Modelzone gift vouchers...Not what they seem!

[spanner570]

I was given a £25 Modelzone gift voucher for my birthday in March.....because the shops are closing down I've just been in to our local store in Chester.

I picked a kit and went to pay with the said vouchers.....

"Sorry, it is only worth half it's face value." said me man!

Surely this can't be right or legal......In my book the administrators have stolen money from the purchaser of the voucher.

I intend to seek legal advise, but before I take that step, is there anyone on here who can give a deffinite answer as to whether I'm correct.

Or is what they have done legal and above board?

Ron

[Guest]

Vaughan had the same issue (mentioned in the "is this the death toll for modelzone" thread.)

I personally don't think they can do this unless they're in liquidation.

You should receive full recompense for the voucher.

If they only offer you a percent then technically its like them giving you the voucher in the form of a raffle ticket or betting slip, which is a form of gambling, which they're not registered to do and constitutes a huge fine.

Tell that to your brief if you go that route mate.

[Guest]

A similar thing has happened before (cant remember the shop, game, or gamestation perhaps) and they somehow managed to get away with it.

The issue i have is that someone has bought something for face value (i.e. £25 cash for £25 voucher) and nowhere on that does it say it's subject to a depreciation in the event of x y or z, so legally i dont think they can refuse it......

Good luck though - it's very poor crack, despite the situation they're in (which is no fault of you the consumer)

Let us know what happens

Stuart

[Guest]

My understanding I am pretty sure I am correct is that Modelzone are honouring the full value of vouchers but will only allow you to use them against 50% of an item's value (the chap at the till may be miss understanding the instructions from the administrators) ,for example if you bought a £20 kit you can only use £10 of vouchers against it,the balance would have to be paid by cash/card.You do not lose the value of the voucher.When a company isin administration the administrators do not have to honour this type of voucher in effect the vouchers can become worthless should the administrators so decide. I know it might seem unfair but it is the law and relates to the pecking order of a company's creditors and the way in which it's debts are handled ,for similar reasons deposits for goods may not be honoured.I would heavily suggest that anyone with Modelzone vouchers should use them now, as they will have no value once the company is wound up.

Malcolm

This may go some way to explaining the situation it relates to HMV

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2013/jan/15/are-hmv-gift-vouchers-worthless-administration

[Gern]

Am I right in thinking then that if you had a £20 voucher you could get £10 off two kits - 50% from each - but not £20 off one kit?

Gern

[Guest]

Gern,

Correct

Malcolm

[Guest]

Ah right, that's not QUITE so bad but still......

Can understand them trying to shift their stuff but this makes more sense than only allowing half the value to be used.

Stuart

[Vaughan]

Vaughan had the same issue (mentioned in the "is this the death toll for modelzone" thread.)I personally don't think they can do this unless they're in liquidation.

You should receive full recompense for the voucher.

If they only offer you a percent then technically its like them giving you the voucher in the form of a raffle ticket or betting slip, which is a form of gambling, which they're not registered to do and constitutes a huge fine.

Tell that to your brief if you go that route mate.

Hi Ron as Colin said I had a bit of an issue with my voucher but as luck would have it when I made my purchase two days after the s**t hit the fan they hadn't updated their tills so I got the full value. Unfortunately they have gone into liquidation so I don't know where you stand now. I popped into my local MZ yesterday and all paints and accessories are now 50% off the marked price so I went to town with stuff I would not normally afford like digital callipers(14>7) and Berna clamps(10>5) and rods and brass tubing from albion alloys.

It's sad:frown: to see MZ go this way but I suppose you do have to take advantage of these situations.

[Alan 45]

now this explains why the website was on holiday in June, the wife bought me a 1/76 Bedford 4x4 for my diorama and it only came last week , guess I got lucky if they are in liquidation they could have just ran off with her dosh

[Guest]

I took time to look at this logically and it makes sense from MZ's liquidators prospective for persuading the consumer to purchase extra and therefore get as much as they can in.

A hyperthetical situation.....

Normally

You have a £20 voucher and you get a kit for £25 you owe them £5.

Using malcolms scenario

You have a £20 voucher and you decide to buy two kits because only 50% is honoured, you spend £50 and get your full £20 off ...but you owe them £30.

Its an age old trading gimmick that works well.

You know the score ... "Spend £80 and get £10 off your next shop"... people do it even though they would only normally spend £50

[Guest]

The sad matter is they are broke & the only bits left are what is in the shops still left trading.

The cunning administrator realises it is better to get half the cost of an item & accept the voucher for half its value.

I believe that those with vouchers have the same rights as all the other people owed money by Modezone ie a share of what is left. In this case half the value of a voucher is probably better than most of the the other creditors are going to get by far.

Sad fact, & a very unhappy one, is put it down to experience do not buy vouchers or given them spend them next day.

Friend, who is an international photographer, advertises internationally through a company. £7000 a year. Paid his £7000 one morning & in the afternoon they went bust. He gets back what is left in the pot, percentage wise, of his £7000 which I bet is very little.

Laurie

[Guest]

Found these articles which are interesting.

How to Redeem Vouchers or Goods Owing to You When a Store Closes or Goes Bankrupt

Your Rights if a Retailer Goes into Administration | money.co.uk

How can I get my money back if a company goes bust? - Which? Consumer Rights

The Money Co Uk one is very interesting in that it directs you, if the vouchers were paid by debit or credit card, what to do etc. in trying to get a refund.

Laurie

[Guest]

The solution is simple, use the vouchers immediately.The administrators at any time can pull the plug on the concession.Your chances of getting the full face of the voucher after this occurs is in effect slim if not zero.Laurie your comment trying to get a refund is very pertinent,getting a refund is another matter.:1newwink:

Malcolm

[spanner570]

Thanks for the feedback on this subject chaps......

My missus took the vouchers in to Modelzone yesterday (Sat) with a free hand from me to get whatever she fancied me making......I will open a thread in a mo' to show what she purchased......!

They gave her 50% of the voucher value and 20% off the kit she chose.......That's the best we could do, so not so bad in the end.....

The gent serving her didn't know when - or even if - they were closing down and added there were strong rumours of a buy out, so who knows what will happen.......

Ron

[Guest]

70% back Ron that is not bad in the circumstances.

But that depends on what your wife buys you. Do they do dish clothes ?

Laurie