SGR voucher 12 months after issue: will you get your money back?
Did you accept a corona voucher with SGR guarantee a year ago after your package holiday was cancelled due to the coronavirus measures? Then you may be wondering what happens to this voucher if you have not been able to book a new trip in the last 12 months. Will the validity of the voucher be extended? Or will you get your money back? You read it here!
How did the corona voucher arise?
The World Health Organization (WHO) designated the coronavirus a pandemic on 12 March 2020. Since then, the travel industry has virtually ground to a halt. Package holidays, vacations and flights have seen mass cancellations. Consumers like you requested refunds, which travel companies were unable to meet at such a high cancellation rate. To prevent travel companies from collapsing and you from being left empty-handed, several voucher initiatives have been created. The travel voucher with SGR guarantee, also called corona voucher, is one of them.
Conditions corona voucher
Package tour operators, who are members of the SGR, could offer a corona voucher in the period from 16 March 2020 to 1 January 2021 if a trip was cancelled due to the coronavirus. This voucher was offered instead of a direct refund. This voucher had to meet the following conditions:
- Validity
Voucher is exchangeable for another trip. You can exchange within 12 months. The journey may be further in the future. You don't have to travel within that year. - Scope of guarantee
Voucher is covered against bankruptcy. Is a travel organisation in financial difficulties? Then you will receive a refund from Stichting Garantiefonds Reisgelden. - Voucher value
The value of the voucher is equal to the amount you paid for the trip. Package tour operators are not allowed to deduct any additional costs. - Book your trip with a voucher
If you book a trip with the corona voucher that is more expensive than the value of this voucher, you pay the difference. Is the trip cheaper? Then you get the difference back. - You can claim a refund later!
You remain entitled to a refund. Do you not use the voucher? Then a refund can be requested six months after the corona voucher was issued.
Expiry date corona voucher with SGR guarantee
Corona vouchers with SGR guarantee must be paid out within one year if you do not want to use, or have not been able to use, these vouchers. The SGR announced on March 16, 2021 that the guarantee of the vouchers will not expire after those 12 months and that the SGR will refund the costs to you in the event of financial insolvency of the travel organisation.
Right to an automatic refund
If you accepted a corona voucher with the SGR guarantee a year ago and have not been able to book a new trip in the past 12 months, you may soon receive a refund from the package travel company. You may even have received it already. This happens automatically. You don't need to ask.
SGR 'Claim your Voucher'
Are you not receiving a message? Then contact the travel organisation. Are you not being heard? Then submit a claim to the Stichting Garantiefonds Reisgelden (SGR). The SGR will investigate the claim and will issue a refund to the travel organisation if the claim is justified. You can submit your claim within four months after the expiry date of your voucher.
Tour operator is not permitted to charge additional costs
Package tour operators are not permitted to charge any extra fees for refunding the travel sum. For example, administrative fees. Did you pay agency fees? If so, these are probably not included in the voucher value. You can claim such fees from the travel agent or intermediary in the event of a cancelled trip.
Voucher fund offers certainty in uncertain times
Today, there are still hardly any travel options. Travel agencies will therefore face the same problem as they did a year ago when it comes to refunding the travel sum. To prevent travel agencies from getting into financial difficulties, and to give you the certainty that you will get your money back, a voucher fund has been created. Travel agencies that are members of the SGR can apply for a loan. It is expected that from mid-March onwards, the first travel vouchers can be refunded to you and other affected parties on the basis of this facility.
ACM ensures compliance with the rules
The regulator Authority of Consumers & Markets (ACM) will strictly monitor package travel organisations' compliance with the rules. If you do not receive a refund from the travel organisation, even though you are entitled to a refund, please report this to ACM ConsuWijzer.
Any questions? Ask us!
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