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Hello Legal beagles,
Sorry if this is in the wrong forum.
My partner has been waiting* for a leading Trade Unsion which he has been a paid of member of since 2008, to refund him £128.00 in overpaid subscription fees which arose when he became a full time student nurse from March 2017 - December 2018 during which time the union continued to charge him a full monthly subscription (via his wages) rather than the Student fee of £10.00/year.
The local union branch agreed in March 2018 a refund was due then failed to act on it. Multiple emails from my partner to the local branch over 9 months and they finally advised for him to contact the regional office in writing. In January 2019 my partner sent said letter by recorded delivery which resulted in a cheque being issued in May 2019. It could not be banked however as the recipient's name did not exactly match his bank account name.* The cheque was returned to the regional office where they took another four months to correct. However instead of issuing a new cheque they manually amended the name and initialed the change which his bank also refused to accept.
Further emails were sent from the local branch to the Union's regional management team (my parner has obtained copies of said emails) and the cheque was returned a second time. All these communications were ignored by the regional office. My partner then sent another letter by special delivery on 15th January 2020 requesting a new cheque be issued within 7 working days, but this resulted in them taking it as a new complaint, which they say they have 2 months in which to reply rather than as a follow-up communication of the outstanding refund request raised Jan 2019. In addition since the incorrect cheque was issued, my partner has paid £140.90 more in subscription fees as he was told he had to remain a member in order whilst they addressed the refund.
a) surely my partner does not have to continue paying subscription fees in order to receive a refund of overdue fees?
b) how does my partner get his money back now - have the union not breached uk consumer legislation by dragging the refund out another 10 months?
Many Thanks
*
Sorry if this is in the wrong forum.
My partner has been waiting* for a leading Trade Unsion which he has been a paid of member of since 2008, to refund him £128.00 in overpaid subscription fees which arose when he became a full time student nurse from March 2017 - December 2018 during which time the union continued to charge him a full monthly subscription (via his wages) rather than the Student fee of £10.00/year.
The local union branch agreed in March 2018 a refund was due then failed to act on it. Multiple emails from my partner to the local branch over 9 months and they finally advised for him to contact the regional office in writing. In January 2019 my partner sent said letter by recorded delivery which resulted in a cheque being issued in May 2019. It could not be banked however as the recipient's name did not exactly match his bank account name.* The cheque was returned to the regional office where they took another four months to correct. However instead of issuing a new cheque they manually amended the name and initialed the change which his bank also refused to accept.
Further emails were sent from the local branch to the Union's regional management team (my parner has obtained copies of said emails) and the cheque was returned a second time. All these communications were ignored by the regional office. My partner then sent another letter by special delivery on 15th January 2020 requesting a new cheque be issued within 7 working days, but this resulted in them taking it as a new complaint, which they say they have 2 months in which to reply rather than as a follow-up communication of the outstanding refund request raised Jan 2019. In addition since the incorrect cheque was issued, my partner has paid £140.90 more in subscription fees as he was told he had to remain a member in order whilst they addressed the refund.
a) surely my partner does not have to continue paying subscription fees in order to receive a refund of overdue fees?
b) how does my partner get his money back now - have the union not breached uk consumer legislation by dragging the refund out another 10 months?
Many Thanks
*
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