Please Please help

123xlee

Hi,

I am hoping someone will be able to help me.

To cut a long story short, we were sold an all inclusive holiday pakage over the phone which stupidly we paid a deposit for without looking into the accomadation. When reading reviews we decided that we really didn`t want to stay at this hotel so learning a very expensive lesson called the travel agent to cancell our trip to which we were told we would lose our deposit (fair enough this is what we expected)

I recieved a phone call today to inform me that our tickets had arrived at there office and the balance of the holiday (£620) was now due. I telephoned the agency to inform them I had allready cancelled our holiday and was then told that they had no records of it being cancelled and that I was now liable for the whole balance. Stupidly I did not cancel in writing as I was not told this is what I had to do. As far as I was concerned the holiday had been cancelled, convieniently the employee I was dealing with has since left leaving no records of any conversations and there are no supivisors or managers available for at least 2 hours!! All I have is itemised phone bills with there number on showing I have called them numerous times on the same day.

They are going to take me to court for full payment and I do not see that this is fair as I am not going on this holiday and there has been no correspondance from them since I thought I had cancelled the holiday.

If anyone has any suggestions I would be really gratfull

Thanks

Lee

dmg24

Wait and see what the supervisor has to say.

richardw

Is there any possibility of finding the former employee?

Can you call the airline direct to find out if you are still booked on the flight?

Are name changes permitted? If so, you may be able to sell the holiday on ebay.

peterbaker

Name the travel agent here and then tell them we are watching with interest.

Pollycat

Lee
I hope you can get this sorted out so you only lose your deposit.

A less costly way to have proceeded (I know, a bit late for you now but may be helpful it something like this happens again) would maybe to see if you could transfer the money you'd paid as deposit onto another holiday.

What is your departure date?

One thing in your post that strikes me as a bit strange:
you say the agent rang to say your tickets have arrived and that the balance is due.

Usually the balance is due anytime between 10 & 8 weeks before departure and tickets arrive 1 to 2 weeks before departure.
On all the (many) holidays I've taken, I've never had the tickets at the same time as paying the balance.

On the subject of the company stating they're going to take you a court for the full amount, I'm not sure that you are actually liable at this moment in time for the full balance - depending on your departure date.

I've got a holiday booked with Olympic for mid-November and the balance was due around the middle of September, which I paid on time.
Last week, I thought I might have to cancel the holiday for family reasons and checked the Olympic website.
Basically, 56 days or more before departure, I would lose the deposit only (or £99 if greater).
Between 56 & 43 days 35%
Between 42 & 29 days 55%

So I think this company MAY be trying it on - depending on your departure date.

I'd be inclined to check with the Tour Operator's website for cancellation details while you're waiting for them to get back to you.

Polly

littlereddevil

If you read the terms and conditions on most tour operators they state the cancellation must be made in writing.

blindman

123xlee wrote: »

Hi,

I am hoping someone will be able to help me.

To cut a long story short, we were sold an all inclusive holiday pakage over the phone which stupidly we paid a deposit for without looking into the accomadation. When reading reviews we decided that we really didn`t want to stay at this hotel so learning a very expensive lesson called the travel agent to cancell our trip to which we were told we would lose our deposit (fair enough this is what we expected)

I recieved a phone call today to inform me that our tickets had arrived at there office and the balance of the holiday (£620) was now due. I telephoned the agency to inform them I had allready cancelled our holiday and was then told that they had no records of it being cancelled and that I was now liable for the whole balance. Stupidly I did not cancel in writing as I was not told this is what I had to do. As far as I was concerned the holiday had been cancelled, convieniently the employee I was dealing with has since left leaving no records of any conversations and there are no supivisors or managers available for at least 2 hours!! All I have is itemised phone bills with there number on showing I have called them numerous times on the same day.

They are going to take me to court for full payment and I do not see that this is fair as I am not going on this holiday and there has been no correspondance from them since I thought I had cancelled the holiday.

If anyone has any suggestions I would be really gratfull

Thanks

Lee

So on your own admission, several times you've said it was all your stupid fault (I'm quoting the 'stupid' as per the OP).

Now you say it's unfair that the Tour company is taking you to court for the whole cost? (as you stupidly didn't write to cancel )

My suggestions:

Don't book anything else without reading the T&C's

Don't change your mind on a whim of reading other Internet reviews after you've booked

Don't blame others for your mistakes.

Solution:

As you have actually entered into the contract to go on this holiday, then why not actually go?

The hotel could be fantastic despite the 'reviews'

Even if it's the pits and you desperately want to change once you are there then this would cost less than cancelling the whole holiday.

More detail as to:

Where \When you're going

The Hotel in question.

Who the Travel company is:

davidscot

Think you'll have to bite the bullet here and go on the holiday. It might not turn out as bad as you expected!
Beats losing your money on the holiday or taking court proceedings etc etc.
Where is the holiday about?

123xlee

Thanks for alll your reply`s. I have not named the travel company deliberatly as I don`t want anything to go against me in court. I have never had terms and conditions as this was booked through a teletext company. Departure date is set for 24th october so only a couple of weeks away. We have never had any form of conformation, reciept of deposit ect so you would assume that as we cancelled within an hour of booking that it was just a case of them keeping our deposit and not havng to do much else.

As for the reviews, if numerous counts of food poisoning and lots of reports of flies all over food is not going to put you off then I don`t know what is. I don`t want to spend a week in a hotel with a fithy/unhygenic pool for my kids to play in (i`ve seen many photo`s) and food poisoning.

blindman

123xlee wrote: »

Thanks for alll your reply`s. I have not named the travel company deliberatly as I don`t want anything to go against me in court. I have never had terms and conditions as this was booked through a teletext company. Departure date is set for 24th october so only a couple of weeks away. We have never had any form of conformation, reciept of deposit ect so you would assume that as we cancelled within an hour of booking that it was just a case of them keeping our deposit and not havng to do much else.

As for the reviews, if numerous counts of food poisoning and lots of reports of flies all over food is not going to put you off then I don`t know what is. I don`t want to spend a week in a hotel with a fithy/unhygenic pool for my kids to play in (i`ve seen many photo`s) and food poisoning.

So when you rang you're saying the terms for cancellation were not explained?

Again, if the hotel is really that bad (you've not named it) then insist on being moved as soon as you check in

Have a look at Holiday Truths for guidance etc.

123xlee

blindman wrote: »

So when you rang you're saying the terms for cancellation were not explained?

Again, if the hotel is really that bad (you've not named it) then insist on being moved as soon as you check in

Have a look at Holiday Truths for guidance etc.

Hi Blindman,

No the terms and conditions were not explained to me over the phone when I booked and I have not had anything in writing since booking. I`m not sure that I can name the hotel or agent because I am intending to see this through to the court stage if need be, and I don`t want to jepordise my case with anything.