Haven URGENT - Holiday Cancellation - Made BIG Mistake

sdl811

Some advise please..

I totally stupidly eda cavaran holiday at haven, the park was called Thorpe Park, about an hour ago...:-(

I actually thought or assumed it was based in london (without even checking) and booked up for the kids next week. The booking was a late deal for only £69 but £69 is still a small amount of cash to lose.

after booking i checkout how to get there and noticed it's not actually in london...DOH who names a holiday park after Thorpe park the theme park!!!

Any how i have emailed them, but on reading there T&C's it would seem i've lost my monies. Also it not really viable going there as i hold annual passes for the theme park so of no use and i'm also 6hrs away from the actual holiday park.

Do you think i might get a refund? whats my stance as it was a last minute offer for the 16th oct? is there any condition they need to follow, ie i'm within my right to cancel in 7 days? am i protected?



If you cancel your booking
Should you wish to cancel your holiday please call the Customer Care Department on 0870 242 3333 and they will advise you on the documentation we require to process your cancellation. Your cancellation must also be notified to us in writing. The written notification should be sent to us by recorded delivery as your cancellation will not take effect until we receive the written confirmation. If we do not receive written confirmation of your cancellation before your holiday has commenced no refund will be given.
Our Cancellation Plan covers your cancellation in event of you or any other member of your holiday party being unable to travel due to sickness, redundancy or jury service. Proof in the form of a doctor's certificate, employer's or court notification will be required in writing by recorded delivery prior to your confirmed holiday start date.
If you are covered by our Cancellation Plan and comply with our cancellation plan procedures in the condition above, you will be entitled to a full refund of all monies paid subject to:
1. An administration charge of £50, unless your cancellation occurs within 48 hours of your holiday start date, in which case the refund will be limited to 30% of the total holiday cost.
2. If you have our Cancellation Plan on your booking and need to cancel your holiday for reasons other than stated above, you will incur the following cancellation charges in line with the sliding scale shown below, which covers the costs and expenses which we incur as a result of your cancellation.
3. Payments made with vouchers or credit notes will not be refunded.
Number of days in advance of holiday start date cancellation charges are payable:
Length of time Cancellation Charge 56 days or more Deposit and Insurance premium(s) 43-55 days 30% of total holiday cost 42-29 days 50% of total holiday cost 28-8 days 90% of total holiday cost 7 days or less 100% of total holiday cost
Please note that the minimum charge is £50 per accommodation unit cancelled. Payments made by Credit Card will be repaid to the same Credit Card if the Cancellation Plan is paid out.
If you do not take out Cancellation Plan or an insurance cover of your own NO REFUND WILL BE GIVEN ON ANY MONIES PAID.
If we make any major alterations to your booking
We try very hard to provide all facilities and entertainment as shown on the website. It may however be necessary to make some alterations in advance of your holiday. If such a change is necessary, we will endeavour to advise you, or your Travel Agent as soon as possible, and give you the options in the section entitled 'Options' (below) if we make a major change or cancel your booking'.

matey

This is not going to help you, but a previous post was asking about this park... http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=280580

dmg24

Unfortunately holidays are not covered by the distance selling regulations, so you are going to have to just speak very nicely to Haven and ask if they'll refund your money.

Maybe if they won't, you could ask if you could have it as a credit against a holiday at a later date?

Becles

sdl811 wrote:

after booking i checkout how to get there and noticed it's not actually in london...DOH who names a holiday park after Thorpe park the theme park!!!

It's named after Cleethorpes which is it's location, rather than the theme park.

Don't think you'll have much luck in getting a refund if you didn't check the park location out before booking. It's clearly in the Yorks and Lincs section on the site. Hopefully they'll be able to negotiate something else with you instead.

babyblooz

how did you get a holiday for £69???? Have you got a link to the website?

Fran

You could try a holiday forum such as Holiday truths or CPAN to see if someone else will buy your holiday (I've no idea what those 2 sites are like, try a Google search for more).

In my experience of Haven (bad) they won't give an inch on this but worth trying as others have suggested.

mrcow

Why don't you just call them and ask if you can transfer your holiday to another of their parks closer to the location that you would prefer?

What's the worst they can say?

black-saturn

You could ebay it.

The only other thing to do is to travel there. It sounds like a long way but it's not really. You could get there on a coach in about 4 hours and it will cost about £20 per adult. On a train it will be less if you got a family rail card.

sdl811

Phew...they refunded without any question....thank god...

mrcow

lol Great stuff. (and next time check before you book :D)

budgetflyer

Good one Haven.Mind and post it in the 5 star service board.
Easy mistake if in a hurry I suppose, and usefull lesson learned no doubt.