To expect a full refund for school trip

[Ilovearcticroll]

My children were due to go on residential visits which have been cancelled because of covid 19. One school has already refunded. The other says it is taking a long time for them to be refunded so our refunds are delayed.

How long is it reasonable to wait? Not too twitchy now, but would like it sorted out before the end of the school year. Or is that unfair?

Not unfair at all. DS’s school ski trip was refunded within about 4 weeks and his outdoor pursuits within about 6.

And, because the wording was a little ambiguous, I'm not sure whether they are implying that we will not be refunded unless and until the travel company refunds them. This doesn't seem quite right.

where do you expect them to get many £thousands from if the travel company or insurance haven’t yet paid up?,

Thanks Edwinbear. I don't want to put pressure on the school, but I uncomfortable with the delay. I have lost more that half of my income due to the virus and money like this plugs little gaps. We won't be destitute without it, but it would be good to have.

Be reasonable, schools don't have thousands sat around. I think it's completely reasonable that they refund you when the holiday company refund them. The school didn't see a pamdemic company, just as you didn't!

Well in fairness, the school cannot refund you until they are reimbursed by the travel company or until an insurance claim is processed and paid out.

If there are delays, what’s can the school do?

We had a school trip cancelled a couple of weeks ago.

Been told by the school refunds will take some time due to them having to get it back first.

Like you our earnings are down due to covid so was hoping it wouldn't take too long but I think we will be waiting a while

The school cant afford to pay you back until they get that money back from the travel company. Schools dont have lots of money lying around spare, more's the pity, and have to account for all expenses.

You surely aren't expecting the school to pay the refund? Of course they are waiting for the travel company!

I'm also waiting for the same by the way. My dd should have been on a residential the week after next. Not heard anything. But it's not the school's fault.

They will be waiting for the funds to be refunded to them. Where does the money come from otherwise?

Some companies have told schools they won't refund and credit the schools against future trips which is obviously completely unhelpful for y6s who won't be at the school to take a trip in future years. Schools don't have funds to refund parents unless the travel companies refund them. I do understand your concern but schools simply can't refund unless the companies do.

The school won’t refund you out of there own money because they don’t have it, they will have to wait for the money back from either A, the travel company or B, the schools insurance. It could take some time as some travel/insurance companies are reluctant to refund and are dragging there feet.
YANU to expect a full refund and within a reasonable time frame though.

Blame the travel company, who are probably dragging their feet or refusing to refund at all, PGL have been mentioned as one that’s being difficult but I’m sure they’re not the only ones.

Of course the school can’t refund people until they get the money back from either the travel company or insurance.

The school won’t be able to refund you until they have been refunded by the travel company. You have to be patient. They won’t have the funds to do it from school budget!

We’re still waiting hoping/for our £100 back for DSS school trip. The school said they would refund directly to us as we paid half with the ex but it wouldn’t surprise me if she’s pocketed it 😂 You’ve just reminded me to get DH to check this week.

I'm not sure whether they are implying that we will not be refunded unless and until the travel company refunds them. This doesn't seem quite right. They'll need to get the money first, they can't just magic it out of thin air when resources are stretched as it is. If you booked a trip for your friends would you think it was fair if they were expecting you to refund them without you being refunded by the travel company?

YANBU to expect a timely refund from the travel company but YABVU if you think the school should plug the gap or spend large amounts of time chasing this up whilst simultaneously online teaching and trying to plan for the next stages.

It's a rubbish situation all round particularly for group trips. Heard last night that a local scout group trip is running into difficulties as - in order to save money and keep costs down - everything was booked independently so it's proving very difficult to refund individual parents.

Nobody could have predicted what has happened and I guess it's a salutary future lesson to read through insurance T&Cs with a fine tooth comb before committing money to anything.

I think you need to concentrate on pressuring the school about what they are doing to secure the refund. If they're not putting pressure on the travel company, up to and including threatening to sue them, it's not surprising that the company isn't hurrying to pay them back.

Well it sounds like they fully intend to refund when they get the money so I think you are being a tad wee bit UR. My friend is still fighting to get a refund for her March holiday so it can take time.

Who do you think should foot the bill then op? The school should pay out of its meagre budget now? Most travel companies are working through in order of month and will get to you when they can.
I'm sorry, I'm just ticking along at the moment and saving where I can. Both husband and I are more than 20% down as hours have been reduced at work - just to show we aren't being smug with plenty of cash - but honestly I'm so fed up with people complaint about refunds for travel / holidays.
Do you want there to be hotels / travel companies / airlines post covid? If so, give them a chance. They have no income and thousands upon thousands of cancellations.
Nobody is mentioning all the insurance companies sitting back and keeping policy money. It is wrong on all levels that none of them are paying anyone because covid-19 isn't named. individuals have paid travel insurance, companies have insured their businesses, and nobody is getting anything. I strongly feel that insurance companies should have had to share the load at the very least. It's what they've been paid for.

Our school have had to wait for PGL to cancel before they could even begin the process of refunds

YABU to think the school should refund you before they have been refunded. I’m curious as to why you thought this would be the case.
If you had booked a concert for a group of friends which was cancelled, would you refund them before you had received the money yourself?

I would expect the school to be chasing heavily though

YABU. The school needs to receive the refund first.

Yes schools may not have thousands sitting around, but something they CAN (and should) do that doesn't cost money is to keep parents informed about what the current situation is.

It doesn't take much effort to say the reason the delay and when you can expect to hear further updates, and stops parents fretting and continually chasing the school.