Q: I have a number of expired vouchers from a particular retailer. Is the trader obliged to accept the vouchers anyway? The seller has already received the cash equivalent of these vouchers. Isn’t it against the rules to put an expiry date on vouchers?

A: When we receive a voucher as a gift, it is our responsibility to carefully read the terms and conditions on how to use it. It is not illegal for sellers to impose conditions on the use of vouchers.

These conditions must, however, be clearly written on the voucher and cannot be changed after the voucher is sold.

Hence when a voucher has an expiry date written on it, it must be observed. Receivers of gift vouchers are responsible to use the voucher before it expires. Once a voucher expires, then the seller may refuse to accept it in exchange of goods.

It is advisable that when we are in possession of a voucher which has an expiry date, if we think we may not be able to use it before it expires, we should go to the seller and ask to have the date extended.

This should be done before the voucher expires, so if we have a negative reply we still have the possibility to make use of it before it expires.