any of the classes I've paid up front for and do not believe i will be well enough to attend the remaining session.

I have read the terms and conditions on the website and I fully intended to make use of your classes but have been prevented from doing so due to my back.

Would you please consider offering a full refund? Once my condition has improved I am fully intending to start the course, but for now I would appreciate if you could make an exception if possible and refund the money I have spent.

Please can someone come back to me and let me know if this would be possible.

Thanks

And received this reply:

Hi,

Thanks for getting in touch. I'm really sorry to hear about your back
injury - I know how bad it can get from personal experience.

As you know, according to our T&Cs, we don't usually allow for refunds
without prior notice, but on this occasion, we're happy to make an
exception. We'll refund the total amount to you as soon as possible and
look forward to having you rejoin us once you have had time to
recuperate.
I sincerely hope you have a quick recovery with the minimum
or pain.

You'll receive a notification when the refund has gone through.

Best regards,

However, she then received this, 4 hours later:

Hi

Following XXXX email - unfortunately he made a slight error in his response.

Whilst we are not able to provide a full refund, we would be happy to provide you with a credit note to the value of your course that you can use once you are feeling a little better.

I will send you a credit note over the next couple of days.

Apologies for any confusion, I hope you feel better soon and are able to rejoin a class.

Best wishes

XXXXXX

What should she do in this situation? Suck it up or persue it further? It's not exactly bank breaking but it seems a bad to offer a full refund and then only a credit note.
 
Soldato
Joined
24 Jul 2003
Posts
3,285
Location
South East Coast
I would try for a 'credit' for future classes. Despite the email advising you would receive a refund, if it was against the company's policy (which it was as your GF knew and it was in the T&C's) it was simply a staff mistake which has been promptly corrected. You don't really have any grounds to take it further other than hoping for a 'credit'.
 
Caporegime
Joined
29 Jan 2008
Posts
58,899
it is a bit off, in particular they are incorrect in their assertion as they are able to offer a refund they just don't want to

however assuming she wasn't lying in her e-mail then it makes no real practical difference as she intends to do the class later anyway
 
Associate
Joined
1 Sep 2010
Posts
1,432
Location
Herts
You stated -

'I am fully intending to start the course, but for now I would appreciate if you could make an exception if possible and refund the money I have spent.'

Based on the above, a credit/ voucher for use at a later date would be perfectly fine; unless this was a lie and you have no intention of going. In fact, the only reason you would want a refund over a credit is if you knew full well you just don't want to do it anymore.

If you cancelled the appointment in advance I would expect them to bend the rules and give you a refund because they could fill the slot with someone else. You've basically not shown up, potentially eaten up a slot that someone else could have paid for, then went 'whoops I'm injured can I have money back please.'

Edit - where I say 'you' I'm referring to your other half obvo.
 
Soldato
Joined
14 Oct 2008
Posts
6,665
You've been offered the full amount in credit, your other half states she intends on signing up for classes once her back is better, what's the problem? :p
 
Soldato
Joined
10 Jan 2012
Posts
3,683
Location
UK
Its a non issue, she said she intends on doing the course so a credit/voucher and thats acceptable as she already said she is going to re-book.
 
Soldato
Joined
7 Aug 2012
Posts
2,640
You stated -

'I am fully intending to start the course, but for now I would appreciate if you could make an exception if possible and refund the money I have spent.'

Based on the above, a credit/ voucher for use at a later date would be perfectly fine; unless this was a lie and you have no intention of going. In fact, the only reason you would want a refund over a credit is if you knew full well you just don't want to do it anymore.

If you cancelled the appointment in advance I would expect them to bend the rules and give you a refund because they could fill the slot with someone else. You've basically not shown up, potentially eaten up a slot that someone else could have paid for, then went 'whoops I'm injured can I have money back please.'

Edit - where I say 'you' I'm referring to your other half obvo.

Or perhaps she requires the money for something else, like private physio, as an example.
 
Associate
Joined
1 Sep 2010
Posts
1,432
Location
Herts
Or perhaps she requires the money for something else, like private physio, as an example.

Completely irrelevant, that's not how business works. If she was that hard up she should have phoned pre-class to cancel so the business could sell her spot in the class to someone else. OPs Mrs couldn't be bothered to do this or simply just forgot (which is the sort of thing I would do also...) and then, as an after thought she thought hmmm should try and get my money back for that. The offer from the business for credit on future classes is very reasonable and my advice to OP is take it.
 
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Associate
Joined
1 Sep 2010
Posts
1,432
Location
Herts
Sorry I didn't realise this. All of the correspondence you've posted are in past tense and imply it was after the classes. Actually to be more precise it reads as if she tried to cancel after the 5th class and prior to the 6th and last class.

'I am unable to attend the remaining session.' And the use of 'have been.'
 
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