B&Q Credit Note Expiry Date, What Are My Rights?

[Jonah2011]

Hi All,

 

Newbie with 1st post.

 

I took back an item to B&Q just over 12 months ago (5th May 2010) and received a credit note from them for £40. I have just found the credit note and guess what there is an expiry date of 5th May 2011, Nooooo!

I contacted B&Q customers service via email and they sent this response:-

 

"All of our credit notes have an expiry date clearly printed on them detailing a twelve month expiry period. Unfortunately we cannot offer you the value of the credit note, as we feel this is an adequate amount of time to cover any circumstances that may occur. The terms and conditions are also printed clearly on the credit note explaining that this will expire.

 

We are very sorry that you have had reason to complain but trust that this now clarifies our position on the matter."

 

I believe that the £40 credit is still my money and B&Q still owe me this. Is this email is a "fob off" email designed to try and stop me pursuing this any further and what do I do next?

 

Your help is much appreciated.

 

Jonah (fingers crossed!)

[BigAllyMac]

You don't say why you took the item back and this is the key. If you returned it simply because you changed your mind about having bought it then B&Q were not required by any law to either accept it back or to give you a refund. The fact that they did is a plus for you and they are perfeclty within their rights to time limit the credit note. One year is in fact quite generous as many retailers limit them to 6 months.

 

If on the other hand you returned the item because it was faulty then you were entitled to either have it replaced or to have received a full cash refund. If this is the case then you need to pursue B&Q on the basis that the way in which they refunded you was wrong and that they do have a liability to you to either accept the credit note or to give you it's cash value.

[perplexity]

It is not clear, even if an item was returned as faulty. They could say that the £40 credit was a complimentary gratuity, not an admission of liability.

 

Why settle for the credit, not a proper refund to start with?