A consumer who ordered €1,000 in holiday cash from online bureau de change TravelFX has faced difficulties after the currency failed to arrive via Royal Mail Special Delivery. The customer, identified as P.K. from Nottinghamshire, reported that the package, which was sent with guaranteed next-day delivery and tracking, never reached them.
TravelFX stated that the package appeared to be undelivered within the Royal Mail network. The company's policy is to initiate a claim on Royal Mail insurance only after five business days have passed since dispatch. Once this period elapsed, TravelFX began an inquiry with Royal Mail, warning that the process could take up to 30 days and that a refund would not be issued until Royal Mail confirmed the delivery failure.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 mandates that retailers must resolve delivery issues promptly, either through replacement or refund, and within 30 days. Despite this, TravelFX initially declined to discuss the matter directly with a consumer advocate acting on P.K.'s behalf.
When P.K. inquired about initiating a chargeback on the purchase made with a debit card, TravelFX pointed to its terms and conditions. However, consumer lawyer Dean Dunham advised that a chargeback claim for "goods not received" is generally successful within 120 days. Dunham noted potential challenges, as currency is sometimes classified as "quasi-cash," which banks may not cover. He also stated that if tracking shows a parcel was signed for, a chargeback claim could fail, whereas a lost parcel strengthens the claim. Dunham's view was that the chargeback scheme should cover P.K. because, under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods remain at the trader's risk until they reach the customer.
Royal Mail eventually informed TravelFX that the package had been delivered and signed for, leading to the denial of TravelFX's insurance claim. TravelFX provided photographic evidence of delivery, including a package with a hand holding post, but the name and address were not visible. P.K. contested that the signature was not theirs and provided a copy of their driving licence as proof. Following this, communication regarding the signature dispute ceased, and the outcome remains unclear. TravelFX did not offer further comment on the resolution of this specific case.
The article also briefly mentions other consumer issues, including a customer charged £500 for cancelling a faulty broadband service with Gigaclear, a £200 credit with Sky that was initially not applied, a lost parcel sent via Evri, and ongoing phone bills from Giffgaff for a deceased individual.
In summary, consumers facing undelivered online orders should be aware of their rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. If a travel money firm cannot prove delivery, a full refund should be issued. If the firm is uncooperative, customers are advised to contact their bank to request a chargeback, citing the firm's failure to meet its obligations.