Voucher expiration

[Russinating]

I was given a voucher 3 years ago for an experience with a local company. It's a weather-dependent experience and the year I was given it I was working overseas for over 100 days throughout the summer, and the year basically flew by. I remember one of the weekends I was back in the UK and available the weather was pants and it wasn't running.

I forgot about it until now when I dug the voucher out of an old box. I've contacted the company and they've basically said "nope, you'll have to just buy it again". It seems pretty harsh, I mean they've already been paid for it, had to do nothing, and earned interest on the payment. They're a small local club and the voucher is hand written by them, it's not from Red Letter Days or anything like that.

I get that vouchers expire in case the product is discontinued, or the price of it increases, but they still offer the identical experience and I offered to pay any difference in price.

Thoughts? Anything else I can go back to then with and offer? The experience costs £99, and I obviously don't know how much it cost originally.

TL;DR: Is it right that vouchers outright expire? And is it fair for a small club to rigidly stick to the expiry and expect the whole thing to be bought in full again once it has expired?

 

[Minstadave]

Which seem to think you’re stuffed:

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/what-are-my-rights-with-gift-vouchers-and-cards

 

[Fubsy]

Why did/do people ever think gift vouchers are a good idea?

Unless I can get them at a discount, they are a total con.

 

[Puzzled]

It does suck and tbh it's designed this way as they know a good percentage will never book the experience so it's just free money.

Also had some which were very vague on if the experience had to be done within x months or just booked.

 

[ANDARIAL]

Why did/do people ever think gift vouchers are a good idea?

Unless I can get them at a discount, they are a total con.

THIS
Cash is KING

 

[dcsarge]

Does the voucher actually state an expiry date? You say it is hand written but I can't see any mention of this. It might be pertinent from a legal standpoint and give you a bit of leverage to renegotiate their 'nope' offer .

 

[Drangueos]

Why did/do people ever think gift vouchers are a good idea?

Unless I can get them at a discount, they are a total con.

Well, usually is intended as a gift like the name suggest and "feels" more personal than just giving the money.
But IMHO, I think it is stupid and I would prefer the money.

 

[Drangueos]

And answering the OP, I think if it doesn't have an expire date, it shouldn't expire.

 

[Diddums]

Those balloons suck anyway.

 

[Semple]

How long was the actual expiry?

To dig it out after 3 years probably does seem a little excessive. Had you been looking to reclaim it a year later and it had expired, then i would probably agree about it being unfair.

 

[Boycey0211]

I was given a voucher 3 years ago for an experience with a local company. It's a weather-dependent experience and the year I was given it I was working overseas for over 100 days throughout the summer, and the year basically flew by. I remember one of the weekends I was back in the UK and available the weather was pants and it wasn't running.

I forgot about it until now when I dug the voucher out of an old box. I've contacted the company and they've basically said "nope, you'll have to just buy it again". It seems pretty harsh, I mean they've already been paid for it, had to do nothing, and earned interest on the payment. They're a small local club and the voucher is hand written by them, it's not from Red Letter Days or anything like that.

I get that vouchers expire in case the product is discontinued, or the price of it increases, but they still offer the identical experience and I offered to pay any difference in price.

Thoughts? Anything else I can go back to then with and offer? The experience costs £99, and I obviously don't know how much it cost originally.

TL;DR: Is it right that vouchers outright expire? And is it fair for a small club to rigidly stick to the expiry and expect the whole thing to be bought in full again once it has expired?

Been in the exact same situation as you (for the same reasons too I think) and the answer is always nope. Lost out on 2 or 3 experience days so far this way

 

[dowie]

Does the voucher actually state an expiry date? You say it is hand written but I can't see any mention of this. It might be pertinent from a legal standpoint and give you a bit of leverage to renegotiate their 'nope' offer .

^^^ this

OP you should clarify this tbh.. your OP mentions vouchers expiring but doesn't actually specify whether this one has one (we can assume it maybe does but then again the fact you've mentioned it is a small company, hand written voucher puts in some doubt).

Id say if it expired a year or two ago I think it is unfortunately going to be tough.

 

[One More Solo]

I remember looking into this a couple of years ago at work and the big voucher selling companies more or less derive all their profits from vouchers that don’t get used before expiry. The numbers were crazy.