Thomson promised deposit back now they ignore my calls

Josephk_2

Hello all,

I booked a Thomson holiday in April for me and my brother who hasn't been to well as of late going to the Dominican Republic in late September. Unfortunately after making the booking around 8 days later I had to cancel it due to my brothers health rapidly deterating unexpectedly.

The lady I booked the holiday with agreed that I would be able to get the £500 deposit I paid back in the form of a voucher to be used against a next Thomson holiday due to the circumstances. However months of sending letters and phonecalls have gotten me nowhere.

That was until Wednesday I got a phone call from the Thomson store saying I would not be getting a voucher and the lady who told me I would was wrong.

Now I wouldn't have cancelled that holiday if it meant completely losing £500 I paid just days before, instead I would have gotten a name change at a later date. But I thought a voucher would have been better because whoever I was to go with might not want to travel to the Dominican.

I'm just wondering what I can do in cases like this? I never recorded any conversations but surely anybody looking in at this booking would be wondering why I cancelled and lost £500 within 8 days of booking and departing in over 6 months time?

I didn't take travel insurance out either because I was planning on doing it the month before we were due to depart and I thought with being promised the money back in the form of a voucher there would be no need.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Caz3121

Josephk wrote: »

I didn't take travel insurance out either because I was planning on doing it the month before we were due to depart and I thought with being promised the money back in the form of a voucher there would be no need.

by the time you had been given that message you would have been too late to take travel insurance that would cover you. Travel insurance should be in place at the point in time there is more money involved to lose than you are comfortable losing, which in your case, as soon as the booking was made.
It may be that the lady's script referred to an exception to the T&Cs cancelling an imminent booking rather than one 5 months away.
Insurance would have been the way to cover this however if your brother had been poorly it may have been a very expensive policy given long haul destination - possibly over £500 depending on the preexisting conditions which I assume are pretty significant since he is going to be too unwell to travel for at least 5 months
You may have to chalk this one up to experience unless you can find something in the T&Cs that indicate it should not apply
...or I guess, argue that the size of deposit retained is not 'fair'

Josephk_2

At the time of booking he wasn't poorly, it was literally in the space a few days his health went down hill. For his insurance I got a quote for just over £300 but I was told it would go down nearer the time so that's why I was waiting.

Can't help but feel like I've been robbed...

Alan_Bowen

I wish I had good news, but I don't. Whenever you cancel a package holiday the deposit is lost, it is the same for every operator. Insurance never goes down in price nearer the holiday, not sure I have ever heard that story before but if the quote was £300, then he must have had a fairly serious health issue at that time and the Dominican Republic was probably not the best choice due to its 'simple' health facilities.

I hope your brother gets better but I think that will be the only good outcome here, sorry

Caz3121

Josephk wrote: »

I got a quote for just over £300 but I was told it would go down nearer the time so that's why I was waiting.

by waiting, you have no insurance should anything happen in the 5 months between booking and travelling, it makes no sense to wait.
I guess the only downside is that is actually <£200 lost, so if you had insurance you would have paid £300 to get £500 back less the excess.
Maybe ask for the complains procedure and focus on the fact that, had you been told correctly that your deposit would not be refunded the you would not have cancelled and requested name change, they may be able to try to reinstate the booking or offer some goodwill