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Booked villa in Florida and now can't get refund on deposit.

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  • chatty123
    chatty123 Posts: 794 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    I always wonder why so many people jump in with both feet and enter into a contract to purchase things before deciding whether they could afford to or not ... and then whinge when they have lost their deposit,..
    If one was so seriously considering going on this holiday then one should have purchased insurance as soon as the booking was made..

    Just my opinion
  • melancholly
    melancholly Posts: 7,457 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    i think the money is lost tbh - seeing it from the other angle with family who rent out places, when they've had a booking and had to turn away other requests because of it, then someone pulls out, it's annoying. perhaps you could ask if it would be possible to get your deposit back if someone else books for that time - i can't see of any other way of getting the money back.
    :happyhear
  • Seems to me a rather harsh set of replies. I think it perfectly reasonable that a contract should be fair and that only reasonable expenses incurred should be retained. Compare t&cs of hotel chains where you can cancel on the day of arrival.
    Might be worth a looking at https://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/ for advice,good luck will be inerested in outcome
  • GlennTheBaker
    GlennTheBaker Posts: 2,974 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Is it not also perfectly reasonable to read and agree to the terms of a contract before putting pen to paper? Also, comparing this situation to that of a hotel chain is ridiculous. Hotels can sell rooms to 'walk-in' customers - what's the chance that someone knocks on the door of a Florida villa and says 'Got a room for the night?'
    This space has been intentionally left blank
  • melancholly
    melancholly Posts: 7,457 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    sajoe wrote: »
    Seems to me a rather harsh set of replies. I think it perfectly reasonable that a contract should be fair and that only reasonable expenses incurred should be retained. Compare t&cs of hotel chains where you can cancel on the day of arrival.
    Might be worth a looking at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/ for advice,good luck will be inerested in outcome
    although the tone of some of the replies wasn't very sympathetic, the content was entirely appropriate! if you put a deposit down under certain conditions, you can't then try to ignore them. had the villa owner changed their mind about renting the villa to them within the same timeframe, you can bet that everyone would have been really mad at them too.
    :happyhear
  • blindman
    blindman Posts: 5,673 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    sajoe wrote: »
    Seems to me a rather harsh set of replies. I think it perfectly reasonable that a contract should be fair and that only reasonable expenses incurred should be retained. Compare t&cs of hotel chains where you can cancel on the day of arrival.
    Might be worth a looking at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/ for advice,good luck will be inerested in outcome

    The orginal poster's (OP) question showed a lack of understanding as to how the rental of private Villas operates.(as does yours I might add ;))

    No, problem as this is one of (many) forums where such valuable information can be gained.

    However he chose to ignore and argue against the sage and IMHO correct advice.
    Seems that he's one of those people who blames everyone except himself and looks for compensation at every turn
    (Just my opinion from the OP replies-I could be wrong ;))

    There is no comparison between a private owner and a (usually) big chain hotel.

    The non refundable deposit IMHO is both to deter 'casual' bookings and also to recoup some of the financial cost incurred to the Villa owner.

    It is both a Liquidated charge and a Penalty charge.

    If I was in the OP shoes I'd have.

    1)Read the T&C's fully :confused:
    2) Have taken out Travel Insurance at the first instance :beer:

    3) Politely contacted the owners and requested that if they managed to secure a booking I may be refunded. (But I wouldn't hold my breath)
  • milkydrink
    milkydrink Posts: 2,407 Forumite
    sajoe wrote: »
    Seems to me a rather harsh set of replies. I think it perfectly reasonable that a contract should be fair and that only reasonable expenses incurred should be retained. Compare t&cs of hotel chains where you can cancel on the day of arrival.
    Might be worth a looking at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/ for advice,good luck will be inerested in outcome

    Look at it this way, if it was booked with Thompsons or First Choice & their insurance wasn't taken out on the booking & then NO insurance at all was taken out on the booking & then the holidaymaker couldn't go, they wouldn't get the deposit back. If they had paid the full whack I'm still not sure they would have got a penny back if it were their doing rather than the holiday company & there was NO insurance.
  • bruisedknees
    bruisedknees Posts: 35 Forumite
    In the Terms and Conditions the deposit of £150 is described as RETURNABLE and is held as security against return of keys, inventory damage etc.

    If the OP will not be occupying the villa then there will be no keys to be returned,no inventory damage etc. Therefore it appears to me that this deposit remains RETURNABLE and I have read nothing in the Terms and Conditions which entitles the owners of the property to hold on to it.

    Does anyone disagree with me or have I missed something?
  • dmg24
    dmg24 Posts: 33,920 Forumite
    10,000 Posts
    In the Terms and Conditions the deposit of £150 is described as RETURNABLE and is held as security against return of keys, inventory damage etc.

    If the OP will not be occupying the villa then there will be no keys to be returned,no inventory damage etc. Therefore it appears to me that this deposit remains RETURNABLE and I have read nothing in the Terms and Conditions which entitles the owners of the property to hold on to it.

    Does anyone disagree with me or have I missed something?

    The Cancellations section?!!
    Gone ... or have I?
  • milkydrink
    milkydrink Posts: 2,407 Forumite
    Cancellations
    Provided we receive written notice of cancellation not less than ten weeks before the holiday commencement date the hirers will not be required to pay the full balance, the amount of the deposit however, will be forfeit. All cancellations must be notified in writing at the earliest opportunity.

    In the event of you having to cancel your booking the following charges will apply:
    More than 8 weeks prior to departure - deposit only

    Between 6-8 weeks prior to departure - 50% of rental
    Less than 6 weeks prior to departure - 100% of rental


    Can the OP clarify, HOW MUCH ACTUAL BOOKING DEPOSIT DID THEY PAY? (not damages, but actual booking deposit).
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