Urgent Help Needed - Travelodge.

pcyuljr

Hi All,

I need some urgent advice please regarding the following situation. Sorry about the dramatic tone, but this is really bothering me.

My partner and I are staying in London from Thursday to Sunday this coming week.

A month or so ago I booked us a three individual consecutive night break at a Travelodge.

Upon reviewing the booking last night on the website at 11.10pm I accidentally cancelled a non refundable Saver room.

Upon realising this I rang the customer service desk, but it was obviously shut this late. I then sent a message through the website e-contact form to the customer service department, assuming time was of the essence, the quicker I show I made an error the more forgiving they may be I thought.

This morning I rang CS at 9am, but automated message just said the lines were busy, go to the website and cut me off.

At 10.30am a CS rep was spoken too who basically said 'tough' and that the rooms are non refundable as per the the T + C's.

I then rang back and spoke to somebody else and told them I didn't want a refund, I just wanted the booking reconfirmed, as I was still planning on staying the other night, it just an error. He then said the T + C's said nothing they can do. After reading them, I asked where there is any mention in relation to in effect cancelling a cancellation. Flustered he just stated the booking is lost and that's that. No money. No room. I asked to speak to a supervisor and he refused as said they would say the same thing and there's no point. Phone conversation finished.

So after 4 phone calls and a message I am still without a room and no money.

1) Anyone any idea where legally I stand? I have paid money (£75) for a room, they have the money. I still want a room, they say I can' have it as my booking is gone. But rooms are still available. I have just made an error. Similar to if they refunded £500 to my account mistake and I just said 'tough it's gone'. Surely I have some redress in this situation considering as soon as the error was noticed I tried to correct it?

2) Options

We turn up at the hotel on Thursday and play dumb when they say it is cancelled. I am still staying the further 2 nights and have turned up for what they say is a room cancelled. They have no reason to think I would cancel an unrefundable room then turn up, so hopefully will grant our room believing it to be an error on their side. If the above fails, I could just book a room on arrival there....but then what? Speak to customer service? Not really an option as done twice and got nowhere. Seek legal advice, but I'm unsure under what? Does the distance selling regulations apply in this case considering in a sense I have cancelled something thus classed as a transaction?

Any advice is much appreciated as we can not afford to lose £75 on a weekend to London for a wedding.


Thanks a lot in advance.

susancs

I do feel for you as it was a simple mistake you made, but don't think you have any legal recourse as looking at the terms and conditions it says " It is possible to cancel a Saver or Sale room using the Manage your bookings section but cancelled rooms are non-refundable and You can reduce the length of stay but will not receive a refund for the nights no longer required".

I doubt the turning up and trying to make out it was their mistake would work as investigations would reveal you sent an email and phoned TL, so they would just charge your card for the room at some point even if they intially let you stay there without the extra charge. The worst case senario may be that they are fully booked for the Thursday when you arrive and you have no where to stay.

I personally think the way to go may be to email the CEO asking that as a goodwill gesture on this occassion they re-instate your orginal booking. If the site did not give you warnings that you were about to cancel than I would mention that the safeguards for warnings were not there as you would have expected. I would also point out that you did try to contact TL straight away to deal with the situation. If you feel it appropriate you state that you are willing to pay the £5 admin fee they seem to charge to amend a bookings as the error was on your part.

[EMAIL="guy.parsons@travelodge.co.uk"]guy.parsons@travelodge.co.uk[/EMAIL] seems to be the CEO according to this MSE forum post by hansi.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/42969520#Comment_42969520

Good luck.

wealdroam

pcyuljr wrote: »

Does the distance selling regulations apply in this case considering in a sense I have cancelled something thus classed as a transaction?

Just to add that the Distance Selling Regulations won't help.

The OFT's guide to the DSRs tells us...

2.20 The requirements to provide pre-contractual information, written and additional information, the right to cancel and the obligation on the supplier to carry out the contract within a maximum of 30 days do not apply to the following types of contract...
Contracts to provide accommodation, transport, catering or leisure services (for example hotel accommodation; plane, train, or concert tickets; car hire; or sporting events) where you agree to provide the service on a specific date or within a specific period.

pcyuljr

Thanks so far guys for the advice

The more I think that I have paid for a room I want, but am being screwed by a company who don't even have T + Cs on their side (as far as I can tell), the angrier I get. Are they just taking advantage or do some think I am in the wrong and that's that?

Just out of interest, if I had paid by a credit card, would I have been covered by s75 in this instance? I've paid for a service I'm not going to receive and which I do want. Would I have just got the cash back and let visa (or whoever) argue over it? I haven't got a CC but the protection they offer ma make it worth it?

Quentin

pcyuljr wrote: »

Just out of interest, if I had paid by a credit card, would I have been covered by s75 in this instance? I've paid for a service I'm not going to receive and which I do want. Would I have just got the cash back and let visa (or whoever) argue over it? I haven't got a CC but the protection they offer ma make it worth it?

S75 would never come into this as there is no breach of contract - you cancelled the room. (And s75 is for amounts over £100)

(Travelodge charge extra (also non refundable) if you pay by CC)

p00hsticks

pcyuljr wrote: »

Just out of interest, if I had paid by a credit card, would I have been covered by s75 in this instance? I've paid for a service I'm not going to receive and which I do want.

But you've cancelled it yourself !

I realise it was a mistake on your part, but I don't think Travelodge are "screwing you" or that S75 would cover you if you had paid by credit card. Yes, it's true that you paid for a service that you are not going to receive, but the reason you're not going to receive it is that you cancelled it yourself, knowing that the booking was non-refundable.

puppy999

We are all human and we all make mistakes think I would call in and seek legal advice a solicitor and not the CAB as they are a wast of time ........
I do hope you get it sorted as £75 is a lot of money to lose is there a Travelodge near by that you could call in and hav a chat with someone face to face they may be able to help ......... good luck hope it all works out for you xx

redpete

puppy999 wrote: »

is there a Travelodge near by that you could call in and hav a chat with someone face to face they may be able to help

I'd be amazed if a receptionist at any Travelodge would be able to do anything about an online booking problem, especially one for a different location.

Quentin

puppy999 wrote: »

...... think I would call in and seek legal advice a solicitor and not the CAB as they are a wast of time ........

But seeking advice from a solicitor would be a waste of time as well - but worse - also a waste of money!

To cancel a room involves you searching your account for a specific booking, "opening" the specific booking details then clicking on the "cancel booking" button - all of your own "free will". How did you make this mistake - did you forget it was a non refundable room?

Rather than wasting money on a solicitor, maybe focus on getting them to make a goodwill gesture over this, as you have no contractual "rights" to getting them to reverse your cancellation request.

pcyuljr

p00hsticks wrote: »

But you've cancelled it yourself!

I realise it was a mistake on your part, but I don't think Travelodge are "screwing you". Yes, it's true that you paid for a service that you are not going to receive, but the reason you're not going to receive it is that you cancelled it yourself, knowing that the booking was non-refundable.

Since making my booking a few weeks ago, every second of every day my intention has been to utilise the booking. I made a mistake in a total 5 to 10 second period. This probably equates to a 0.0001% period since I made the booking. I then tried to remedy it immediately (not a week or two later).

However, which time period do this huge company, who have my money and will no doubt have empty rooms on the night in question, choose to focus on? It's not the 99.9999% I wanted the room they look at it is it?

I made the error. But it is one that is easily and quickly fixed with no party losing out. As a decent person, I am just struggling to understand why they would actively want to prevent me having the room, when I have fully explained situation.

It was a mistake that can be remedied at no cost or loss to either party. You appear to be of the opinion that Travelodge are in the right here.

susancs

pcyuljr wrote: »

Thanks so far guys for the advice

The more I think that I have paid for a room I want, but am being screwed by a company who don't even have T + Cs on their side (as far as I can tell), the angrier I get. Are they just taking advantage or do some think I am in the wrong and that's that?

Just out of interest, if I had paid by a credit card, would I have been covered by s75 in this instance? I've paid for a service I'm not going to receive and which I do want. Would I have just got the cash back and let visa (or whoever) argue over it? I haven't got a CC but the protection they offer ma make it worth it?

I don't think they are taking advantage to be honest. Most holiday companies and airlines have similar policies in that if you cancel nearer the time, you pay the full costs of the holiday, flight etc. If you did this and later changed your mind, you would not get that seat on the airline for example as it may well have been re-sold (even in a short time of a few hours). I can't think of any holiday company I have dealt with that has a "cancel the cancellation policy" as this would be mayhem if everyone did what you did and then rang up to re-instate the cancelled booking.

I agree with the above poster that we are all human and make mistakes and I think a lot of customer services reps will feel the same if you tell them you feel really stupid for your mistake and could they please, please help you, as you need the room, can't afford to loose £75 of hard earned wages, plus pay extra for another room. In my opinion getting angry and looking for an unrealistic policy will only get the reps back up, when you really need to get them onside and willing to do extra work outside of their usual remit, I would imagine, to help you rectify your mistake. I would make it personal by saying something along the lines of Please could you help me as I am so upset with myself and feel stupid, as I don't know how I did it, but I somehow managed to cancel my room for x date, which I need for a wedding I was so looking forward to. I paid £75 for it which seems to be lost and I can't afford to book another room and really want to go to the wedding. If you get their name use it during the conversation e.g. Susan, please could you help me as I am in the doghouse with my other half for my mistake. It is worth another call to them using the above approach.