TODAY is the last day for Debenhams shoppers to spend their gift cards before the failed retailer stops accepting them.

The struggling department store chain will no longer allow vouchers both in store and online from 11.59pm tonight, December 20.

Debenhams won't accept gift vouchers in store or online from tomorrow

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Debenhams won’t accept gift vouchers in store or online from tomorrowCredit: PA:Press Association

It means if you don’t spend your voucher today, it effectively becomes worthless and you won’t be able to use it.

This includes if you were planning on nabbing a bargain in Debenhams‘ 80% off closing down sale.

Debenhams confirmed the news in an update to customers on Friday, December 18.

Until now, the 242-year-old retailer had continued to allow gift cards after falling into administration for the second time in April this year.

Debenhams confirmed the news in an email to customers

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Debenhams confirmed the news in an email to customers

Gift cards – your rights explained

HERE’S where you stand if you’ve purchased a gift card and a company goes into administration or is liquidated.

When a company goes into administration, the people appointed to manage the process can decide whether to allow the use of gift cards or not.

It means you’ll need to keep an eye on the administration process to see what your rights are.

The administrators are allowed to stop accepting gift cards at any point.

If the administrators later decide that you can’t use your vouchers, you should register a claim with the administrations for the value of the vouchers.

This also applies if the company can’t be saved through administration and is later liquidated.

However, you may not get this money back if other creditors are owed money too. You may also only get a portion of the money back.

If the voucher or amount put on a gift card was for more than £100, then it may be possible to claim the money back if it was purchased with a credit card.

This is because the card company is jointly liable under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

If the voucher was a gift, then you’d need to ask the person who bought it for you to claim the money back.

But when a business goes into administration, the company who is handling the process can decide to stop allowing gift cards at any time.

For example, shoppers at Arcadia Group stores – which include Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Burton – can only use gift vouchers to cover 50% of their purchase after the retail chain went into administration.

Debenhams hasn’t sold any new vouchers since it went into administration on April 9.

The high street staple now looks set to be liquidated after JD Sports pulled out of a potential deal, meaning all its 124 stores are expected to disappear from the high street.

JD Sports was the last remaining bidder for the struggling retailer.

The Sun understands that there won’t be a single date for when Debenhams shops will shut – instead, it’ll depend on when stock runs out at each branch.

It comes as Debenhams this week rebranded its 70% “fire sale” as a closing down sale, offering up to 80% off clothing, homeware and gifts as it shifts stock before shutting stores.

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Customers will still be able to use Beauty Club points to pay for purchases beyond today, Debenhams confirmed to The Sun.

However, you’ll still want to use these points sooner rather than later as we don’t know a final date for when stores could shut.

It said: “We will only be accepting gift Debenhams gift cards and e-gift cards in store and online until midnight Sunday 20 December 2020.

“Please note you can make a payment using a maximum of two different payment methods per transaction, which includes gift cards and beauty club rewards.

“To complete your order, you must be able to cover the full amount with your chosen two payment methods.”

Coronavirus restrictions and the closure of non-essential shops have caused scores of high-name brands to struggle this year.

Peacocks and Jaeger, which are owned by Edinburgh Woolen Mill Group, fell into administration last month, putting 21,000 jobs at risk. 

Laura Ashley went bust in March, just before the lockdown was brought in, while fashion giants Oasis and Warehouse fell into administration in April.

Glasgow shoppers queue to pick up a bargain from stricken Debenhams

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk

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