currency exchage issue with Indian Ruppes they wont buy back.

[julesverne]

Hi apologies if this is the wrong part of forum im posting in.

 

i bought 45000 indian rupees in 500 and 1000 rupee denominations on ) Oct 13th last month. for my holiday in feb 2017 From TravelFX by Bank transfer (wish i'd paid by credit card now but they only accepted Bank transfers)

then beginning of this month indian prime minister declares all 500 and 1000 in effect null and void.

 

its nearly £550.00 worth and TravelFX wont buy them back. even though though they have a buy back policy. and now wont communicate with me any further even though i have been polite at all stages in communications with them.

i stated to them that i should get a refund as a consumer under the sale of goods act, but they replied bureau de change transactions are not covered by the act.

is this true im shocked if it is.

 

ive explored all avenues in the uk with indian banks etc but nobody will take them so i believe my hope is to get the currency exchange to take them back and refund me.

surely my purchase must be covered under some sort of consumer law.

 

Any Help would be much appreciated and as with all help i've received in the past i will be making a donation to the forum

[honeybee13]

Hello there. I can understand why you're annoyed.

 

Is there any background to this, like was it an overnight change or was there a warning that larger notes would become null and void? With it being in the space of a few weeks, you'd think that TravelFX would have been aware.

 

HB

[MaxxPower]

This was a change the Indian government made with less than 24 hours notice I believe.

The idea behind it was that 500 and 1000 notes were a favourite for criminal uses so short notice was given to prevent giving criminal groups time to more gradually exchange large amounts of notes.

[julesverne]

yes it was literally an overnight change.

i dont have an issue as such with the idea on their part.

 

but i assumed i would be covered by the sale of goods act to get a refund as they are literally not fit for purpose anymore. but Travelfx have said no refund and not covered by the sale of goods act Is this True.

[julesverne]

could it be covered under the consumer rights act.

[WarrenBuffet]

Any major bank in the UK should exchange them, you will be stung with their charges though. If they refuse contact the FCA and report them.

[julesverne]

Any major bank in the UK should exchange them, you will be stung with their charges though. If they refuse contact the FCA and report them.

have tried and they wont because they are no longer legal tender in tender in india.

[honeybee13]

One of the websites I read said that these notes can be handed in at banks and post offices in India and presumably exchanged for new notes, up to the end of this year.

 

I'd have thought the FX people could organise this if they have enough clients involved. Or do you have someone in India who could arrange to take your notes in?

 

HB

[steampowered]

I had a look at TravelFX's buyback policy for you. It doesn't look like the buy back policy is mandatory. It only says "we will consider the purchase back of unused currency". So any buyback is optional. It also says the exchange rate is the rate on the day of receipt, not the rate the currency was originally purchased for. The exchange rate value of Rp. 500 and Rp. 1,000 notes is now zero.

 

I don't think the Consumer Rights Act (replacing Sale of Goods Act for consumer transactions) will help you. This Act requires that goods are satisfactory quality and fit for purpose on the date they were sold. The Rp. 500 and Rp 1,000 notes were satisfactory quality and fit for purpose when you bought them.

 

I don't think you can hold TravelFX responsible for the Indian government's actions after you bought the currency. After you bought the currency, the risk of the Indian government coming along and deciding that Rp. 500 and Rp. 1,000 notes are no longer valid tender is your risk as the owner of the currency.

 

Unfortunately I don't think you have any consumer law protection. Hopefully the Indian government will step forward and find a way to resolve the total mess they have made. There must be lots of others in the same situation.

[king12345]

http://www.bankofindia.uk.com/english/ContactUs.aspx

 

Maybe the bank of india in UK will accept them.

[honeybee13]

That's a very good point, King.

 

You made me think of the Indian High Commission here and I found some guidance on their website for people holding rupee notes and not currently in India.

 

https://www.hcilondon.in/what.php?id=468

 

HB