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Randox Covid Testing Scand

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needawin | 10:39 Sat 14th Aug 2021 | Travel
21 Answers
Let me tell you about the Randox Covid (UK Government ) scandal rip off.

My wife and I flew from Belfast to Portugal (Vilamoura) in late July. Paid Randox for a PCR test before we could fly.
And paid for a test to use our there before we could fly home.
We did the test out there on August 7th 2 days before flying home as instructed. Took the tests to the "drop box" in a shop designated by Randox. The shop was in the next town of Quarteira . (Rua Vasco da Gama)so that was added expense for a taxi.
It was 1030 am I went as the shop was only open till 12 on a Saturday.
Imagine my frustration to find the shop closed and no drop box.
Other travellers with their tests arrived as we waited to see if anyone would open the shop.

I was so frustrated I rang Randox in N I and got the announcement that I was number 45 in the queue. Panic was setting in at this stage. I rang my daughter in Belfast to see I she could contact them. She eventually got a number for the for the Faro office and explained the situation.
She was told to stay on the line while they rang the Quarteira shop. She overheard the call and heard them speaking to someone.
The girl then told my daughter she had just spoken to the shop.
She then told my daughter, "I have just spoken to the Quarteira shop. Spoken to the girl who says the shop is open and didn't understand the problem.
I had to take another taxi to Vilamoura where I went to a local testing station where I had to pay €70 for 2 tests. So in all I paid Randox £380 and then €70.

It gets worse. On my arrival home I went to the Randox office to complain. August 9th.
told the office girl my story. She got on the phone to Head Office only to be informed that the Quarteira office closed permanently at the beginning of August.
So the girl in Faro lied as she could not have spoken to anyone.
On the website Randox still sell the test kits and advise that should be dropped in the non-existent shop.
We are trying to get a refund from Randox who are currently not answering our emails.
The Randox web site still advises tests to be dropped in the shop that does not exist
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Hmm I’d say it’s a big risk organising a test to be taken abroad from a UK-based tester.
So many things can go wrong
My daughter has recently used Randox here without a hitch, they ordered their tests to come to their home address and we were here to accept them , she rang me from where they were for us to open them and gave the two codes for her and her husband , all straight forward, maybe your daughter should of acce them at her address for you,I hope you get your refund but I fear you won’t as it’s in another country , either that , try getting in touch with someone that deals with false advertising ?
Randox have got a pretty bad reputation all round.
* accepted*
The joys of holidays abroad??
For anyone wanting to come to the Algarve there are many test centres available to book when you are here. Not sure of the price but I know people who have used them without problems. We still have strict mask and test mandate for shops and restaurants and limit to numbers on beaches. Covid vaccine certificate required for certain activities or test taken on arrival at venues. Advance book for water parks etc. And admission is limited
Not good service but am not sure why you say uk goverment scandal.
^^ Not really a normal worthwhile holiday then?
They've all got good and bad reviews. We paid via Boots for a Day 2 return PCR test that arrived before we travelled at total cost £198. Did the test when we got home and by day 11 still had no results. Had to spend ages on phone and was fobbed off with various admin errors on both parts. It is supposed to ensure travellers are not bringing back and spreading infection whereas in reality its just a money making farce.
Haven’t the government capped the prices now? I know they're going to
Ha Ha, it won't be long before you see the media showing you them all going to landfill, unopened. :0)
I know nothing about Portugal, but here in Greece you can get a test for returning to the UK for less than 60 Euros. Also, many of the pharmacies offer tests with results in a couple of hours. I can't understand why you would buy a test from a UK company, when the test needs to be taken whilst abroad.
No indeed.
Is the test processed abroad at least?
It does seem like an odd way of going about things.
Surely you’d get the test abroad normally
The Chair because countries have different rules. Spain for example you have to have a local antigen test from a Spanish clinic at 30 euros 72 hours before you leave. The UK requires a full PCR on day 2 of your arrival back here and has to be from an approved provider at some considerable expense. You have to enter the ref number of this test on your UK locator form which has to be complete before you board your return flight to UK and that applies to all countries on green and Amber lists.
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It is not supposed to be dodgy doing the test abroad. Randox supply a special Algarve pack which involves taking the test items with you and dropping them in the drop box as described. They are collected daily and flown to Belfast with the result went to your smartphone within 24 hours.
My brother has used them with no problems before
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The scandal is the Government making people take unnecessary tests and charging vat. People get negative results but still have to quarantine also. They don't abide by their own rules
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're taking a test in another country. It's not.
Test provided and registered with Randox. Test went back to Randox and tested in UK lab
“ The UK requires a full PCR on day 2 of your arrival back here and has to be from an approved provider at some considerable expense. You have to enter the ref number of this test on your UK locator form which has to be complete before you board your return flight to UK”

Yes but what this query appears to be about is taking a test with you to do while you are away. €370 to a company who cannot even handheld the backlog of day 2 return tests I’d insane when you can get a test done on the spot abroad at a fraction of the cost.

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