Consumer
Advice - Gift Vouchers
Gift vouchers and gift cards are sold subject to the terms and
conditions stated in them. They may be exchanged for a service
(for example, a facial or massage) or goods (such as a book
voucher).
They can't be exchanged for their equivalent monetary value.
If you want the recipient to have complete freedom over what
they buy with the money you spend on them, give them a cheque
or cash but don't send cash through the post.
Expiry date
Many gift vouchers/cards (not all) only last for a fixed
period of time. So if you're thinking of buying vouchers/gift
cards, check to see if there's an expiry date. If so, and
you're buying well in advance of when you intend to give the
voucher, try and get the voucher backdated.
Equally, if you receive a gift voucher/card as a present,
check for any expiry date and ensure you use it before that
date.
Practical advice when buying gift vouchers
* When buying/receiving a gift voucher/card, check its terms
and conditions (including expiry date).
* If you receive a voucher/gift card for which you have no
real use and which can be transferred, think about selling
it to someone else. You'll need to check the terms and conditions
of the voucher/card.
* Keep vouchers/gift cards in a safe place. Replacement ones
will not be issued.
What the issuer will not do is give you money in exchange
for the voucher.
Rights relating to 'unsuitable' presents
Whether the buyer of a gift or the recipient, everyone needs
to know the law about returning an unsuitable item (for example,
the shirt that doesn't fit, or the skirt that's the wrong
colour) rather than simply having to rely on the goodwill
of the shop.
The general rule is that only the parties to a contract have
rights and responsibilities under it. So, in the context of
sale of goods, this means that only the buyer will have any
rights in relation to the goods (even if they're being bought
as a gift).
Now, however, the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act
1999 makes it possible for a buyer to ensure that the donee
of a present has the same rights as the buyer. What the buyer
needs to do is to tell the seller that he/she is buying the
goods as a present for someone (for instance 'a friend' or
'my daughter'). The recipient doesn't actually have to be
named.
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