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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have expected a refund or next visit free voucher

166 replies

Arkwright · 06/04/2016 20:03

We went to the zoo for the day. Paid the extortionate entry fees for the 4 of us. Ten minutes inside the zoo my Dd was very sick. There was no warning of this she was absolutely fine before. We left straight away as she looked awful and still felt sick. My husband took her to the car and cleaned her up. I went to the desk and explained and asked if we could have a refund or a voucher to come again another day. They refused and offered us 10% off another visit. I even wrote in and received the same answer. So we paid a whole days charge for a 10 minute visit. So were the zoo being unreasonable?

OP posts:
bakeoffcake · 06/04/2016 20:50

Yanbu.

That's really bad customer service, you a rent likely to go back now, so they've lost a customer.

Kaddy · 06/04/2016 20:52

Ywnbu and the zoo wbu.

I'm actually really suprised that they didn't offer to swap your tickets for another day. I would have done the same thing as you. I would have been very, very polite and apologetic when I asked but I would secretly be expecting them to swap the tickets.

It's spectacularly mean not to.

I don't think the zoo would want an official 'cut off time' for swapping tickets but regardless 10 minutes would have to be on the right side of the harshest of time limits. Confused

Original poster
Arkwright · 06/04/2016 20:52

The money we used was given to us by my parents specifically for this zoo trip as they had heard how good it was. I stated all this in my letter but they were not interested. I do now tell anyone going to this area on holiday our experience of the zoo.

OP posts:
eatyouwithaspoon · 06/04/2016 20:54

I think they were BU; there are not limited seat numbers in a zoo and to give you a free return ticket. I dont think you were being grabby to request it either £70 is a huge ammount of money to lose - it would have cost them nothing to do this as a goodwill gesture.
Not exactly good publicity if you name them.

coveredinhopeandvaseline · 06/04/2016 20:55

Zoos make me sick too.

GirlOverboard · 06/04/2016 20:55

YABU. They met their end of the bargain and it's not their fault you had to leave early. But it would have been good customer service to offer you free tickets for the next day. I'm assuming you weren't being rude or pushy to the lady on the desk? You have to be super nice in these situations and stress that you know they're under no obligation to give you a refund. Play the sympathy card.

Lovewatchingrainfall · 06/04/2016 21:00

I have had a similar thing happen to me. I paid ALOT of money for a well known Aquarium however as soon as I had paid and walked about 2 min my daughter passed out we ended up calling an ambulance. Ended up in hospital and then when home wrote to the company and told them what had happened and all we got back was a letter saying sorry but they don't give refunds or any other vouchers. So won't go back there.

I hope you get some better response from the company. And glad your little one is feeling better

Original poster
Arkwright · 06/04/2016 21:00

I did start off nice but it was very much "Computer says no" type of answer. She wasn't interested in the slightest. I then lost my cool but wasn't rude to her. I couldn't believe it when I received the letter back from her. I thought they would have a specific complaints department.

OP posts:
GirlOverboard · 06/04/2016 21:01

Also do the zoo have a Facebook page? You'd probably have more luck posting your complaint there rather than contacting them privately. Companies suddenly become a lot more helpful when you complain about them on social media.

argentinasaurs · 06/04/2016 21:02

You all must have a lot of money to burn to just right off £70 like that. What I meant is that he would be annoyed at losing that amount of money to 10 mins. It seems a bit unfair considering they could verify they were there for 10 mins. How is it grabby to want what you have paid for ?!

Looly71 · 06/04/2016 21:02

Yanbu. For the sake of customer goodwill they should have given you vouchers for another visit. It would have cost them exactly nothing and when you came back you wd spend money on drinks and ice creams etc.

Notso · 06/04/2016 21:06

I think it's bad customer service. I once wrote complained to a zoo about having to pay 'peak' prices but loads of things were shut saying it was off peak season. We got free tickets.

Floggingmolly · 06/04/2016 21:13

How old is your dd? Did she really go from absolutely fine to vomiting in 10 minutes?? If she's old enough to have told you she was feeling iffy before you handed over the cash I'd be very unimpressed with her

Original poster
Arkwright · 06/04/2016 21:19

She is 10 so old enough to have told us. She said she felt fine though before. It came completely out of the blue. It was an hours drive from where we staying and she had her breakfast and didn't feel unwell at all.

OP posts:
YesIcan · 06/04/2016 21:21

Yanbu.
What exactly is £70 for? Is it 'entry' or a 'day pass'.
If you paid using your credit card could you get refunded that way? Failing that I'd look at small claims.

I'm amazed so many people think the zoo are reasonable in this.

Original poster
Arkwright · 06/04/2016 21:29

It's an entrance fee. I normally pay by card for things but as my parents had given us the cash I used that unfortunately.

OP posts:
argentinasaurs · 06/04/2016 21:33

I am too yesca I can't believe so many people can just right off £70. Beyond the fact it seems like really bad customer service

EweAreHere · 06/04/2016 21:34

Tweet your disappointment to them. Make it public on their twitter account. It's your best chance of getting them to reconsider their lack of goodwill.

Honestly, goodwill goes a long way in return business. They should know this.

DontcarehowIwantitnow · 06/04/2016 21:35

Failing that I'd look at small claims.

Wow

Make sure you check all t&c before even thinking about that!

They may not be morally right but legally they have done nothing wrong.

YesIcan · 06/04/2016 21:36

Is there a legal impediment to naming them? You have the receipt and the emails so you can verify what happened and everything you have posted.

I'd like to know what aquariums and zoos etc. think that this is ok.
I would look into small claims.

DontcarehowIwantitnow · 06/04/2016 21:37

I can't believe so many people can just right off £70.

It isn't a case of 'just writing £70 off' It isn't the zoos fault.

Sirzy · 06/04/2016 21:38

Small claims on what premis?

Ok it would have been a nice gesture for the to offer a return ticket, but they are under no obligation to do so!

Andrewofgg · 06/04/2016 21:40

Small claim?

Yesican you jest.

No chance.

bluespiral · 06/04/2016 21:42

Yabu, because where are they supposed to draw the line on refunds?

On the face of it, a refund after 10 minutes doesn't seem unreasonable but what if it were 15? Half an hour? 45 minutes? At what point should they draw the line?

You'd already entered the attraction so I can completely understand why they wouldn't refund.

lottielou7 · 06/04/2016 21:45

I think YABU, sorry. It would be like not being able to fly because your child had chicken pox and wanting the airline to give you a refund.