If you returned an item you purchased....

[Delicia 1]

Let's pretend you went to Sears and bought a new refrigerator and you spend $1700. The fridge never arrived and you never used it. You waited and waited and waited months and you kept checking on the status of the delivery and was informed that it was still on backorder, but it should arrive any day, but still, it never arrived. Finally, you said screw it, went somewhere else and got a fridge and then called Sears and told them to forget it, just send the refund. Sears responds by saying that refund will come sometime in the next year.

Would you be mad?

I am in a similar position with CIC. I am still waiting after 60 days for a refund of my application fees. I call and ask and am told that there is no procedure for closing files and issuing refunds, so they have up to 1 year to process it. I think 1 year is just a little insane. Now, I know, I shouldn't expect the government to be consumer-friendly. Afterall, who provides the cash for these agencies and the employees' budgets? Certainly not the people who are using the services (silly me for thinking that they did!). I also shouldn't expect the government to provide interest on a payment they have had since October 2005. I am trying to determine what my next step will be and doing a little google search, I found a little article (its bookmarked on my other comp so I can't link it atm) with a woman writing in to say that she has been waiting for a refund for 6 years. I don't want to be like her. Anyone got any ideas on how to light a little fire under their butts and get my cash back?

[trailmix 77]

I had to wait 3 months for Greyhound to refund my money for a ticket on a bus that never showed up and I do see your point.

What I would do at this point is two fold. I would have the Canadian show up at a service center to discuss the refund and I would write to the minister of immigration.

[Delicia 1]

I had a problem with Greyhound similar to that as well. Good thing I have only used them once (for my daughter's ticket from Maine to Minnesota) and will likely never use them again.

[Ban Hammer 13,336]

Let's pretend you went to Sears and bought a new refrigerator and you spend $1700. The fridge never arrived and you never used it. You waited and waited and waited months and you kept checking on the status of the delivery and was informed that it was still on backorder, but it should arrive any day, but still, it never arrived. Finally, you said screw it, went somewhere else and got a fridge and then called Sears and told them to forget it, just send the refund. Sears responds by saying that refund will come sometime in the next year.

Would you be mad?

how did you pay for this fridge? by any chance a credit card?

[Delicia 1]

Yes, it was paid via credit card...

[Flames9_RN 358]

No different than when I was in the Cdn military!! If I owed them $$$, came off my next pay cheque, BUT if they owed me $$$, well that was another story, could be awhile!!

[Ban Hammer 13,336]

Yes, it was paid via credit card...

you should contact the credit card company and see if you can dispute this. they (the merchant) have a required time to refund under - i nailed a store in the usa over that as they did not refund me within 30 days.

[trailmix 77]

Yes, it was paid via credit card...

you should contact the credit card company and see if you can dispute this. they (the merchant) have a required time to refund under - i nailed a store in the usa over that as they did not refund me within 30 days.

The refund she is awaiting is from Canada Immigration - 'the man' as it were.

[Krikit 1,164]

Yes, it was paid via credit card...

you should contact the credit card company and see if you can dispute this. they (the merchant) have a required time to refund under - i nailed a store in the usa over that as they did not refund me within 30 days.

Ugh. That's annoying, Delicia. I guess the bright side is that the Canadian government at least gives you "hope" for a refund. The US just takes it and then gives you the finger.

Charles.... that's an interesting strategy. How did you approach the cc company and what was their response?

[Fandango 1,439]

You usually can only dispute charges within a set period of time from the time it first appeared on your statement....as it were, I believe Oct 05 was mentioned, so I doubt you'll find joy that way.

I'm sorry!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Contact the Member of Parliament for the riding in which you used to live. Be prepared to send them photocopies of all of the information and ask them to act on your behalf to pursue the refund. He/she should be happy to do this for you.