...to expect a refund for unused trampolining vouchers

[Oddoneout63]

I tried in vain to book a party for my son some time ago with a trampolining centre. I had to postpone 3/4 times, as various people couldn't make it. Parents didn't respond to my requests to confirm dates either, which didn't help. I wanted to scrap the whole thing as it's a long way to go and no-one seemed willing to commit to the party. I had to book a 'slot' to reserve a time for the party so I could tell parents when it would be. They don't take a deposit - expecting you to pay in full when booking.

When I spoke to the centre to ask if I could cancel and get a refund as I just couldn't get the party sorted, and pointed out that I had tried to reschedule several times, they refused. I explained that I just couldn't get people to commit and that this was a lot of money for me to lose. All they would offer was vouchers to use later. I don't think I'll ever go there as the kids are now on to the next fad and it is quite a trek to get there - we hardly ever travel that way.

Do I have any redress at all?

What were the terms and conditions when you booked?

I wouldn't expect them to give you a refund at all, tbh. It's not their fault that people couldn't make it and you didn't get replies, they could have said no to your attempted rescheduling- after all, you could have lost them custom if they had enquiries for a date that you had booked and later rescheduled. I think them offering you vouchers is fine.

Sounds like they have been fairly accommodating to be honest, YABU.

Did you book it in person or over the phone? What do their T&C say? How many times have you changed the slot?

They must surely have terms and conditions upon booking? They could perhaps argue, that by reserving a slot for you on multiple occasions which you then cancelled, they lost custom from elsewhere.

YABU. Not their problem you can't book it. You've already probably annoyed them by moving it more than once.

FWIW just book and tell people the date - in trying to be so considerate to the guests you've fucked yourself over!

I think that the centre was generous in offering you vouchers. Take them and rebook.

OK IABU.

At least I have some vouchers. At the least - I suppose I could give them to other people's children as gifts if I knew they wanted to go?

Just bugs me that they ask for the whole amount up front. Most places like this [I have 3 kids so have booked loads of things like this over the years] take a non-refundable deposit and you pay the balance when you get there.

Well, then the question is why didn't you book with "most places"? Probably because they weren't the same at all?

Give the vouchers as gifts or sell them on.