Think an organisation misled you or the product was not as advertised? Here are some general advice that may help you get your money back.
Request a refund by email
A difficult company would try to avoid paying out refunds, so you want to get this right the first time.
Request a refund by sending an email to the organisation’s official email address. Emails provide evidence for your correspondence and is a more formal approach than calling by calling or texting.
Be polite and direct in your request for a refund. Cite their own refund policy in your request, as well as the date or time-frame you expect the organisation to process the refund. At this stage, it may not be necessary to mention the reason for your dissatisfaction, unless you feel it is relevant and necessary.
If they ignore your first email
Give them a few days to reply back. If you do not hear from them, send another email as a forward to your original email. State that this is your second attempt to reaching them. It might be necessary to contact individuals from the organisation letting them know that an email was sent, and for them to look into it.
If they offer you freebies instead
Some companies might attempt to avoid paying out by giving you additional benefits ‘for free’ or signing you to a new contract at a discounted price. Whilst you can to take up the offer, just bear in mind that you may forgo the opportunity of a refund on the original product.
Furthermore, it may not be to your advantage to discuss your options – or even your experiences – as some organisations may use it to ‘guilt trip’ you from seeking refunds or use high-pressure sales tactics to retain you as a customer. Keep your focus and maintain your original request for a refund.
If they delay the refund
Their claim to process refunds within 30 days should mean 30 days, and delaying the process could be grounds for further actions against them. Send another email by replying to the last email they sent you, and find out why they did not honour the terms of their refund.
If you suspect foul play
For some organisations, it becomes necessary to contact your bank or credit card company for a chargeback. If you paid using the positive balance in your PayPal account, it might be necessary to contact PayPal and open an official dispute. There may be a time-limit to chargebacks, and will depend on your bank or card company.
If everything fails
What can you do if the time limit for refunds has gone, and you are not eligible for a chargeback with your bank or card company?
- Seek help from Citizens Advice
- Report the organisation to Trading Standards.
- Report the organisation to Advertising Standards Authority
- Gather support from others similarly affected and take the organisation to court for misleading you.
According to Citizens Advice, you may do this if the following applies:
- you received the wrong information
- you received incorrect advice which product is best for you
- you were told you need to make additional purchases for a product
- they exaggerated the product compared to other products
- they advertising something a discount when it was never sold at full price
- keeping key information hidden or obscured about a product
Even if the seller made mistakes, it still counts as misleading selling, and you may still have a claim against them.
Disclaimer: Muslim Reviews cannot help individuals with their specific financial problem. Our advice is general. Muslim Reviews does not give, or claims to give, professional advice. We encourage everyone to always seek independent, qualified, legal counsel.