Tesco vouchers, how can I undo this?

Katykat

I have £270 tesco vouchers & booked a weekend in Hilton Hotel for 21st Aug. In the booking letter it states "Your reservation is fully non refundable and non transferable. If you do not take your break, your credit card will be charged the full amount of your stay". The full amount is £310, of which £270 is covered by the vouchers. We just have to pay the balance.
Now FiL has been admittied to the Hospice & has only weeks to live. We dont feel like going for the weekend break now, but we can't cancel it & we cant even give it away. If we dont go, we dont just lose the voucher amount ( which wouldn't bother me) but they will also take £310 out of our credit card. Does anyone have a solution??

jacand

Could you ring them and explain and ask to change the date?

Katykat

I did consider changing the date, but the tesco vouchers expire on 31st. I dont actually have the vouchers now, I had to send them off to Hilton & they sent me their vouchers. I asume theye have the same exp date although it doesn't say so. I'm a bit reluctant to ring at present because if they refuse, they will twig that we may not be coming, & we'll lose the vouchers and the money anyway.

Busybee60

Have tried to claim tesco e-voucher £10 off when you spend £50 when ordering wine today but it says that the voucher as mentioned on this website is invalid - any thoughts?

MrsBartolozzi

Does your bank account, home insurance, credit card etc cover you for any holiday/travel insurance? I would imagine this circumstance might be covered.

Could you phone up (any) Hilton hotel and get clarification that the whole amount will be charged (even if you pay it all in vouchers) as this is not clear in Tesco's pdf on using the cc vouchers with Hilton.
Taken from tesco.com
"Please note that your booking will need to be secured by a credit/debit card at time of booking; no charge will
be made to your card if you are paying the total amount in reward tokens however any remaining payment will
be taken on check-out. This is for security or in the event that you do not show up for your reservation, your
credit/debit card will be charged for non arrival, and reward tokens will not be refunded."

To me this sounds like you'd pay the £40 if you cancel/don't turn up, and lose the vouchers, but not that you'd pay £310 and lose the vouchers.

yorkshirepud_2

This does not really fall into mormal circumstances though.It is not that you wish to cancel or just don't feel like it, more that you can't go.
I would phone up and explain the situation and hope that they can help.
There are people in these big companies who will bend over backwoods to help even if there t+cs say they can't.
If you get no satisfaction on the phone then pop a quick letter off to there customer care department.

I wish you the best of luck.

jeppy

Katykat wrote: »

I did consider changing the date, but the tesco vouchers expire on 31st. I dont actually have the vouchers now, I had to send them off to Hilton & they sent me their vouchers. I asume theye have the same exp date although it doesn't say so. I'm a bit reluctant to ring at present because if they refuse, they will twig that we may not be coming, & we'll lose the vouchers and the money anyway.

The expiry date is on the back of the Hilton vouchers. Do you have any travel insurance as this may cover your cancellation charges.

jeppy

If you call CS I am sure they will rearrange the date for you, I have always found Hilton, other than Blackpool, most helpful and accommodating.

At worse, you could send the vouchers to them as payment and then you will be charged the difference.

I appreciate that the vouchers are non refundable/transferable, but would they know. Could you give/sell them to friends, one of whom could take your name and the other who is paying take their own name.

I am sorry about your circumstances and I send you my sympathy. I hope things are as peaceful as possible. x

Katykat

Thanks everyone ( & for the good wishes). I rang the hotel direct today & spoke to a very sympathetic lady. I explained that we still want to use the vouchers- which actually expire on 31/12/09 but would just like to use them on a different date. She said she would check with her supervisor. When she came back she seemed almost embarrased to tell me tat I could not change the date, & if we did not take the break, our credit card will be charged £310. She didn't say that we would lose the vouchers, but nevertheless it does seem the regulations are far too strict. I will NEVER use my vouchers for these weekend breaks again.
The hotel is close enough for one of us to go & check in & then check straight out again. Or can anyone suggest anything else. It is not covered by insurance.

me4bargains

Why don't you contact your local newspaper and tell them about your plight.
If a journalist contacts their press office they might change their mind.
Let us know how you get on.

2step786

Its typical Tescos at it again. Hope you do manage to sort this out in quick succession