Our Queensland client returned an order to a furniture retailer, and the store approved a full refund.
When the money arrived, it was hundreds of dollars short.
The store had taken back two of the items, but left them out of the refund. Weeks of emails didn’t fix it. ezylegal sent the store a court claim, and our client got his full refund.
At a glance
- Problem: A furniture retailer approved a full refund in writing, then paid only part of it, keeping returned items without refunding them.
- Claim against: The furniture retailer.
- Legal basis: Breach of the retailer’s agreement to refund the full amount, recovering the unpaid balance as a debt.
- Result: The full refund paid, without the claim needing to be filed in court.
A refund that came up short
The store confirmed in writing that a refund had been approved, and asked for our client’s bank details. He sent them the same day.
The payment that landed was short. The missing amount matched two cushions the store had collected but hadn’t refunded.
Our client chased it by email over several weeks. The store didn’t pay the difference.
A claim, ready to file
ezylegal prepared a claim for the Queensland Magistrates Court for the unpaid balance, plus interest and costs.
Before filing, we served the store with a copy of the claim and a short deadline. Pay the balance, or the claim would be filed with the court without further notice.
The outcome
Our client received his full refund, and the claim never needed to be filed.
What can I do if a store doesn’t pay the full refund it agreed to?
You can claim the unpaid balance. Once a business agrees in writing to refund a set amount, it’s bound by that, and you can sue for whatever it hasn’t paid.
Keep the email where the store approves the refund and states the amount. That’s your strongest evidence. If the shortfall is small, it can still be worth chasing, because a court claim usually also seeks interest and costs, and many businesses pay once they see one.
If you’re facing something similar
If a store has approved a refund but not paid it in full:
- save the email or message where the refund and amount were approved
- check your bank statement for exactly what was paid, and when
- list any items you returned, and keep proof they were collected or delivered
- ask for the balance in writing, with a clear deadline
Get advice early, because time limits apply. Read more about your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.
ezylegal operates on a no-win, no-fee* basis across consumer, commercial and insurance disputes, so you’re not weighing the cost of a lawyer against the cost of walking away.