That's a great story...well done for your persistence, it's impressive. Isn't it sad that a company has to resort to dirty tricks like this. Looking back over the forum posts this voucher problem has been happening since at least 2015.It could be argued that it contravenes the consumer protection laws as it should be regarded as unfair marketing conditions. Anyone who through no fault of their own does not receive the voucher is effectively being overcharged for the product they signed the contract for. A contract works both ways...either you or they can break it by some misdemeanour.
From the Which site:
Unfair contract terms
Your rights under the Consumer Rights Act make it easier to challenge hidden fees and charges.
Unless a contract term is both prominent and transparent, it can be assessed for fairness. Find out more in our guide to challenging unfair terms in contracts.
Unfair terms
Some examples of terms that may be unfair under the Consumer Rights Act include:
- fees and charges hidden in the small print
- something that tries to limit your legal rights
- disproportionate default charges
- excessive early termination charges.
If you think a contract term is unfair, you should complain to the trader.
If the trader doesn't agree, we recommend you seek legal advice before breaking the terms of the contract.
As a last resort, you could take the trader to court and the court will decide whether a term is unfair.
If the court decides that a term is unfair, you may be able to ignore the term or even cancel your contract without having to pay a cancellation fee.
That may help, or lead somewhere that does.
