The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has directed against all but essential travel to foreign land, towns and locations. This includes two important travel advisory notices: 1. If you are overseas, return to the UK as quickly as possible if commercial flights are still open 2. If you are currently in the UK, do not travel abroad except if it is utterly indispensible Various airlines are now declaring cancellations of flights and the grounding of aircraft after the declaration that many countries are putting into effect ‘lockdown’ of borders and the restriction of travel to reduce the spread of the virus.

The Government has announced a collaboration with airlines to plan special chartered flights. These will return nationals that are presently marooned abroad. More information will be released by the government’s travel advice, all British embassies and all British high commissions. A dedicated travel administration firm will be used for stuck citizens to book and pay for the flight home.

Additional details on travelling abroad and present government recommendations are available at www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice Patrons who are yet to fly to their region – Due a repayment or, in some cases, the choice to rebook for alternative date.

Flight and Holiday Cancellations

Flights being part of a holiday package

Whole expense of the holiday will be compensated. This is happening certainly for some consumers, but customers can get in touch with the company that they made reservations through for extra clarification.

Hotel and Flights reserved individually

Patrons are advised to get in touch with their hotels, requesting a repayment/change in dates. Several airlines are permitting passengers to rebook flights for free.

In conditions where the hotel and place are functioning, and the booking is non-refundable, then travellers may miss out.

Travel Insurance policies

Customers are advised to check the details of travel insurance policies that they have taken out. These may offer financial compensation in situations where other measures do not.

If consumers have planned travel to infected zones after a caution was announced in the zone, then there is a possibility that any insurance policy may be discredited by this. Consumers are urged to ensure the particulars of their insurance policies and if at all doubtful, contact their insurance company promptly for more information.

New travel insurance policies

In light of present events, several insurance companies have terminated selling new travel insurance plans and, in several situations, have modified cover as a outcome of the coronavirus outbreak. The Association of British Insurers has affirmed that travel insurance is a product meant to be utilized in unprecedented circumstances, and owing to the present circumstances, problems surfacing as a consequence of coronavirus are no longer considered ‘unforeseen’.

Already overseas and no meathods of returning back to the UK – Airlines have a duty of concern to those customers abroad if they have stopped a return flight. The airline must furthermore pay for any extra charges for housing and any food vital. For those consumers who have accepted a reimbursement, then the responsibility of concern ends here. It is then the responsibility of the commuter to organise travel back to the UK.

In circumstances where neither of the above is conceivable, or where customers feel trapped, they are recommended to contact the embassy in their current locality to obtain further support. Specific embassy locations can be acquired by visiting www.gov.uk/world/embassies and searching depending on your destination.

Customers wanting to cancel their travel plans

If there has been no caution issued in regard to a destination that the customer chooses to travel to, and the traveller picks to call off their plans, then there is no certain right to compensation.

Travellers are advised to certify policy and booking approval specifics and to contact their insurance/travel provider if explanation is required or a reimbursement due. If you think that your customer rights have been breached, you can contact consumeradvice.scot for more information and guidance.

Events and Entertainment

Cancelled events

If the tickets to an event such as a concert or sports event have been cancelled, and these have been reserved via an official booking site, then you ought to genrally obtain a refund.

The Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR) is the industry’s self-regulatory organisation and as such, require firms enlisted with them to reimburse the ticket’s face value cost when an event is cancelled. This does not consist of the charges paid for delivery.

It is advised that for any other ticket retailer, the specific company terms and conditions are consulted. For resale sites and other events, the corporation who originally sold the tickets should be contacted in the first case to ask for refunds. There may also be the option to rebook at a later date if the event is being postponed.

Postponed events

Original tickets should be retained until a rescheduled or changed date is revealed. If there is an problem with the date that the event or concert has been moved to is not fitting, then a repayment can be bidden via the original booking company.

As with cancelled events, this may not comprise the fee incurred for booking fees or delivery.

Individual events may differ, contingent on the terms and conditions of the organiser.

Consumers deciding not to attend – If customers wish not to concerts or sporting events, but the event is still going ahead, there is small likelihood of getting money back.

Cinema closures

Numerous of the larger movie groups have declared that they will be closing all their screens in the UK until further notice. For consumers who have already bought tickets, refunds or the choice to reschedule this to a later date (if possible) are offered.

A few of the larger franchises with loyalty cards and monthly membership are instructing that monthly payments will continue, with a view to offering the ‘time back’ once facilities restarts as usual. Others are advising that they will be stopping payments for memberships. Patrons are instucted to watch on the websites and social media updates from the cinema that they have booked through.

Obtaining back hotel and travel costs

If an event is cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak and there have been costs incurred for hotels and travel, then the companies for every one of these should be contacted for more information on refunds.

Seperate terms and conditions may alter, but options may be advanced to delay or rebook on an alternative date due to current conditions.

As a side note, if the hotel or travel provider is unable to offer the service due to the coronavirus epidemic, then a reimbursement should be paid. Bookings for marriages and special events

Weddings and special occasions could possibly be affected by the outbreak of coronavirus. If the company or venue catering the service or managing cancels, then a reimbursement should be arranged for whatever has been cancelled. For those with wedding insurance, terms and conditions should be conferred for everything that can be retrieved back. If it is the consumer, or person who has booked the event that is choosing to cancel or rearrange the event, then some costs might apply. Negotiation and discussion with the coordinator around postponing the event is essential.

For whatever that has previously been paid in terms of deposits that cannot be repaid, the coordinator should outline in detail the reason why a reimbursement is not conceivable, consisting any costs they have incurred that are being passed on to the consumer.

Consumer rights and useful legislation

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act protects buyers for orders made on credit cards in excess of £100. This makes the credit card company ‘joint and severally’ accountable when a service or product that has been paid for cannot be delivered.

For purchases under £100 made on a credit card, or those made on a debit card, consumers can get in touch with their bank and try and make a claim through the ‘chargeback scheme’. This cannot be imposed by law, and the provision of this scheme is at the discretion of the bank or building society.

Consumer rights remain the same throughout the coronavirus pandemic. A few delivery and logistical companies have declared delays on non-essential items for transporting medical supplies and vital goods. For additional details on orders placed or delays experienced, the firm delivering the products must be the very first contact point.

We have detailed the main consumer rights legislation that is valid in different circumstances mentioned below.

But, a more inclusive guide to consumer rights, covering different areas, is available by visiting consumeradvice.scot knowledge centre: https://www.consumeradvice.scot/knowledge-centre/

Consumer Rights Act 2015 – Faulty Goods – Repair or Replace

While purchasing merchandise from a agent, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 states they should be:

• Of nice quality (free from any defects / damage and long-lasting)
• As the dealerdepited
• Exactly like any sample shown
• Just like any model shown  Fit for the purpose explained to the dealer

If asking for repair or replacement in the first thirty days, then the purchaser enters the wait period with the remaining thirty days (minimum of 7 days) resuming after repair or replacement.

Customers who think that  any of the above don’t fit for their goods and have gone beyond the initial thirty days after  purchase, might be eligible for repair or replacement which is –

• Free of cost
• Repair should be long lasting
• Replacement should be exact same
• Within realistic time frame
• Without resulting in considerable problem

If a replacement or repair isn’t possible then they might rather be permitted to:

• Keep the merchandise for a lower rate
• Return the products for a repayment (full repayment within six months or partial reimbursement after or if a vehicle)

Private Sales – Sale of Goods Act 1979

Whenever something is ordered from a private seller, the consumer is insured by the Sale of Goods Act 1979 which claims the merchandise must go with the description provided by the seller. This comprises:

• Any description in an advertisement
• Any description provided in an email or text
Any description during discussions over the phone call or personally

If the buyer feels that the products don’t go with the seller’s description, then they could be eligible for;

• A complete reimbursement if the items haven’t been accepted (not used and problem seen instantly)
• Loss – a monetary amount to cover mending or the difference between what was paid and what the products are worth

The trouble of proof is on the purchaser to confirmverify that the goods don’t match the sellers description, that can be hard if the description was delivered verbally.

Rail companies and travel providers have different guidelines about reimbursements of tickets affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Scotrail are giving refunds on several train ticket types. Their process has changed a bit because of the circumstances, and an administration fee might apply, depending on the ticket type.

A useful guide to refunds that are offered from Scotrail can be found here: https://www.scotrail.co.uk/plan-your-journey/refunds People who have planned a trip which is not essential or have booked travel to a cancelled function should get in touch with the travel provider for more details on their individual terms and conditions, along with refund guidelines.

Although the Government has advised that everyone in a foreign country must come back to the UK, a lot are still trapped without any means to come back home.

The Government has taken measures like especially chartered flights to enable bring citizens home, but this may take time. In the meantime, they have made several suggestions about what people who are trapped in a foreign land need to do.

If someone suffers or believes they are infected by coronavirus

The Government authorities of both the area and nation in which the client is staying will provide advice and help on what to do if someone has, or feels that they are infected by, coronavirus. Also, the citizen must seek medical assistance and self-isolate.

The NHS have put together a guide on symptoms that are generally revealed when a person is infected by coronavirus. This is available at:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms-and-what-to-do/

The embassy or consulate in the region where the UK citizen resides can be used to contact the local authorities. For more information on embassies, or to locate the one in your vicinity, please contact 0207 008 1500, or otherwise check out:

https://www.gov.uk/world/embassies#

If a visa is coming to an end soon

If a visa is coming to an end, the actions required will depend upon the location that the UK citizen finds themselves. If in doubt, look at the travel advice for that country from the UK foreign and commonwealth office. This guide can be read by checking out:

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

In addition, the local embassy or consulate can be used to contact the local authorities. For more info on embassies, or to find the closest one in your area, please contact 0207 008 1500, or alternatively check out:

https://www.gov.uk/world/embassies

If a reasonably priced flight home cannot be booked

The travel company must be contacted at teh first place for more details on flying back home. They may be able to delay or waive payment for the trip to home town.

People having travel insurance must get in touch with their service provider because the cover will be extended by 2 months if those travelling are making every effort to go back home. People who cannot afford travel could even check if their credit card insurance is applicable.

UK citizens who are stuck should also keep themselves informed on the declarations from local travel companies.

It is important to contact friends and family to make sure they are aware that everybody in the party is safe. If possible, they might transfer cash to those stranded to pay for coming back home.

Employment & perks / monetary assistance

There is also the choice for those stranded to get in touch with their boss and ask for advance payment of their payment to pay for travel home. The UK government can even offer financial aid in some situations. More info can be accessed on www.gov.uk

If money runs out, or people trapped do not have accommodation, or access to meals / water / medical supplies

The UK Government has promised to guaranteeing that British citizens abroad have access to accommodation, medical supplies, water and food.

If cash is over whilst trapped in a foreign country, The UK Government can as well provide monetary assistance in certain situations. More info can be read on www.gov.uk.

If the trapped passenger has to take care for a family member back in the UK

If the citizen is stranded in a foreign land, they should ascertain that anybody they are taking care of is seen well. If someone else is looking after this person, they may be requested to carry on to do this until they fly back to the UK.

They could ask friends or family to look after this person until they return back.

If no option is available, the home local authority should be contacted for further support and advice.

If the trapped passenger has pressure about their employment or self-employment

If they are doing a job, they should be in touch with their boss wherever possible to keep them updated on their situation.

If they are doing a job, they can however be furloughed under the job retention scheme. If they are self-employed, they can make an application for the self-employment income support scheme.

Benefits or state pension whilst stuck abroad

The stranded person will still get Universal Credit, Housing Benefit and Pension Credit if they are in a foreign land for up to a month.

In the case of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Carer’s Allowance, each person is payable for 13 weeks while abroad.

The State Pension will be paid regardless of how long the citizen stays abroad.

Any queries or concerns regarding benefit payments whilst in a foreign land can be responed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), who can be contacted by calling or visiting:

https://www.gov.uk/claim-benefits-abroad