Can a shop demand your private details?

neiluk121

New Member
Apr 22, 2010
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Hello all,

I have just registered and this is my first post so I hope this has not been raised a thousand times?
I recently purchased an item from B&Q via one of their in store self service tills. When I completed the transaction, the till did not give me a receipt with a VAT breakdown which I needed. I was told to go to the returns desk, get a refund then buy it again while asking for a VAT receipt.
To cut a long story short, I was refused a refund unless I told them my private address and I had a stand off the with the local store manager. I refused to give my details as I thought it was not relavant to the situation. I had a valid receipt from the purchase only minutes ealier.
I am very particular about letting all and sundry have my private address just on their request. I don't want my deatils held on any system which is not to my benefit. I have no details of how and why this information is held or used. It is subject to anyone using it for whatever reason, without my knowledge or consent.
I have written to B&Q and they are standing by their policy. As far as I am aware, all I need to submit is a valid receipt. The B&Q letter states "Under the Sale of Good Act, a retailer is not obliged to refund or exchange on a consumers "Change of Mind". My argument is that it was not a change of mind.
It goes on to say that their policy asks for a customers proof of ID before a store can action a refund back to a customer. This is taken in the form of a post code and house number.! Why do they insist on this when I did not need it to purchase the product in the first place!! Sure a photographic ID card would be good enough??? I feel thay want you details for their own gain and NOT for ID purpose.
Can anyone advise if they can insist? Oh, and by the way, i ended up giving then an old address so how is that proof of ID???

Cheers,

Neil
 

TheDC

New Member
Apr 22, 2010
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As I understand the VAT regulations, if B&Q supply goods to another 'taxable person' then they need to supply a VAT receipt/invoice which has a number of specific details, inlcuding the VAT number and the amount of VAT.

I think the issue should be less about whether they need your address to provide a refund, and more about why they are not following The Value Added Tax Regulations 1995??