Rebecca Smithers 

Uber Eats double bill is really hard to swallow

A reader was charged for a meal they didn’t want after the food delivery service’s software failed
  
  

When the software failed online two meals were ordered instead of one.
When the software failed online two meals were ordered instead of one. Photograph: M4OS Photos/Alamy

I ordered food from Uber Eats amounting to £61.40. Having put the food selection in the basket, I was booted out by the software before being able to press the payment button. I asked my partner to make the same order, which she did. We were then surprised to receive both our orders. I then checked my emails to see that my order, which I was convinced did not go through, was accepted and payment taken.

I wrote to Uber to ask for a refund on the basis that this was caused by its own software fault. Uber’s response was disappointing, focusing on me failing to cancel the order on time. It just kept on quoting its terms and conditions and fobbing me off. Do I have a case for fighting for my money?

SL, London

Door-to-door food delivery services have enjoyed a boom during lockdown but have not been without online hitches and glitches. Lots of readers seem to have had problems getting refunds, with customer helplines jammed and failing to respond.

Uber Eats says: “We’re sorry to hear that SL had a poor experience, as we pride ourselves on offering great service every time. We’ve refunded SL for the duplicate order.”

And finally …

Reader CN from Exmouth, Devon, wrote in with some cheery lockdown news. “In early September I bought a self-winding hose from DOMU UK. I didn’t use it until mid-October, when I found that the rewind facility didn’t work properly. I emailed the vendor and received a very prompt response. A replacement arrived the following day. I was able to have the original hose collected from my house and returned at no cost. I don’t think the company could have done more to help and I was very impressed. I wish all organisations were as helpful.”

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