To ask for my money back?

[TuesdayRuby]

DD (3.5) was signed up to Forest School pre-Covid. I think I paid around £30 for six lessons, of which we only went to one. We then went into lockdown and they haven’t properly opened up again until now. Well, I’ve moved further afield now and can’t take DD to the sessions! AIBU to contact the centre and ask for my money back? FWIW it’s part of the locally run children’s centre (ie usually runs free playgroups etc).

YANBU - it’s money on your account for a course you can’t attend. Get a refund!
YABU - let the poor children’s centre keep the money!

Pretty sure I have some unused swimming lessons floating around too (pun intended )

I would ask for it back yes

It's not their fault you moved.

Unless it is really going to make a difference to your family budget I’d write it off personally. Groups are really struggling - a friend who runs a toddler group has made 0 income all year & is now running her groups at a loss because a) she can only have smaller numbers than before and b) she has so many credits to work through before she can start charging people again.

For me the hassle wouldn’t be worth it for £25 when they’d probably argue I could use the credit on sessions now if I wanted it.

I think you're being a bit mean asking for £25 back tbh

We were out quite a bit when activities stopped but did not ask for any refunds
Thought it was a difficult enough situation for the providers

I would let it go and let them keep the money. It’s not like you paid for an alternative and are out of pocket.

I would ask for the money back.

I would let them keep the thirty quid. It might not even be refundable.

I think you should ask for it back. They may say no, but there is harm in asking.

I wouldn't ask for money back from a charity or voluntary organisation, though.

I’d write it off. You wouldn’t get your money back if you were ill and had to miss a week or you decided you didn’t like it and didn’t want to go anymore.

I'd probably write it off, but it is a shame companies are not emailing people who have paid with updates or offers to refund.

I'd be much more inclined to let them keep it if they explained what was going on, rather than no info

They've reopened and are available to you, it isn't their issue necessarily that you have now moved away.

Don't ask for it back. They're open, you moved!

Depends how much you need the money

Unless you're desperately In need of the money back, I would personally write it off.

It’s difficult, I didn’t ask for money back from unused swimming lessons or dance classes and have resumed ‘subs’ for these, in fact the football club continued to take the (DD) money this last lockdown to stay afloat

Although my DH has been hit hard this past year (hospitality) and now every penny counts... sometimes I think I was too frivolous in the beginning with things like this

Ask for it back. Why should they keep payment for a service they will not provide to you?

If it wont make much difference to you I wouldn't push for the refunds. These facilities have taken such a hit during lockdown I'd view it as a contribution to.its future.

Write it off

I would send them a nice note telling them how much you enjoyed the session and how you are moving and won't be asking for a refund as you know they've likely had a difficult year and could use it, and/or fund a place for a vulnerable child who can't pay.

I bet that note and your words plus donation would really make their day. It will likely give you a better feeling than twenty five quid will too!

Honestly comes down to how much difference it makes to your families budget.

If things are tight there is no shame and nothing wrong in asking for the money back. If things aren’t then maybe let it go.

I hate the poverty shaming on threads like this. Making people feel bad for not being in a position to simply give away £25 FFS

Yabu. I wouldn't ask for the money back. You moved.

I hate the poverty shaming on threads like this. Making people feel bad for not being in a position to simply give away £25 FFS

But OP had already ‘given it away’
She clearly could afford to swap the money for the classes
For reasons outside her control, she didn’t get the classes but it’s not like she had that money earmarked for food which she didn’t get. It was ‘given away’ for a short activity.

It’s like all the people who whined about delays to holiday refunds and said they ‘couldn’t afford to lose the money’
Well you quite clearly could afford to lose it, because your plan was to go on holiday and then return without that money and without anything to show for it other than a tan.
It’s a sunk cost, it’s budgeted as spent
It was deemed as ‘spare’ money to be spent on a fun activity

I wouldn’t ask for my money back. Every time a card refund is given it costs the business. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see friends struggling because of this. I’ve paid someone I couldn’t use over lockdown every penny I would have spent on his services. He was so, so grateful.

@InsanelyPregnantAndSore

Honestly comes down to how much difference it makes to your families budget.

If things are tight there is no shame and nothing wrong in asking for the money back. If things aren’t then maybe let it go.

I hate the poverty shaming on threads like this. Making people feel bad for not being in a position to simply give away £25 FFS

But what about the small business? Maybe they're not in a position to give away £25.