# www.livingsocial.com purchased the deal for window cleaning - What are my rights?



## Bearty (17 May 2012)

Hi Everyone, 

I have been having a problem with a living social window cleaning deal.  

Basically I purchased the deal for window cleaning through living social in Nov 2011.  I rang up the service provider to book in and they had no weekend availability for 3-4 weeks so I booked the first available Saturday.  The day arrived and I sat in like a fool waiting on the window cleaner.  He didnt show.  I called the company but no answer as it was Saturday.  

Called them the following Mon, they didnt know why he hadnt shown up but didnt have further weekend availability for the rest of the month.  I was going on holidays in Jan so said Id call back in Feb to re-schedule.  I call back in Feb, again no availability for the rest of the mth,  I explained this was 3rd time to try book and about the previous no show.  They offered to put me down for a cancellation, I never got a call back to say one came up.  I asked for availability the following month (at this stage March) and was told they do not open there booking calendar that far in advance and to ring back closer to the start of March (i.e. in 3 weeks, I dont understand why they dont take bookings 3 wks in advance but anyway!).  Again no availability for March.  

The voucher expired in April and I tired of trying to deal with the company.  So a week before the expiry I contacted living social by email explaining the above, no response from them either.  Sent a strongly worded email reminding them (at this stage the voucher had expired) and I got a generic reply quoting their terms and conditions and saying that they cannot refund expired vouchers!  I again mailed back to say the voucher only expired as the company were un responsive and wouldnt allow me to book and also that at the time I originally raised the issue with LS it was still in date.  They came back with the same response again re T&C's and how the contract is with the supplier etc etc.

Has anyone any advice on my rights in this situation please?  I understand the service issue is with the cleaning co but at the same time LS was the agent offering their services and it is they who have processed my money etc.  AFAIK the supplier only gets pd for redeemed vouchers so my € is still held by LS.  Surely there has to be some fallback for either LS or the cleaning company, it cant be right that it is just me left out of pocket for services not provided!  I had similar problem with a groupon voucher and they issued a refund without any of this messing!

Apologies for the long post, just livid at this stage!!!  Any thoughts are appreciated.  Thanks


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## ALEXA (17 May 2012)

On The Consumer Show this week Tina Leonard was discussing consumers' rights in situations like your's. She said that you have the same rights as if you were buying an item in a shop. As you bought and paid for the voucher from Living Social I think they would be responsible for dealing with the problem and if you contacted them before the expiry date they should refund the cost. As far as I know, when an appointment is not available before the expiry date or there are any other problems with the service they should give a refund. Check The Consumer Show site to see if there is any more info.


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## elcato (17 May 2012)

Do a search for livingsocial and there are a few threads like this and this which offer some help.

Livingsocial Deal not as advertised..legal entitlement to refund?

Livingsocial refund - what chance?


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## suzywong (18 May 2012)

I know how frustrating this is. I have had a similar issue (posted on this thread and link given by elcato above). Just today, I got an email from them (living social) saying they were refunding the money. Will see if and when that happens.


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## Bearty (23 May 2012)

Thanks everyone for your help, I am going to contact the consumer rights assoc for some feedback and then go back to living social with it. Suzywong do you mind me asking what way you went about things that they agreed to a refund?


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