Debenhams refusing refund **Resolved**

[johnjordan]

My wife ordered a dress online from Debenhams on 17th December with a stated delivery of 4-5 working days which included Saturdays although I was a slightly sceptical about this delivery in view of Christmas.

Anyway the dress did not arrive and when I questioned Debenhams as to where it was and when we could expect it to arrive I was told that it was actually coming from the manufacturer of the dress, Phase Eight, and not themselves so they were unable to tell me anything until they had contacted Phase Eight and received their reply.

 

 

To cut a long story short the dress has still not arrived and I telephoned Debenhams this morning to say I wanted a refund. I was told that they had received a 'template'(?) from Phase Eight yesterday stating that the dress had not yet been dispatched but that for "technical reasons" they could not process the refund just yet. I asked to be transferred to someone more senior and that person told me that he would have to check with Phase Eight to see if the dress had been dispatched.

 

I told him what the previous person had just told me but he said that that person would have had no way of knowing if it had been dispatched or not so I asked him if it was Debenhams policy to lie to customers. Then came the big back tracking exercise,lol.

 

He then said he could not process the refund as there were technical problems between them and Phase Eight but I pointed out to him that those problems were not my problem and that my contract was with Debenhams, not Phase Eight, and that payment had been made by myself to Debenhams, not Phase Eight and that Debenhams should refund me forthwith and then claim the amount from Phase Eight when the technical issues were resolved.

 

 

I hope I was correct in my argument with them and would appreciate any further advice.

 

Happy New Year to you all.

Edited December 30, 2014 by citizenB
spacing for easier reading

[rebel11]

Hi JohnJordan

 

The following applies to online transactions:-

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265898/consumer-contracts-information-cancellation-and-additional-payments-regulations-2013.pdf

 

You could write a Formal Letter of Complaint, mark it as such. Explain what's happened, how they have let you down and what you want them to do.

 

Send it to:-

 

Mr Michael Sharp

Chief Executive

Debenhams

[email protected]

[silverfox1961]

Hi,

You were most definitely right in your claim that the contract was with you and Debenhams, not their supplier.

 

With online orders, unless you have stated that 'time is of the essence' then they have up to 30 days to deliver even though the site does say 4-5 days.

 

I suggest you stay off the phone and email the CEO

 

[email protected]

 

or write to

 

10 Brock Street, Regent's Place, London, NW1 3FG

[silverfox1961]

Bu**er, Rebel beat me to it

[johnjordan]

Bu**er, Rebel beat me to it

 

Now now, no arguing in front of the customers,lol.

 

Many thanks for the information. I will inform Debenhams that I will not have any more dealings by phone and that I have emailed the boss as suggested.

 

Thanks again.

[ericsbrother]

they have 28 days to refund.

[johnjordan]

Just to update that my email to the CEO was answered the same day, a refund processed the next day and received into my account 2 days later all thanks to the advice given on here.

 

Thank you.

[johnjordan]

And I forgot to add that they have sent a £15 voucher for the inconvenience.

 

Result all round.

[silverfox1961]

Well done. Just a shame the staff don't know the law as much as the CEO obviously does.

[citizenB]

Excellent news