Real-life MMD: Should we keep quiet about 'free' holiday?

jgriggle

It's best to come clean. It sound like an admin error and admin errors are usually picked up on at some point. Admin errors are usually caused by people. How would you feel if you later found out that the staff member concerned had the cost of your holiday deducted from their wages? Or worse lost their job?

We all make mistakes at work.

Frogga7uk

jgriggle wrote: »

It's best to come clean. It sound like an admin error and admin errors are usually picked up on at some point. Admin errors are usually caused by people. How would you feel if you later found out that the staff member concerned had the cost of your holiday deducted from their wages? Or worse lost their job?

We all make mistakes at work.

Please read the first statement, they already have come clean and told the agent.

oldtrout

I'd get the payment checked further, and ensure that you have most definitely paid.

No way I would risk any problems just before or during my holiday.

adenewton

Keep the money in your account, wait 12 months or so, if still hasn't gone. Spend it as you wish!

CountryGoose

Write them a letter to explain the situation:

They are convinced you have paid; you are sure you have not paid, you have checked and no money has been taken from your account and you are willing to pay.

Keep the proof of posting and leave it at that - you can do no more.

chriswedge

If it wasn't something as big as a holiday I would say just leave the money in your account accumulating interest until they realised and took the payment. But I would be more concerned in this instance of being turned away at the airport/hotel due to this admin error.

Fujiko

CountryGoose wrote: »

Write them a letter to explain the situation:

They are convinced you have paid; you are sure you have not paid, you have checked and no money has been taken from your account and you are willing to pay.

Keep the proof of posting and leave it at that - you can do no more.

Agreed. This is not your problem. Send an email and a letter by recorded delivery. Keep a copy of both and wait for them to contact you. Having told them what has happened you are under no obligation to keep telling them how to do their job! I doubt you would be turned away at the airport but if you were just think of the compensation you could claim!

nazmondo

I think should wait a little while to see if the money is taken by them belatedly. If not, you could give the money to charity instead

kboss2010

As long as you don't spend the money and have proof that you have informed the company on several occasions, I see no reason why you should continue to chase them further.

I had a similar problem with my wages. I went from full-time in one job to part-time in another job with the same company. They carried on paying me full wages for the higher earning job for months, despite myself and my manager contacting HR to inform them.

I worked out what my wages should have been and left the rest in my account for when they asked me for it back. Then they had the cheek to tell me that they couldn't take it back as a lump sum and that they would deduct it from my wages until it was paid off. By this point I owed them nearly £1000 which would've meant I didn't get paid for a whole year on my reduced hours! What a fight I had to get them to take the money back in one go. Eventually they sorted it but it was like pulling teeth.

No wonder companies go under when you try to pay them money owed and they refuse it!

Gary_Bighitter

Whilst I don't condone dishonesty and I think everyone should pay their way in life I really don't see how the holiday company's book-keeping is the responsibility of the customer.

Time & time again people don't do their job properly and it is almost always the end-user who suffers as a result. As I see it, not one but two mistakes have been made by the company: not taking the payment in the first place and then claiming that they have. Yes we all make mistakes but it appears that the latter one was caused by someone who simply couldn't be bothered looking into a potential problem.

If the company asked me for the money, I would pay it without question but I would not be chasing them up in order to do so. The suggestion that the funds could have been debited from someone else's card and that you are responsible for compensating them is plainly absurd - it is the company's error; they and they alone would need to make redress. Furthermore, if this results in someone getting a ticking off maybe it will encourage the company in question to operate a little bit more efficiently in future, which is no bad thing as customer service is so often lacking these days.