Aibu or 60% way too much too charge

[PricillaQueenOfTheDesert]

My DH received some vouchers from his boss for something quite a while ago. Sadly we misplaced the vouchers, but we knew they’d turn up.

I found the offending vouchers a few days ago tucked inside a book and they had gone out of date. An email to EdenRed to ask how we could go about exchanging them for some that were still in date resulted in a reply that said “we can exchange your £50 worth of vouchers but at a cost of £30”. So basically we send them £50and they will replace them with £20of vouchers.

That is horrendous,! I was expecting 10% maybe a bit more, but are EdenRed taking the piss to charge £30 for exchanging a few vouchers?

Ive replied and told them we won’t be bothering to return them, I think it’s a shitty attitude they have.

I know that I put expiry dates on mine for accountancy reasons in case I ever go bust but I would have to extend them if it was ever questioned. My financial advisor is American though so I’m not 100% sure where the law is here.

Why would they exchange them at all? If they were willing to do that, what would be the point of putting an expiry date on them in the first place?

This is why you should never give vouchers. Theyre a total con

I no longer give vouchers. My BIL lost loads of money when Woolworth went out of business because he had some vouchers he'd been given vouchers for his birthday a few days before they announced they were closing and they refused to accept their own vouchers from that point on. Now I give cash rather than vouchers. It also doesn't restrict where it is spent.

I think you're fortunate that the company agreed to give you anything really.

Exactly how out of date are they?

Seriously?! You’re pissed off that you lost your vouchers and now they’re out of date?! All vouchers have an expiry date- this is made clear in the small print which is either on the voucher themselves or in the info that comes with them. You can’t be pissed off that you let your vouchers go out of date and now the company won’t just give you a fresh set for nothing when their terms were made abundantly clear to you.

You’re lucky they didn’t just turn round and say “tough luck”, most other retailers would!

I was reliably told that there was no longer an expiration date as it was against the law.

I’m afraid you weren’t.

i got given a voucher last year from a shop i usually like and I STILL havent found anything I want to get with it. Hope it doesnt expire too soon

Let this be a lesson to all.
Vouchers are often a pain the arse.
The retail industry makes millions every year on unused vouchers!

In America they have varying laws depending on which state. In the UK there are no laws saying that gift certificates can't expire.

Basically if the expiry date was clearly stated on the vouchers, then its tough. You are fortunate to be able to redeem £20 of the voucher.

I issue gift vouchers with an expiry date, as I am a solo worker. If I was to have to stop work for whatever reason, I would only have a liability for gift vouchers issued in the last year. This gives me a little bit of protection. It also means that if I plan to stop work, I don't have to spend the last six months working only for people that have gift vouchers bought in the last fifteen years.

Having said that, I honour expired vouchers generally. But it gives me the legal get out clause if I needed it for whatever reason.

ShatnersWig
The principle isn't at the same. In once case there is an exchange of money for goods and in another there is an exchange of money for the promise of good.
I still see why they need to have an expiry but to say its the same thing is daft. If you still don't believe me, next time your kid is hungry, try giving him a voucher for a tin of beans and see if that satisfies him.