Help! Thomson won't honour a gift card that expires next year!!!!

[unhappyflyer]

I'll keep this short - I have a gift card which clearly shows a printed start date in 2012 and a card expiry date in 2016.

 

In much smaller letters are also the short T&Cs that say the value will expire 24 months from first load.

 

When I received this I noticed the 2 'facts' contradicted one another but assumed as it was clearly printed "card expires xx/xx/2016" we would have no issues. To back this up I actually emailed customer services back in '14 to check and was not told which is correct, but in actual fact Thomson always honour expired gift cards and vouchers ///:razz:

 

So fast forward a yeara nd of course I try to redeem it and I get a card expired notice - I half expected that but the issue I have is in resolving it. I have tried phoning customer services who just say ignore the date and go by T&Cs; they can't help and I must call my local brand; they can't help either and told me to contact the branch it was purchased from....they too can't help and say head office say 24 months that's that and to ignore the email from Thomsons back in '14 becasue they made a mistake.

 

I can't believe the lack of interest or help in this. It's in black and white that the card expires in 16. I am confident in a court of law they would see this as either a mistake or misleading / confusing information; even without the email from the rep; however I have no more avenues to try and not sure the most effective action to take from here.

[obiter dictum]

It looks to me from the outside the card itself will expire after 2016. That is the same with a credit or bank card. It just means you will need a new card after that date.

 

As soon as the gift card was loaded you had to use it in 24 months as to the T&C

 

I agree it is a marketing ploy and down right deceitful

 

But that is just my own opinion

 

How much money are we talking?

[unclebulgaria67]

I'll keep this short - I have a gift card which clearly shows a printed start date in 2012 and a card expiry date in 2016.

 

In much smaller letters are also the short T&Cs that say the value will expire 24 months from first load.

 

When I received this I noticed the 2 'facts' contradicted one another but assumed as it was clearly printed "card expires xx/xx/2016" we would have no issues. To back this up I actually emailed customer services back in '14 to check and was not told which is correct, but in actual fact Thomson always honour expired gift cards and vouchers ///:razz:

 

So fast forward a yeara nd of course I try to redeem it and I get a card expired notice - I half expected that but the issue I have is in resolving it. I have tried phoning customer services who just say ignore the date and go by T&Cs; they can't help and I must call my local brand; they can't help either and told me to contact the branch it was purchased from....they too can't help and say head office say 24 months that's that and to ignore the email from Thomsons back in '14 becasue they made a mistake.

 

I can't believe the lack of interest or help in this. It's in black and white that the card expires in 16. I am confident in a court of law they would see this as either a mistake or misleading / confusing information; even without the email from the rep; however I have no more avenues to try and not sure the most effective action to take from here.

 

Send Thomson head office a letter before action with a photo copy of the gift card and details of previous customer services information about the expiry date. Advise them that you want to avoid having to issue a small court claim against them and simply want them to honour the gift card which does not expire until 2016.

 

I suspect they will then resolve and issue another gift card to the value. If they don't you can issue a small court claim online and should win. The t&c's should not overide the expiry date shown, as that does not make any sense and would be unfair.

[unhappyflyer]

It looks to me from the outside the card itself will expire after 2016. That is the same with a credit or bank card. It just means you will need a new card after that date.

 

As soon as the gift card was loaded you had to use it in 24 months as to the T&C

 

I agree it is a marketing ploy and down right deceitful

 

But that is just my own opinion

 

How much money are we talking?

 

So the card expires after 4 years, but the balance expires after 2? That is certainly open to being misinterpreted, especially when this is visually far more prominent. I can't believe the Gov don't have clear legislation on gift cards, they are a nightmare.

[unhappyflyer]

Send Thomson head office a letter before action with a photo copy of the gift card and details of previous customer services information about the expiry date. Advise them that you want to avoid having to issue a small court claim against them and simply want them to honour the gift card which does not expire until 2016.

 

I suspect they will then resolve and issue another gift card to the value. If they don't you can issue a small court claim online and should win. The t&c's should not overide the expiry date shown, as that does not make any sense and would be unfair.

 

Thanks, I will do exactly that.

[obiter dictum]

I must say this

 

Try everthing else first before a letter before action

 

You need to get a full and final response to your complaint or this will go down hill rapidly

 

Stay off the phone, you need a paper trail now

 

If you issue a 14 day leter before action you had better be prepared to go through with it