Every Friday, Consumer Reporter Lynda Steele dips into the mailbag to answer your questions. This week, Steele on Your Side investigates refund rules and store credit cards.
Refund rules
Sara wrote Steele on Your Side after signing up her child for skiing lessons on a local mountain. Due to the lack of snow they were cancelled. She was offered a gift card for the value of the lessons paid, but Sara doesn't think that's fair. She wants to know if a business can legally hold your money and not offer a straight refund.
Consumer Protection BC says that generally there is no law in BC that states a business, like the ski hill, has to offer a refund.
A business' approach to refunds is usually stated in their corporate return policy or in the terms and conditions of a contract.
As well, because the gift card issued is for a specific service, it can have an expiry date. So make sure you take a look at that before waiting too long to use it.
Credit card applications
Eunice wrote CTV News after being denied a Walmart credit card while at the cashier. She says she received a slip that stated, "As part of your application, you agreed that we may obtain information about you from third parties." She would to know how long her information is kept.
Walmart says obtaining a credit report from a credit reporting agency is a normal part of the credit card approval process.
The company says it keeps any personal information for 90 days after an application is made. Then the company destroysit.
