'I want a refund for my Wowcher holiday'
Do you have an issue you need put right? Which? is here to help get your consumer problems sorted.
Dear Which?
I bought a break to Krakow from Wowcher for £342.98, which included flights and a stay in a Hilton hotel.
But after redeeming the voucher with The Travel Makers - the third-party provider - I was told that the Hilton hotel was no longer available. They then offered me what I felt were inferior alternatives to the advertised accommodation.
I asked for a refund, but have struggled to get anywhere. Despite repeated attempts to resolve the issue, no action has been taken, and I feel that Wowcher have continuously deflected responsibility.
Can Which? help me get my money back?
Raj, Cambridgeshire
Put to Rights
Hannah Downes, Which? consumer rights expert, says:
It's frustrating that Wowcher have failed to fulfill what was promised in their deal - and even more infuriating that they've been so slow to refund you.
We contacted Wowcher and The Travel Makers to try and speed things along.
Wowcher told us it had contacted The Travel Makers to confirm the cancellation when Raj had first complained. It said: 'The Travel Makers' delayed response fell short of the service standards we expect, which regrettably caused a delay in returning his funds, and we accept that our customer service team could have escalated this sooner to avoid the unnecessary delays.'
It says it will monitor The Travel Makers' performance and review its own processes.
The Travel Makers said its Wowcher deals are subject to specific parameters it must follow when arranging travel and accommodation. It told us that its team provided Raj with the best available arrangements aligned with his preferred dates and destinations, within the scope of the deal.
Wowcher and The Travel Makers have since refunded Raj, and the deal has been removed from Wowcher's site.
But, unfortunately, this isn't the first time we've heard from a Wowcher customer experiencing issues with their holiday vouchers.
If you are unhappy with your voucher, follow our tips below to get your money back.
Need to know
- If you're struggling to book your Wowcher holiday, look at the voucher's T&Cs to see what your refund rights are. Remember that under the Consumer Rights Act, all goods or services supplied by a company must match any description given to you at the point of purchase.
- If neither Wowcher or the third-party supplier respond to your complaint, you can try making a chargeback claim (if you paid by debit card) or a Section 75 claim (if you paid by credit card) with your bank. You can use our free tool to start your claim.
- If your claim is rejected, you can escalate a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Get in touch. If you've got a consumer rights problem you need put right email us at yourstory@which.co.uk
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