transaction cancellation & refund

[*kazumi*]

I am sure there was a rule somewhere clearly stating that if transaction needs to be cancelled after buyer paid (no item sent for one reason or another) the buyer 1st needs to agree to cancellation and then the seller refunds.  I am sure I have given a link to this rule on several occasions here, when buyers wanted their money 1st, but now cannot find it.  Has anybody seen it recently?

[*kazumi*]

It is not my buyer.  It's for somebody else on other forum.

As far as I can see there is NO rule about when refund for mutual cancellation should be done.  I am sure there was some time ago.  I imagine that if the transaction was cancelled and the seller then did not refund, the buyer would still have the right to get the money back from PP.  Obviously the money was paid, and transaction did not take place.  IF the buyer asked to cancel with ebay message then I am sure eBay would refund the FVF, but if it was a private email then it could be a different story.

I have done couple of cancelations in the past year (as a buyer) when the seller was not able to supply what I have bought, and I do not recall message saying that I should not agree until I get refund. 

This is all what it said on the last one;

"Seller xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx requested cancellation of item xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Reason for cancel transaction request: The seller did not provide a specific reason.

Click the "Respond now" button to accept or decline this cancellation.

If you don't take action by 05-xxxxxxxxx the seller will be able to cancel the purchase without your consent."