Credit card v. debit card

Beenie

If this query is in the wrong section, can a moderator please move it? Thanks:D

I have to pay for a holiday. It's quite a lot of money and the 3% surcharge for using a credit card is very expensive.

I recall Martin on TV or radio saying that you should pay the deposit (as long as it's over £100) with your credit card and the balance with your debit card (no extra charge with that).

I think this is to give you some sort of consumer law guarantee if the company goes bust. Is this correct???

wealdroam

Beenie wrote: »

If this query is in the wrong section, can a moderator please move it? Thanks:D

I have to pay for a holiday. It's quite a lot of money and the 3% surcharge for using a credit card is very expensive.

I recall Martin on TV or radio saying that you should pay the deposit (as long as it's over £100) with your credit card and the balance with your debit card (no extra charge with that).

I think this is to give you some sort of consumer law guarantee if the company goes bust. Is this correct???

Yes, that's right.

Have a read of MSE's Section 75 Refunds article for further detail.

Beenie

Fabulous.

Martin has just saved me £180.

He's a hero.

Beenie

wealdrome, I've read the article and am still a bit unclear.

I am buying from a travel company that specialises in tours to South America. They are not a travel agent as far as I know, in that they do tailor-made hols for their clients (not pacakages). Am I still covered for the whole of the cost of the holiday -- or just the £600 deposit paid with the credit card?

wealdroam

Beenie wrote: »

wealdrome, I've read the article and am still a bit unclear.

I am buying from a travel company that specialises in tours to South America. They are not a travel agent as far as I know, in that they do tailor-made hols for their clients (not pacakages). Am I still covered for the whole of the cost of the holiday -- or just the £600 deposit paid with the credit card?

From that article:

What if I only pay the deposit on the card?

The law's very specific, you get the protection for the whole thing even if you only pay for a part of it on the card, provided what you pay for costs more than £100 and less than £30,000.

Beenie

in my panic I hadn't seen that bit. Many thanks.

transient

Beenie wrote: »

Fabulous.

Martin has just saved me £180.

He's a hero.

I think you will find it would have been a eagle eyed member and not Martin. As with everything he shouts out about, it all comes from the members

bris

Some times you are not covered by S75 if you pay a third party rather than the travel company, an arranger may very well be classed as a third party so S75 wouldn't apply.

Transactions where Section 75 doesn't apply

There are some transactions where Section 75 may not apply - these include some online payment services as well as purchases from cash withdrawn on a credit card.
Examples include Amazon Marketplace purchases, and in some instances where a third party is involved, such as if you buy from a travel agent, rather than directly from an airline or holiday company.
If you use your credit card to withdraw cash for a particular purchase, you won't be covered by section 75 as there's no link between the credit card company and the retailer.

Beenie

bris, I think that we will be OK as this is a tour company specifically selling their own tours, and not a travel agent selling lots of different deals by holiday companies.