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B & B Compensation

Charliegirl1978
Charliegirl1978 Posts: 1 Newbie
edited 20 September 2010 at 10:11PM in Consumer rights
Ok I am new to the forums - not sure if this is the right place to ask advice?

I have just received the email below from the owner of a b&b I had booked for 25th sept in response to my email below his reply. I paid a £25 deposit by cheque so he doesnt have my card details, if he invoices me do I have a legal obligation to pay?

I appreciate they may loose money but it is an extreme situations and I feel they are being a bit heartless! There is no way we can afford this at the mo as my over half had to take a week of work and we are currently having to travel back and forth to the hospital and pay parking etc- any advice gratefully recieved!!!

Dear Mrs Green

Thank you for your e mail confirming your fathers tel call at which he advised us that unfortunately you were having to cancel you reservation

I told your father that we would make every effort to relet the room - we have advised the TIC, placed offer on WDDC site our own site and I know site, I explained to your father that in the event of us not reletting we will be entitled to compensation in respect of our loss of profits resulting from your cancellation. The maximum compensation is 75% of total cost, clearly if we relet some nights this figure will reduce correspondingly

We will advise you of the situation soon after 27 Oct

We trust you and your baby are well

Regards






Dear

I am really sorry to have to write to cancel our booking for the weekend of the 23rd September. On Sunday 29th Aug I went into preterm labour and in the early hours of bank holiday Monday delivered our baby girl by emergency c-section.

Ellie is doing well but was just under 33 weeks when delivered, therefore she is currently in an incubator at the neonatal unit at our local hospital and will likely be there until her due date of 20th October.

I hope you can appreciate that this has been a huge shock for us both and as such we have been very remiss in getting in touch sooner, for this please accept my sincere apologies, however i hope you appreciate that with the situation as it is there is no way we can go away for the weekend.

I am more than happy for you keep our deposit of £25 and hope that you are able to let the room out to someone else.

with kind regards

Charlie Green
«13

Comments

  • Ok I am new to the forums - not sure if this is the right place to ask advice?

    I have just received the email below from the owner of a b&b I had booked for 25th sept in response to my email below his reply. I paid a £25 deposit by cheque so he doesnt have my card details, if he invoices me do I have a legal obligation to pay?

    I appreciate they may loose money but it is an extreme situations and I feel they are being a bit heartless! There is no way we can afford this at the mo as my over half had to take a week of work and we are currently having to travel back and forth to the hospital and pay parking etc- any advice gratefully recieved!!!

    Dear Mrs Green

    Thank you for your e mail confirming your fathers tel call at which he advised us that unfortunately you were having to cancel you reservation

    I told your father that we would make every effort to relet the room - we have advised the TIC, placed offer on WDDC site our own site and I know site, I explained to your father that in the event of us not reletting we will be entitled to compensation in respect of our loss of profits resulting from your cancellation. The maximum compensation is 75% of total cost, clearly if we relet some nights this figure will reduce correspondingly

    We will advise you of the situation soon after 27 Oct

    We trust you and your baby are well

    Regards

    Dan Walker FIH

    Tel 01308 423363 if from abroad 0044 1308 423363


    Dear Ann

    I am really sorry to have to write to cancel our booking for the weekend of the 23rd September. On Sunday 29th Aug I went into preterm labour and in the early hours of bank holiday Monday delivered our baby girl by emergency c-section.

    Ellie is doing well but was just under 33 weeks when delivered, therefore she is currently in an incubator at the neonatal unit at our local hospital and will likely be there until her due date of 20th October.

    I hope you can appreciate that this has been a huge shock for us both and as such we have been very remiss in getting in touch sooner, for this please accept my sincere apologies, however i hope you appreciate that with the situation as it is there is no way we can go away for the weekend.

    I am more than happy for you keep our deposit of £25 and hope that you are able to let the room out to someone else.

    with kind regards

    Charlie Green


    How heartless of the proprietor - these are extremely extenuating circumstances, way beyond your control.
    I am afraid I know nothing of the legalities, but I would say
    he hasn't got your credit card details - so he can't charge your card
    if he sends you an invoice - ignore it
    his only recourse is to take you to the small claims court and I doubt if he would do that over what I assume is a relatively small sum of money.

    I would say though - get a friend or family member to e mail the B&B closer to the date and enquire if they have any rooms to let.
    if he says no - hang onto the e mail - JUST in case he sends you an invoice saying he couldn't let the room - after all, you would have no proof whether he did or not - so if you have an e mail confirming he has no vacancies of that weekend - he would have difficulty proving a valid claim in court.

    On a happier note, I hope Baby Ellie continues to make good progress and is home with you very soon
    Karen
  • wealdroam
    wealdroam Posts: 19,180 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Welcome to the forums.

    Please edit your post to remove phone numbers and names of third parties.

    What does it say in their T&Cs?
  • Optimist
    Optimist Posts: 4,557 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    Congratulation on your child but why would you expect the hotel to cover the cost of your cancellation ? That is why you take out insurance.

    I note from their website that they have a cancelled room on special offer. This I presume is yours. All you can do is wait and see.

    In my opinion they are being reasonable about it and trying to mitigate their losses.
    "The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts."

    Bertrand Russell. British author, mathematician, & philosopher (1872 - 1970)
  • Agree with Optimist - you are bound by the T&Cs of the contract you signed and they are being reasonable in the situation.

    Congratulations on your baby!
    Thinking critically since 1996....
  • Torby
    Torby Posts: 1,704 Forumite
    just out of curiosity, I wonder does the hotel have a policy on overbooking....wonder if its like travelodge....sorry, no room here but we have another lodge 20 miles up the road...
    I'm now a retired teacher... hooray ...:j

    Those who can do, those who can't, come to me for lessons:cool:

  • Andy_L
    Andy_L Posts: 13,074 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    For a breach of contract they are entitled to the losses they have incurred, (ie the profit on the room). Since they aren't having to provide breakfast or clean the room/linen I'd of thought that "75% of total cost" is to high.
  • Loanranger
    Loanranger Posts: 2,439 Forumite
    From dates given, you would have been about 36 weeks pregnant at the time of your holiday.
    Highly risky to book w/e away so close to expected birth.
  • As others have said, please edit post to remove personal details.

    Yes, the proprietor is able to claim for losses incurred as a result of you not fulfilling the contract. I guess you were happy to pay in the first place so must have the funds available. Just a shame you miss out on the stay.

    Welcome to the joys of parenting.
  • david39
    david39 Posts: 1,968 Forumite
    If you have an annual travel insurance policy, you should be able to claim on that. Remember, some banks include such a policy in their premium current accounts.
  • david39 wrote: »
    If you have an annual travel insurance policy, you should be able to claim on that. Remember, some banks include such a policy in their premium current accounts.

    Or normal current accounts (Nationwide Flex account for instance).
    Thinking critically since 1996....
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