I have read around a bit on the site so I know plenty of you have had Paypal issues.
Recently sold a laptop on Ebay, the buyer is claiming that it is not as described due to cosmetic damage and is requesting a partial £40 refund (total cost was £120). While I disagree with his complaint I can't be arsed with the hassle or the negative feedback so I offered him a full refund on return of the laptop, I don't agree that he should be able to dictate me what is a reasonable refund for the "damage". He is telling me this is unacceptable, that he cannot post back due to health problems and distance from the post office (interestingly google maps lists a PO within a mile), he has now stopped all communications and has opened a paypal dispute.

If I was being particularly difficult I could point out that Paypals definition of not as described does not cover cosmetic damage on used items.
An item is not Significantly Not as Described (SNAD) if it is materially similar to the seller’s description. Here are some non exhaustive examples:
The item has minor scratches and was listed as used condition

What I want to know is if I insist on a return, does the item have to be returned and agreed as in good condition on return to me before a refund is given or does agreeing to a refund on Paypal put the refund through automatically and leave me at the whim of someone who is rapidly proving himself to be a total arsehole to post it back to me, when he very clearly doesnt want to.

At the back of my mind I am slightly concerned that a quick google of his name brings up some dubious websites, one of which is recommended by both google and my anti virus I dont open. So I am slightly dubious that should I get it back, it will have some shite on it out of malice.

take it to the dispute centre and get your evidence arranged – he'll back out, i'm sure.

mate list out in clear bullet points in the dispute about the options you have offered him, the distance ofthe post office from him, the couriers that pick up from houses, the fact that its used ect ect.. you'll get kudos he'll get nothing

he's trying to pull a fast one!

Sounds like a 'mare.

Keep us posted on the progress.

Potentially in a spot of eBother myself so interested to see how it pans out.

If you insist on a return paypal will try and do a refund as soon as he provides proof of postage. Proof of delivery isn't needed and they certainly won't ask you what you received back.

Offered him a Parcel2Go collection, will see what he says. Given that the laptop has been sitting in my cupboard for over a year now, anything I got for it was always a bonus anyway so now wanting to stick to my guns to teach him a lesson, even if it does cost me!

And to add insult to injury the fanny has jumped straight in with negative feedback and damaged 4 years of 100% positive feedback, before his "case" against me is even rectified. C**k.

I just bought two items off ebay to find out they were fraudulent copies of significantly lower quality than those advertised. Currently going through a similar nightmare dispute, but have jumped in early by negging him and reporting all of his other identical listings as possibly fraudulent.I get the feeling this may be a long one too.

Looks like you taught a real good lesson there doug.

Generally – stuff like phones, laptops & games consoles etc. seem to attract a different breed of buyer & I wouldn't mind betting are the cause of more [spurious] disputes than most other items

Make sure paypal are aware you are willing to give a full refund, and ensure if he does send it back he provides proof of posting and postal insurance to stop the "Well I sent it and cant help it if you didnt get it" argument.

Paypal like to side with the buyer for some reason so do your research and keep lots of evidence.

Vist site called screw paypal and email senior management direct.

Hope you get it sorted I hate Paypal.

Disputed the claims with Paypal, then within 5 minutes got a notice that the dispute was cancelled as the buyer noted it had been "amicably resolved" wtf?! Haven't heard a word from him for 2 days when he told me he was raising a dispute and not willing to discuss it directly with me again.
Would he have got to see my claims against him in the dispute when I submitted them, does anyone know? Maybe he was just expecting me to roll over and give him £40 back and can't be arsed with the hassle dealing with it. Either that or he is going to come round to my house and get me!

Rather than relying on the dispute email/fax chain process, try giving them a call, found them quite helpful when I had a dispute that looked as if it was not going my way.

remember you only get one shot at a dispute.

My guess was that he was trying it on – just after a nice easy £40 back.

That was the crux of my argument to them cranberry, sounds like I might have been right!

How far away from you does he live?

Birmingham, I am in Edinburgh.

I'm guessing here but I think hes clocked onto the fact he can possibly have the lot for free.

A girl at work bought some Raybans on fleabay- Opened a dispute. She simply said she thought they were fake and paypal refunded her and told her to bin them. She kept them and had irate emails from the seller who was obviously bloody miffed.

As in Paypal refunded her and took the cash from the seller? I cant see why Paypal would take any cash from me now, as far as they are concerned we have resolved it amicably.

Yep. So the money is still in your account and hes already given you a neg? Maybe over reacting but I'd clear the account now and close it just to be safe and open a new one. ASAP.

Sounds like you've got away with any hassles. I dont know if Paypal pass on any of your comments to the seller. I suspect they just looked at the buyers arguments and yours and came down on your side and told him/her that.

Though I have heard many stories of disputes going with the buyer and they are not even expected to return the items they disputed. Basically if eBay think you're wrong you get lose your auction item and the money too.

If PayPal think the issue is now resolved amicably, I'd be appealing to Ebay against the negative feedback as well.

Oh, and second the recommendation to close your Paypal account and sort a new one ASAP.

On the Paypal accounts- is there anyway you can have one thats not linked to your bank account?