45 day dispute limit

[oldguv]

Paypal have decided that there is nothing they can do for me as I failed to open a dispute within the 45 day time limit. Despite the seller sending messages begging me to be patient and that the item may be delayed because of extra security after the bombs in packages . Now because of the Christmas New Year celebrations I open a dispute 3 days late, Paypal say they can't help. Some way to treat their customers!

[PayPal_paula]

Hi oldguv,

I am sorry to hear that you have missed the cut off point of 45 days to open your dispute. This timeframe is set across the board for all customers.

May I suggest that you contact your local trading standards office or your citizens information centre for further assistance on this matter.

I would also suggest that you continue to contact your seller to try to come to an amicable resolution.

I hope this helps

Paula

[Mrepole]

I think the 45 day limit is way too short.

If I buy an item from overseas I use Paypal for the peace of mind yet most of the time there is 35-40 days delivery time.

I, at the moment have a problem with a company because the have not issued a refund. It took 28 days for the item to arrive, from within the UK, which was than returned. I have not been issued a refund but Paypal will do nothing as the 45 days has passed.

WHAT IS THE POINT OF PAYPAL IF THEY CANNOT MAKE MY TRANSACTION SECURE AND GIVE ME PEACE OF MIND AS THEY PROMISE???

[Nick_Meyne]

I agree with Mrepole.

I have just suffered a similar experience.  Every company has a choice on whether it wishes to apply its terms and conditions fully in every circumstance.  Paypal appears to offer no sensitivity or discretion in this, with no concept of customer service.  Like a shop that slams a door in your face on the dot of closing time.

In my experience, credit card issuers are delighted to help - in my case, First Direct bank in the UK -  who refunded instantly when they heard of the circumstances.  Unfortunately that was a relatively small part of the balance I was owed - the rest was in a credit balance that Paypal held for me.  They will do nothing to recover the rest of my funds or pursue the dispute because of the 45 day limit.

My bank card issuer told me that with Paypal acting as an intermediary in disputes of this nature, it makes it more difficult to pursue a supplier.

So there you have it  - the difference is as clear as night and day.  With a card issuer you have protection, convenience and service, less time-wasting, a better chance of getting your money back, and lower charges.

Why would you ever use PayPal again, unless forced to?   The BBC 'moneybox' programme today gave an excellent example of Paypal dispute resolution failures, this time from a supplier perspective.  This just does not work well for honest customers or suppliers.

Nick

[Nick_Meyne]

I've just had a reply to my case from Paypal - I don't think my email reply will get through, so I have posted the exchange here.  I'm sure their case is watertight, just not very helpful......

Thank you for your reply Paula,

I'm sure you do understand my concern, and those of others who think that the 45 day limit is unreasonable for overseas purchases, and that is why I find your attitude cynical.   If I had used my card wholly for the transaction I would have been fully protected, with no quibbles from a reputable banking institution.  Paypal will never attain the standards of customer service and trust of a bank or card issuer, and I guess I was mistaken to think that customer loyalty would have any part to play in protecting the balance of the funds I left in your care.  That is why the balance I hold on my account will remain zero, and I will seek to avoid your services, including ebay, at every opportunity in future.

Regards,

Nick Meyne

Thank you for contacting PayPal. We understand your concern.

I understand that you have been informed that we cannot investigate the dispute you filed.

The complaint you filed was opened on 4 February 2012, which is after our 45 day deadline and as such, regrettably, we cannot look into this claim.

It is necessary for us to cap the timeframe for opening a buyer complaint. We have found that in most cases 45 days is a sufficient timeframe for a buyer to notify PayPal that they have not received their item, or that there is a problem with the item that they have received.

Additionally we are required to specify a set timeframe in our legal agreements. This lets sellers know that they should keep their postal information and other relevant transaction details for this period. It also reassures buyers that should something happen with their purchase within a 45 day period, they can open a complaint with PayPal.

PayPal’s Buyer Protection offers an additional layer of security, however this does not affect your consumer rights and we advise that you contact the Citizens Advice Bureau or Trading Standards for further information.

If you purchased the goods on an auction site you could also contact the customer support for that auction site to find out if they have a protection policy in place. We also recommend that you stay in contact with your seller in order to reach a resolution.

If you'd like more information please have a look at our User Agreement. You can find it by clicking on the 'Legal Agreements' link at the bottom of any PayPal page.

We value your business and regret that you have had this experience.

Please let us know if you require any further assistance.

Yours sincerely,

Paula

PayPal

[techpro2]

open the disputes by day 40 regardless of what company begs you to do. you tell them shut up paypal is coming for you. thats what i do and they either pay me my refund or i get to keep the item and paypal refunds me either way i win. you can even open a dispute 35th day. i only allow 37-40 days then i open a dispute to make seller respond uber fast if they agreee i close it if they try to buy some time i escelate it. unfortunately i to was ripped off about $600 paypal wouldn't do anything nor would local authorities. so since than i abuse the paypal dispute system. if the item slightly off colored doesn't look like the pic came with 1 less thing than the description  or anything small and **bleep** like that including 35 days i make claims. who cares what the seller thinks of you just open the claim right away and ignore any communications let paypal deal with it thats what we pay them for. and yes paypal makes money off us don't pretend they don't lol

[kernowlass]

@techpro2

You are answering a post made in 2012.

You can open a dispute up to 180 days now so your advice is out of date.

This is the UK forum and not the U.S one.

[samrodger]

I think the time limit is too long !!  I mean where else do buyers get a 45 day warranty period on used goods !! Ive just been the victim of someone who bought an item from me kept it for a month stripped the parts from the inside (electronic equipment) Then opened a case claiming not as described !!  Surely there should be maybe a 7 day grace period to check for defect etc AFTER confirmed delivery. Certainly for certain items. Come on paypal/ebay sort this out sellers are being scammed not the see-saw has gone too far the other way.

[Borath]

" I mean where else do buyers get a 45 day warranty period on used goods !!"

I will answer that question, even you did not use questionmarks:

In Germany you 'll get 6 month of full and after that more 6 months of limited warranty by law on pre-used goods, sold by a shop. (B2P).

This wont affect private 2 rivate sells of course.

[Kurster]

Same problem for me. The seller told me his grandmother was dying in Colombia and he would gladly refund the purchase price because the item was not as described. He stated not to ship it back to his house because nobody was there to receive it. Out of courtesy and respect for what I thought was an ailing family member, I politely pinged him on three occasions - no answer. 

Now, my kindness got me stuck with something I can't use and PayPal can't contact the seller and at least ask them what's going on? PayPal is the ONLY leverage I have in preventing this guy from doing this to someone else and I can't even file my claim because it's been over 45 days. I think it's a shame PayPal can't help in a situation where I was clearly taken advantage of.