Phones 4U, which went into administration earlier this month, has confirmed that those who pre-ordered the iPhone 6 will not have their deposit refunded. So what can you do if you’re left out of pocket?
iPhones are an enduringly popular phone and the excitement around the iPhone 6 was no exception. But for some customers that excitement is quickly dissolving into annoyance.
On 15 September, Phones 4U announced it was going into administration, pledging to refund customers in full for any order that had not yet been dispatched.
However, the story has taken a turn as Phones 4U has since said that it will not be refunding those customers any longer. So is there any way you can get your deposit money back?
How to get an iPhone 6 pre-order refund
The former phone supplier is now encouraging customers to contact their credit card providers, under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act – which makes the credit card company jointly responsible for breach of contract (here, the failure to supply the phone).
To claim under Section 75, the item (in this case, your iPhone 6) must cost over £100. However, the card company is liable even if you made only part of the payment (a deposit, say) on your card.
Your rights if you’ve paid by debit card
What happens if you didn’t use a credit card to make a payment? Well, if you used a debit card you may be able to make a claim using chargeback, as long as you act within 120 days.
The difference with chargeback is that it isn’t enshrined into law in the same way as Section 75 is. Instead it’s provided by the relevant card network eg. Visa or Mastercard.
Sadly, this is a situation we’re all too familiar with when companies go into administration. Last year saw a spate of stores, including HMV, Jessops and Blockbuster, heading for the chopping block.
Of course, you might remember that HMV managed to pull itself back from the depths. And it now looks on course to overtake Amazon as the UK’s biggest music and DVD retailer.
Did you pre-order an iPhone 6 or another phone from Phones 4U before it went into administration? Are you going to attempt a Section 75 of chargeback claim? Let us know how you get on.
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