is it too late to complain?

[Disney Nut]

Does anyone know how long you have to complain with virgin We traveled with them last year and i didn't bother to complain about the awful service we had. After reading other posts on this site i think maybe i should have. Am I too late???

[Keith]

Does anyone know how long you have to complain with virgin We traveled with them last year and i didn't bother to complain about the awful service we had. After reading other posts on this site i think maybe i should have. Am I too late???

It's never too late to complain but the earlier the better obviously if you're expecting some form of compensation as the outcome.

So the question you have to ask is, what do you want to get out of complaining?

If the answer is you just want to let them know in the strongest terms how unhappy you were? Then yep, complain and you'll probably get a reply saying how sorry they are that you had a bad time and ensuring you that it's not typical of the service.

If you're after some kind of compensation, you MAY be lucky? but the longer you leave it the less chance.

[WesD]

I have no idea of the official "complaint period" but I'm guessing that a year is too long to wait.

With purchases you get 6 months to complain to the shop, then after that its the manufacturers warranty... but thats probably not relevant at all! :shrug:

[Keith]

I have no idea of the official "complaint period" but I'm guessing that a year is too long to wait.

With purchases you get 6 months to complain to the shop, then after that its the manufacturers warranty... but thats probably not relevant at all! :shrug:

Actually a consumer has six years from the time they buy something in which to make a claim but they only have a relatively short period to get a full refund (often 30days) after which they have 'accepted' the item. If it then turns out to faulty, it's all about claiming compensation.

There are prescribed longevity assumptions for consumer items now as well.. so for example, a washing machine shouldn't break under normal use within x years. If it does, then it should be fixed free. The consumer industry isn't keen for people to know this because they take an incredible amount of money through extended warranties which of course are for the most part completely unnecessary thanks to the new laws.

Anyway, doesn't help much with the virgin thing :) but it's interesting anyway

[WesD]

True you get 6 years to make a claim on a product that was faulty at the time of sale, but if you are making your claim after 6 months from the date of purchase you have to prove that the fault was in fact present at the time of sale. Which can be very difficult!

You're right, not at all relevant to virgin flights!

[Keith]

True you get 6 years to make a claim on a product that was faulty at the time of sale, but if you are making your claim after 6 months from the date of purchase you have to prove that the fault was in fact present at the time of sale. Which can be very difficult!


Nope you don't. The amended sale of goods act provides for a product that was fully functional at point of sale but then goes wrong later... such as a washing machine that breaks after a year and a half.

I know where you're coming from though.... during the first 6 months from time of purchase, there is a reversed burden of proof. In other words, the retailer has to prove that the goods did conform to contract and weren't faulty.. after 6 months, the burden of proof reverts to the consumer :)

[WesD]

Sounds good to me! :)

[Keith]

Sounds good to me! :)

It's really rather good yep! As consumers we have a lot more rights now than we ever did! It's just a shame people pay for extended warranties because they don't know all their rights :(

[american idol]

It's really rather good yep! As consumers we have a lot more rights now than we ever did! It's just a shame people pay for extended warranties because they don't know all their rights :(


so where do we find out all these rights then?

[WesD]

Well I was lookin at this site... http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/topics1/saleandsupply.htm

but it doesn't seem to have the info keith was talkin about! Might be useful for other stuff tho! I hope I'm allowed to link to that site :rolleyes:

[Keith]

That site Wes linked to is a good place to start! click on the fact sheets.

It's just that it's an overview but a useful one still.

For example it says "An item only needs to last as long as it is reasonable to expect it to, taking into account all the factors. An oil filter would usually not last longer than a year but that would not mean it was unsatisfactory."

Which is absolutely true of course... but over time, there have been cases that have decided how long is "reasonable" for all sorts of things. So for example, you buy a washing machine and it dies a day after the warranty runs out (1yr 1day for example). That's unreasonable and there's no need for an extended warranty, you're due a repair (subject to you having "normal use that would be expected of such a device").

Basically, turn down extended warranties.. you're paying for a right you already have... if something breaks, contact the shop... if (perhaps when) they say no, contact trading standards who really will be helpful!