Go ape Unresolved Refund Issue

[mensha]

Recently, I visited Go Ape (https://goape.co.uk/) with a group of people. When paying for tickets, we each submitted our own information and made separate card payments. Even though we were part of a group, we completed individual consent forms and transactions.
Immediately after my payment, lady instructor said to whole group if anyone wants to get full refund we are happy to give you. I decided to cancel my ticket. The staff at the reception assured me that I would receive a full refund within two weeks directly back to the card I used.
However, a month has passed, and I still haven’t received my refund. When I contacted customer service, they claimed the refund was issued to another member of my group and advised me to retrieve the money from them.
I have repeatedly explained that:

1. I do not have contact with the other group members.
2. The refund should be returned to my account, as I was the one who cancelled my own ticket, not someone else’s.

Despite my emails, they keep insisting I contact a group member who paid after me. This is not feasible—I don’t know these individuals, and tracking them down would be difficult. What should I do now? Is there any way to get my refund back directly from Go Ape? Sent multiple emails and they are saying same thing take money from someone else because financial team sent the money some one acount in the group.

You need to make an official complaint and also speak with your bank.

Why did you cancel immediately? None of this makes sense.

Eh?
Why bother going, paying and then cancelling immediately after?

Surely if you asked for a refund there and then, they would have had to have you tap your card on the card reader to issue the refund. Did you do that?

In goape, instructor gave us option in initial lecture. Anyone wants to cancel your ticket please step back and take your full refund and we are happy to give you full refund from step 1. Thats why, I decided to step back and cancel. What bank can do? They did not send money in my account. They sent someone else account. Goape share four digits of his/her account to contact and locate a person lol

How much was the ticket and did you use a credit or debit card?

But if you paid by card, you would have been refunded by card not by a bank transfer

I asked to receptionist for tapping she said our system will not do that you will receive your money in your account and I received email immediately with cancellation of ticket and refund money receipt. She told me your money will be sent within two weeks. Sadly, did not happen and now they said we sent money in someone else account who was from your travel group.

Is this some sort of stealth advertisment for Go Ape? Because as others have said this is making little sense

And why bring it to mumsnet? Your bank doing a reverse charge would be a more logical step

They should have refunded you but I don’t know why you don’t know the group organiser so you can phone him.

It’s unlikely it was just a random group of people who met in the car park so Im presuming you must know one person who should know the others and can contact the person who got the refund. Quickly before they spend it.

No, that doesn't happen.

Any time a refund is issued, it is issued by the same method of payment. If you pay by card, youre refunded by card, if you pay by bacs, youre refunded by bacs.

Ive worked in all manner of customer services, face to face and online, and have never once issued a refund in a different way to how the original payment was taken.

1. You said you visited WITH a group, so you must have a way of contacting this person - it's inconceivable that you can't, even through a friend of a friend.
2. You said you paid from your own card - who did you pay? The refund comes from whomever you paid - either GA or this group member.
3. If you can't resolve this sensibly then reverse the charge via your bank from whomever you paid.
4. Why withdraw minutes after you paid? Did the instructor say something in the introduction that led you to think that it wouldn't be your kind of thing? What did you do then? Just wait for everyone else to do the course?

Sorry there are so many gaps in this story - or inconsistencies - that it's hard to advise you specifically.

Yes! Come to GoApe and see how bad our customer service and refund policy is! 😂

Not exactly good advertising!

I don't really understand why you wanted a refund after only just booking. Did you not know what Go Ape was?
Have you properly checked your bank details for a refund? Sometimes mine has linked the refund back to the original date of payment rather than it being dated for now so you have to scroll back to find it.

Why did you go to go ape with a group of people you don’t know and why make a payment and complete the forms then immediately ask for a refund? Why after doing the forms and payment did the instructor offer a full refund?

I think some people go and don't realise how high up it is/ get too scared.

This is probably why instructors give people a chance to back out

What made you want to cancel?

I wondered if it was that.

My partner, son and stepson paid for GoApe but the instructor said something and my partner and stepson bailed out. It was something to do with the height. My son went up and down and around and had a whale of a time.

Have you never had to get a refund before? You don't seem to understand how payments work.

Are you absolutely sure payment was taken from your card and not refunded? Do you have a statement showing the card payment being taken from your account? I’m just wondering if the money didn’t even go out since you cancelled it straight away.

This. I don’t understand.

Who were this group who you didn't know? Why did you go all the way there and then decide not to at least try it?

Surely they won’t have been able to refund you by bank transfer as they didn’t even have your bank details if you paid by card

Read a few times and don’t understand what happened why were you getting a refund ?

Your given the chance to back out after the initial talk through some people take it