I NEED some help please;

Seanymph

ok, holiday booking.

I went to this website;

http://www.aboutscotland.co.uk/south/roughley.html

to book this holiday cottage which says in the description this;

All fuel ie. gas, coal and anthracite, is included in the price.
it directs you to their 'agents' to book

I emailed their agents, who sent me back a phone number and instruction to call them - I called them, they directed me to the booking form on their website, I filled it in and booked the cottage, paid IN FULL on my credit card. 21st Jan

The company I paid was Northumbria coast & country cottages.
http://www.northumbria-cottages.co.uk/ (their agents)

I received, two days ago, their confirmation package - opened and read it yesterday;

'STARTER PACK OF COAL AND KINDLING INCLUDED. THEREAFTER £10 PER BAG FOR COAL WHICH IS LEFT IN SHED'

I emailed yesterday and queried, gave website link that I originally booked from, explained the discrepancy, asked for them to clarify.

They emailed back this morning to say the owner 'changed his mind' in October 2010 and now it is not included.

I said I wanted to cancel then - it would add about £100 to the holiday.

They said I could cancel - but I had to PAY £42 to do that. Then they 'may' refund 'some' of my money IF they relet it.

I pushed - they phoned the owner - called me back. It was a 'mistake' he didn't update the other website, he accepts that, but he won't include fuel - I can cancel if I want to pay the money.

I explained I am not losing a deposit, I paid in full, can I have the balance back above the deposit - no, I can't.

On THEIR booking form (no doubt in tiny print) it says cottages let 'as on their website' - course, I didn't register it was different to the first website because the first website gives their details, I never used their website - the girl on the phone talked me through the web address and directed me straight to the booking form - who would have thought you had to check when you'd read the details.

So;

The owner admits he never updated HIS website which gives their company to book through.

I paid In full and they are withholding it all

They will not allow me to cancel unless I pay an additional £42.00

I have given them the option of including the fuel and they have refused

I notified them within 7 days of my dissatisfaction.

Two days after receiving their paperwork I have tried to deal with it and can't.

I have called my credit card and put it into dispute.

What do I do now?

gordikin

Wait and see what your credit card co. say?

PZH

And print the website page that shows the "Fuel included" so you have a permanent copy just in case it gets updated in the meantime.

Seanymph

I have put it into dispute and am sending off the paperwork.

Do you think I'll get my money back?

To be honest if he'd said 'oh, I made a mistake, call it a fiver a bag' we'd have gone............ but 'oh I made a mistake tough' is a bit hard to take - there is no electric or heating, you are reliant upon coal heating, and for the last week in October that could be £300!

I am amazed i have to pay £42 to cancel - I've never heard of having to PAY to cancel a holiday.

And because I paid it all up front I'm furious they won't pay me back the difference and retain the deposit.

What a tricksy company.

Seanymph

NO!! You have the right website.

DVardysShadow

Your contract is on the basis of the description given. The confirmation varies the contract you understood - and it is a change to your material disadvantage. Their options are to include the fuel as described, or refund all monies paid in full. You need to write - a proper letter - and give them these 2 options and [say] 14 days to comply - otherwise you will consider the holiday cancelled. Keep copies!

If there is no refund, then you can consider the holiday cancelled and you should take them to the small claims court for the £42

Seanymph

thankyou - they aren't withholding the £42. They are not accepting the cancellation unless I pay an ADDITIONAL £42!

I can send the cheque with my letter cancelling the holiday, or I can just send a letter and they will bill me the £42 as an extra.

They then, IF they relet the cottage, will refund my money less their booking fee, insurance and something else.

It all seems terribly unfair - and a big lesson in checking every website something appears on (but how do you know?) - and not paying everything up front. To be penalised by not only paying a deposit seems very unfair.

Seanymph

*Any ideas on where I could get help with a 'proper' letter or what I need to include?

They phoned the property owner - at my insistence - and he admitted he'd changed his mind in 2010 - admitted he'd forgotten to update the visitscotland website - admitted it said that on there - but wasn't prepared to provide it for nothing. In fact, he wasn't even prepared to provide it at less than £10 a bag. (I'd have probably settled for half price!).

PZH

Seanymph wrote: »

NO!! You have the right website.

Yes - I know it is the right website - and it very clearly states "All fuel ie. gas, coal and anthracite, is included in the price." - however, there is nothing to stop the website from changing and this statement to be removed / modified - so get a copy of it whilst you can.

For regards the cancellation scenario - the company is probably using it's standard "Cancellation Policy" which covers admin, the lost booking and loss of earnings from the accomodation not being available whilst it was booked to you. (i.e. no-one else could book it)

However, even though it appears you are "cancelling" the holiday - you are doing so because it is NOT as advertised - so, in effect, you are rejecting the different T&C's. (Assuming the T&C's at the time of booking through Northumbria Coast & Country Cottages did not state the extra charge for fuel) ?

paddyrg

The courts will side with you, see what the card company says then if necessary send a letter stating they changed the deal after you had paid, it is no longer the same offer as advertised, bait-and-switch, they have alredy admitted fault, they can either refund in full by (date) or you will sue for your money back plus costs. Small claims, very easy process, very cheap.

Seanymph

They are claiming that on their website (Northumbria) it says 'fuel not included' - it does say that.

On their booking form it says 'as advertised on our website'.

That is their argument.

However

On the owners website it says fuel included - and gives Northumbria country cottages contact details in order to book the cottage - that's the one I booked. The owners website one.

it is the difference between the two that's caused the problem.

But of course, I didn't look it up on the second companies website - I'd already read all about it on the owners website and was happy with it so I just booked it. I didn't know he changed his mind last October about the fuel and hadn't got around to updating HIS site.

Apparently he's sorry though. So that's nice.

Meanwhile I'm £411 out of pocket and facing ANOTHER £42 bill to cancel it.

Life just shouldn't be this difficult should it.