Thomson Holidays Foreign Exchange Reviews
Latest Reviews
★☆☆☆☆
“Should have checked reviews first! Rip Off”
Written on: 30/03/2013 by Therightreview (1 review written)
Charged £3.95 fee without being asked and the rate given on Egyptian pounds was the worst I had seen. What a rip off. Won't be going back to Thomson for currency or holidays. (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“Rip off”
Written on: 03/01/2013
Thomson exchange gives you the worst possible rates. Go elsewhere.. (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“Rip off exchange rates”
Written on: 07/08/2012 by mikfrench
I recently ordered £1,000 worth of Eastern Caribbean Dollars to use on holiday in St Lucia. I had looked up the exchange rate online which stood at 4.2 to the pound. When I went to collect my cash they had calculated the rate at 3.39!!. When i challenged it they immeadiately offered the M&S rate of 3.84, a massive difference, which i took (£115 on £1,000) DONT USE THIS COMPANT TO EXCHANGE CASH--THEY WILL RIP YOU OFF!! I was also charged the buy back fee!!!! (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“Buy Back Guarantee!!”
Written on: 08/07/2012 by chrislyndon
I recently bought some currency from Thomson and when I got home I looked at my receipt and I had been charged £3.95 for a money back guarantee. This was something I did not need or want. I went back to the shop and they did refund me and told me it is normal not to tell people that they are including Buy Back Guarantee within the price of currency. I was very dissatisfied with this service from Thomson. (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“Some of the traps of Thomson”
Written on: 25/06/2012 by delphinus (1 review written)
Having had a similar experience to many of the complaints here I just want to add my Thomson traps. I walked into a Thomson for Danish Kroner for an imminent work trip. They had some but not enough and a very nice assistant said I could buy it and order some more, which would arrive in a couple of days. I was told they would call me as soon as it arrived. Then I was advised not to take what they had but to collect it all together. I left a £200 deposit in cash (with a receipt). A week... (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“Ripped off and rude!!”
Written on: 08/06/2012
Went and changed up £440 and online they advertise you get 1.22e for every pound. After changing it up I looked at the receipt and they gave me 1.15e per pound!! I ask for my money bk and she refuses saying the transaction was already complete!! After asking to speak to someone else and no one else being there I explained about the website and she denied all knowledge and refused to do any more!! DO NOT USE THEM!! Today I just lost £40 because of them!!! (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“DO NOT TRUST THOMSON”
Written on: 03/03/2012
We went to get some euros from thomson bureau exchange and were given 1.16 to the pound, everyhere else was 1.17 plus, she gave us some babble about us getting £150 worth so we would only get 1.16, then she told us the total so we paid it.. then after getting home looked on the receipt and saw a £3.95 charge on the receipt for buyback, we was never told about this and we wouldnt need it anyway as we were only getting a small amount so more than likely wouldnt have anything left when we get... (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“Left for 3 days with out any money, Thanks to the...”
Written on: 18/07/2011 by danii
This is a draft of a complaint i will be sending to Thomsons so please ignore any mistakes but this is my experience: Cash (euro) Given different rate to site 1.05 euro to 1 pound, internet 1.1067 to 1 pound. no signs nothing up in the shop. Asked for exchange rate lady jumped right into sales mode and never got round to telling us the rate and so gave us 1.05 and didnt notice just wanted to get back to work as she went on and on, good sales trick if you ask me. Oh and when we left had an... (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“I am appalled by the fact that I was charged a buyback...”
Written on: 05/04/2011
I am appalled by the fact that I was charged a buyback fee of £3.95 and I was not told about this charge.
I only found out when I got home and checked the receipt.
I complained to the Thomson shop in Leicester and they said they will refund the charge to me.
PLEASE BE AWARE OF THIS CHARGE BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT TELL YOU.
(read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“The customer services was not very good as the lady...”
Written on: 03/03/2011
The customer services was not very good as the lady huff and puffed when asked to go behind the counter, seemed like too much trouble, the exchange rate was a rip off they were advertising 1.148 euro to pound on the internet (same company) when I got home and looked at the receipt I had been given the exchange rate of 1.086 (Post Office were offering 1.1439) I brought £202.50 my lost on that transaction was £12!!!! I will never use them again and nether will my family or friends!! (read more)
See next 10 reviews
Showing 1 - 10 of 22 Reviews
★☆☆☆☆
“The customer services was excellent but the exchange...”
Written on: 06/01/2011
The customer services was excellent but the exchange rate was disgraceful they were advertising 116.0 on the internet (same company) when I got home and looked at the receipt I had been given the exchange rate of 101.0 (M&S were offering 126.0) I brought £236.94 my lost on that transaction was £30!!!! I will never use them again and nether will my family or friends!! (read more)
★★☆☆☆
“Dec. 2010 we had a Nile Explorer Cruise with Thomson....”
Written on: 26/12/2010
Dec. 2010 we had a Nile Explorer Cruise with Thomson. Temples outstanding, crew excellent, boat past its best. Spoilt by over 30% of passengers being very ill. Thomson Rep played down illness. I paid upfront for all the visits for both of us. My wife was ill from day two and missed five visits. She also ate almost nothing from that day on. When I asked the Rep for a refund she said the policy was no refunds. I know one man had a full refund because he told me. The lesson is,if you are going... (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“I went into my local branch on Saturday 18the December...”
Written on: 20/12/2010
I went into my local branch on Saturday 18the December to buy $100 for a Xmas gift. I was told the exhange rate was 1.45 dollars to the pound which equates to £68.97. It was not until I got home that I realised that I had been charged £3.95 too much. If this was for a buy back guarantee why was I not informed about it therefore giving me the choice of whether to buy or not. Have rung the branch and cannot get an answer from them until Wednesday as the Manager is not in until then. What... (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“You ask for a rate and their immediate response is...”
Written on: 12/09/2010
You ask for a rate and their immediate response is "What rates have you been quoted". Staff are clearly trained to negotiate. Whilst I was waiting in the queue the staff continued to negotiate with unsuspecting customers. I could not see any boards in the shop highlighting exchange rates. DON'T EXCHANGE WITH THOMSON!!! (read more)
Guest's Comment
Written on: 30/05/2011
Every exchange bureau negotiates rates just like you would a holiday. It also works in your favour a lot of the time as if it was not done this way we would all have the same rates and it would definately be more expensive.
Reply to this comment
★☆☆☆☆
“In simple terms, DO NOT EVER USE THOMSON FOR FOREGIN...”
Written on: 03/08/2010
In simple terms, DO NOT EVER USE THOMSON FOR FOREGIN EXCHANGE!! I am going on a £2000 holiday to Egypt with them and can honestly say that even if its the best holiday in the world, I will point blank never use them again for holidays or currency.
Checked the Thomson rate online and it was £8.01 Egyptian for every £1 sterling. Went to a branch in Glasgow to get £800 sterling worth and assumed it would be the same, or at least similar (slightly less perhaps). Keep in mind the official...
(read more)
Guest's Comment
Written on: 30/05/2011
Every agency works in this way so u will now only be able to book your holidays online and become one of the many simpletons that comes in the shops crying when it all goes wrong and u don't know what to do. Quoting that u spent £2000 is not very big of u what difference does that make that's only a fraction of what most people spend anyway. Everyone with brain knows to shop around with many things including money u have only urself to blame.
Reply to this comment
★☆☆☆☆
“Thomson staff failed to advise me that if I paid £3.50...”
Written on: 16/12/2009 by crooklands (1 review written)
Thomson staff failed to advise me that if I paid £3.50 to guarantee the same selling rate of my NZD that this only covered £200.00 of the money I bought. I was upset because they informed me only when I returned to resell the currency and alleged that this was specified in the small print. True, but I was persuaded verbally and not shown the small print and I was not told that this small print would also appear on the on the transaction sheet which mean't that the transaction had been... (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“Swindon, THOMSON Agency ”
Written on: 01/10/2009
Swindon, THOMSON Agency
I wanted to buy $200 and they said it would be around 129 pounds. (when midmarket exchange rate was 1.8 $/£. Then I was asked for 133 pounds, because they said for £3.5 if I didn't need all the money they would exchange them back for the same rate when I get back.
In 2 weeks I went back with the whole amount (I just used my VISA card because my bank gave me a better rate), and they said I have to pay the £3.50 for the Buy Back Guarantee again. When I said that I am...
(read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“Thomson holidays foreign exchange may be good for...”
Written on: 25/09/2009
Thomson holidays foreign exchange may be good for euros and us dollars but DO NOT use them for other currencies. I have purchased a selection of far east monies and found their exchange rates are on average 11% worse,costing me in the order of £170 more than necessary. (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“I have just exchanged £200 sterling into egyptian...”
Written on: 08/09/2009
I have just exchanged £200 sterling into egyptian pounds at Thomson where we booked our holiday and am miffed at the exchange rate of 7.2 whereas I was told it was 8.2 over the weekend, when I arranged to go to the shop on another day to collect, I was also told that there could be a three day wait if the curreny was not avaliable. After ringing the shop after I left I checked the exchange rate and both post office and local other holiday companies were offering a better rate Thomson staff... (read more)
Emzybob21's Comment
Written on: 10/11/2009
You will find that if you enquire what the rate is when purchasing and suggest that you have been shopping around then they will up the rate for you to try to be competitive...remember that the higher they put the rate the less they will make on the transaction, therefore if you don't ask about the rate at all it will just be sold to you on the flat rate- no-one will automatically put the rate higher for you just because you look like you are a nice person, how would they make any money by doing that??!! Do your shopping around and you'll find they will beat the highest rate in town for you. If you don't ask you don't get.....duh!!!
Reply to this comment
Tiggi's Comment
Written on: 09/01/2010
I found this review very helpful because...it's a similar story to mine! 6.5 EGP to GBP when elsewher was 7.5! The shop assistance said you need to be careful in Egypt as they'll rip you off something terrible! Don't need to go to Egypt just go to Thompsons!
Reply to this comment
★★☆☆☆
“Thomson exchange rate is by far the worse I changed...”
Written on: 04/08/2009 by summery2k
Thomson exchange rate is by far the worse I changed £500 GBP anf received 3600 egyptian pounds yet if I had shopped around I would have received 4200 egyptian pounds! I would never use them again in total I made a loss of £60! (read more)
See next 10 reviews
Showing 11 - 20 of 22 Reviews
★☆☆☆☆
“I've exchanged money before with Thomson and always...”
Written on: 10/07/2008 by eclipsechaser (1 review written)
I've exchanged money before with Thomson and always been relatively happy.
So, when I booked a hotel for stopping in on my return from holiday in China, I had no hesitation anout ordering some Hong Kong dollars and Chinese yen.
I purchased my currency for £750 thinking all was well.
But I was horrified the next day, when I found I could have purchased the same amount of currency elsewhere for £620, a loss of £130.
I thought Thomson had made a genuine mistake.
But they said "No", I had...
(read more)
☆☆☆☆☆
“I will not use Thomson again for my holiday money. ”
Written on: 28/12/2007 by teddyebear
I will not use Thomson again for my holiday money.
For £503 i received 650 Euros - with a bit of research I could have obtained 685 Euros, so in my eyes I have paid Thomson 35Euros extra - commission?? Thomson rate today for exchanging £ for Euros was 1.2990. By far the worst rate - see comparetravelmoney.com - Thomson advertise 'no commission' but they simply gain by offering poor exchange rates.
(read more)
overview
Top 5 Foreign Exchange & Money Transfer
To calculate the top 5's we take the following factors into account:
• All the star ratings the company/product has received,
• The number of reviews
• How recent the reviews are
As rated by real users
-
1. Xoom - www.xoom.com
5308 reviews read latest review -
2. ICE Plc - www.iceplc.com
440 reviews read latest review -
3. The Currency Club www.thecurrencyclub.co.uk
254 reviews read latest review -
4. Caxton FX Currency Exchange www.caxtonfx.com
274 reviews read latest review -
5. World First Foreign Exchange - www.worldfirst.com
144 reviews read latest review
Hot Stuff in
Latest Reviews in Foreign Exchange & Money Transfer
-
Xoom - www.xoom.com
"Awesome Excellent Incredible" Read More
-
The Currency Club www.thecurrencyclub.co.uk
"Exceptional Customer Service a..." Read More
-
Trans-Fast Remittance - www.transfast.com
"Worst service ever seen" Read More
-
Moneygram Money Transfer
"Walmart Online Moneygram" Read More
-
ICE Plc - www.iceplc.com
"Vary good service" Read More
Latest items in Foreign Exchange & Money Transfer
Jimbohaccp's Response to mikfrench's Review
Written on: 08/12/2012
There is a real problem in this industry akin to the banking industries attitude to consumers. Basically they will do anything they think they can get away with and its up to sites like this and people like us to name and shame em!
I recently wrote about a recent experience with airport currency exhangers you can read. I hope you find it of use.