09 Mar 2015

A question about : Paypal advice please

I teach privately from home. Until today, I've had a paypal link on my website where students and parents can purchase lessons. In 15 years, I've not had an issue.
After giving a block of ten lessons, a student's parent has now issued a significantly not as described complaint because they messed up the time of one of their lessons so are claiming they didn't get their moneys worth. All the money for all of the lessons has been taken back by paypal and held with a view to a refund. I can't prove the kid took the lessons and they can't prove that she didn't, but I am very anxious because I now find out that paypal usually don't bother to investigate these things and side with the buyer.

Any advice much appreciated…hindsight… not so much title=Wink

Best answers:

  • I can't help you with the specific problem, but Paypal experts are on the Ebay board. It may be worth asking for this thread to be transferred there.
    edit - I see it's already there
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....php?t=5178292
  • Letter before action, telling them you intend to issue a county court summons and make sure you follow it up and issue it, unless they back down and close the case.
    You're right, ebay/Paypal don't tend to look much at cases and have a tendency to side with the buyer, who they see as their customer, even though it's you that pay the commission charge.
    Fortunately, judges look at the facts and do not pre-judge cases.
  • I'm not sure how Paypal works with non-physical items.
    I'd call Paypal (who are usually quite good over the phone) and explain.
    It would depend how the 'item' was sold. If it was sold as lessons and you have some kind of paperwork you can upload this may help your case.
    If they did refund then the advice by RMS2 is the route you'd need to take.
  • Don't think OP can start a small claims until they've suffered a loss.
  • I would PHONE paypal, and explain that the money was for a service not goods, and the buyer has already received the service,of which they failed to turn up (?) to once session.
    If they end up refunding the "buyer", you will then need to send them a letter before action, detailing the times all the lessons took place, and give them 14 days to pay before you take them to court for the money.
  • Paypal's policy is very clear, much more so than ebay.
    They don't side with any one party per-se. They abide by their rules.
    Lessons are an intangible service, neither intangible items or services given are covered.
    Ring Paypal, don't rely on the case. Ring and quote section 7 of their policy regarding buyer protection. Ask why the case was allowed to be opened and ask them to close it with immediate effect, in your favour.
    Here is the relevant part you should quote:
    Quote:
  • As both a buyer and a seller I've always found PayPal pretty fair to the facts given to them. Though as pointed out above if what you are doing is not 'covered' by them then you may be in trouble.
    If you can document any correspondence or evidence of attendance to PayPal then that may be of help in your case.
    Have had an occasion where someone who had opened a claim tied themselves up in knots sending emails about an issue. On providing copies of those to PayPal, I guess, they could see that the issue wasn't as the claim has said.
    Perhaps in future a signature from the parent following each lesson to confirm attendance and that they are happy with the service given.