Holiday Extra - Price Comparison Refund - NOT

coupleuk

Needed to book car parking at Bristol Airport for 14 nights in Jan 2013.

Checked Holiday Extras website and got price quote. Then checked Bristol Airport website for exact same times/dates etc.

Bristol Airport was coming in £6 cheaper (at £51.99) than Holiday-Extras.

Checked the Holiday Extras website to read all about their "Free if you find it for less" claim - yep, I actually read all of the small print too.

Double checked both sites to ensure exact match and then booked with Holiday Extras.

Immediately called their claim number (via saynoto website) and lady informed me she needed to check the Bristol Airport website and also take a screen print.

She then confirmed she would send claim to relevant dept who would call me if claim was good but email me if not. Dont know why they need to call me for a valid claim but there you go.

Today, I got an email claiming the price was cheaper thru Holiday Extras - it seems they checked the Airport website today rather than last week when I make the booking and called them.

They asked me to send them a Screen Print (which they should already have) - thankfully I did one at the time - BUT the reply email bounced back as unread.

Have now sent emails to customer service and complaints dept and await their replies.

WHY do they offer a Guarantee if they are then going to make it as hard as possible to claim against it?

Rather than leave me with a positive impression of them, they have made me LESS likely to want to use them in the future.

DannyBrown

I've used Holiday Extras for my airport parking before too, didn't have any complaints, although I wouldn't have been happy if I'd had to jump through hoops for their 'price guarantee'.

If companies are going to have these 'guarantees' they really shouldn't be making it as difficult as possible to actually claim, as you say, it's just going to put off people from using them.

Let us know what they come back with! If they try and get out of it, would make me think twice about booking with them.

coupleuk

Have just received email from them - claiming they couldnt clearly see the screen print I sent to them.

It is perfectly clear but seems they may have "manipulated" it at their end.

Have written back asking them to show me where their T&Cs demand that I should jump thru hoops and be required to send screen prints etc.

The key headline in their terms states "Reclaiming your money is really easy. Simply call us on 0871 360 2100 and let us know. And that's it."

I have followed their procedure 100% yet they want to avoid paying out on their price promise.

I have just asked them why I need to provide further evidence - surely the fact that their customer service lady checked that there was a price difference before forwarding my claim to their dept should be sufficient.

If they have screwed-up their end, thats their problem to rectify - but to continue making their "really easy" and "simple" claims procedure turn into an extended argument is just crazy.

blindman

coupleuk wrote: »

Have just received email from them - claiming they couldnt clearly see the screen print I sent to them.

It is perfectly clear but seems they may have "manipulated" it at their end.

Have written back asking them to show me where their T&Cs demand that I should jump thru hoops and be required to send screen prints etc.

The key headline in their terms states "Reclaiming your money is really easy. Simply call us on 0871 360 2100 and let us know. And that's it."

I have followed their procedure 100% yet they want to avoid paying out on their price promise.

I have just asked them why I need to provide further evidence - surely the fact that their customer service lady checked that there was a price difference before forwarding my claim to their dept should be sufficient.

If they have screwed-up their end, thats their problem to rectify - but to continue making their "really easy" and "simple" claims procedure turn into an extended argument is just crazy.

This thread has posts about parking at Airports and does mention the Holiday Extras "guarantee"

Now that Essential Travel has changed their T&C's I too used Holiday extras and am waiting to hear from Holiday Extras about a claim I submitted on 24th Dec.

I agree they try to wriggle out of their claims so am not holding my breathe.:cool:

I gave the CS operator the direct phone number of the hotel I was getting a cheaper quote from so it will be interesting to see how they try to wriggle out of it-no web-site was involved.

It does seem odd that she confirmed it was cheaper but needed to fill out a from for others to look at

If they do then it's no problem as I have booked using their cancellation for free option so will cancel if they don't play ball.

joerugby

If Bristol Airport was £6 cheaper why didn't you book with them?

Backbiter

joerugby wrote: »

If Bristol Airport was £6 cheaper why didn't you book with them?

The answer was in his first post:

Checked the Holiday Extras website to read all about their "Free if you find it for less" claim

budgetflyer

blindman, Im sure Essential Travel and Holiday Extras are the same company.
Ive stopped using both these companies. Their guarantee is now worthless imo. Ive had 2 perfectly good claims rejected in the last year

blindman

budgetflyer wrote: »

blindman, Im sure Essential Travel and Holiday Extras are the same company.
Ive stopped using both these companies. Their guarantee is now worthless imo. Ive had 2 perfectly good claims rejected in the last year

I'm sure they are too.

I don't hold out much hope for the "Free" stay but it was worth a shot.

Can't let a potential MSE saving go to waste :cool:

My fall back plan is either

1. £60 Purple parking (+quidco supposedly) and a £30 hotel.

2. Fly and stay at £102 at the Holiday Inn M4 J4


Alledgedly my claim will be looked at next week-well outside the 72 hrs to get back to you T&C's

KonkyWonky

Only used them once in similair circumstances and they agreed to a full refund within 24 hours. The refund is not issued until you return from your trip though.

The phone operator does not have the authority to underwrite the refund, they have a claims department who make the final decision based on the evidence provided, so yes it is in your interest to provide as much evidence as you can to back up your claim.

I appreciate you feel like you have to jump through hoops, but if they refunded every claim made with no supporting evidence I doubt they would be in business.

budgetflyer

They could just be cheaper like they claim to be.
Then they wouldn't need to hide behind ludicrous "we give you a free mars bar,with our rate, X doesn't" to get out their price promise.

coupleuk

I appreciate you feel like you have to jump through hoops, but if they refunded every claim made with no supporting evidence I doubt they would be in business.

Their website very clearly states - "Reclaiming your money is really easy. Simply call us on 0871 360 2100 and let us know. And that's it."

Their T&Cs make no mention of having to keep evidence by way of screen prints etc.

Their staff member who took my initial call asked for details of the lower priced website, put me on hold whilst she checked it (and told me she did a screen print) and then told me she would submit my claim to the appropriate dept.

IF she didnt find that the other website was lower, she wouldnt have needed to submit my claim.