Hotel will not refund for my non stay

M47

Hi
In early December I booked a 2 night stay to attend a women's conference and, as the place the conference as in was overbooked, I offered the extra bed in the twin room on a forum of the women who would be attending. I quickly got a room mate and agreed we would split the cost. Then, due to a conflicting obligation, I was unable to go. I advised both my room mate who I do not personally know, and the hotel, in advance. My room mate was fine with it and the hotel noted my message by phone. I was dismayed to find money was still taken from my card by the hotel. I queried this 4 times, the hotel's last response being that I should ask the other lady for payment. Should I? I feel it is the hotel's responsibility. She booked and stayed in the same room the night prior to my reservation so they have her details. Both she and the hotel knew of the situation. I do not know this lady really and feel awkward to be expected to ask! your views and advice welcomed!

stuartJo1989

You booked the hotel room (and gave your card info), so the contract of sale is between YOU and the HOTEL. You are therefore liable for ANY AND ALL costs.

If you cancelled the room then it would have been subject to the hotel's Terms and Conditions relating to cancellation. It is not uncommon for them to charge you up to the full amount if you give them short notice, though. You'd need to refer to your contract.

As for your lodger, not only is this potentially breach of contract on your part (ie if you only pay for 1x person to stay then you are breaking contract by letting a 2nd person stay) but they also have NO contract with the hotel. In that respect, you would need to take the friend to Small Claims Court if you feel that they owe you any money.

mije1983

From what I can see the hotel have fulfilled their obligations. You booked a room and they provided one. Whether you stay or not is immaterial. Someone stayed in the room so they require paying in full.

Was the agreement to split the cost decided privately or something you had agreed with the hotel?

What conversation did you have with the other person regarding money when you said you couldn't go? Did you ask her to pay the full price?

takman

M47 wrote: »

Hi
In early December I booked a 2 night stay to attend a women's conference and, as the place the conference as in was overbooked, I offered the extra bed in the twin room on a forum of the women who would be attending. I quickly got a room mate and agreed we would split the cost. Then, due to a conflicting obligation, I was unable to go. I advised both my room mate who I do not personally know, and the hotel, in advance. My room mate was fine with it and the hotel noted my message by phone. I was dismayed to find money was still taken from my card by the hotel. I queried this 4 times, the hotel's last response being that I should ask the other lady for payment. Should I? I feel it is the hotel's responsibility. She booked and stayed in the same room the night prior to my reservation so they have her details. Both she and the hotel knew of the situation. I do not know this lady really and feel awkward to be expected to ask! your views and advice welcomed!

I don't see how it's awkward. You simply contact her as you did before and say that you have been charged for the room that she stayed in by and arrange for her to pay you (assuming she hasn't also been charged by mistake).

But we do need more details regarding what you discussed about payment for the room. As it stands it seems she owes you half of the cost as you agreed.

eddddy

It sounds like you booked a hotel room, and presumably you were planning to charge your room mate 50% of the cost. (Is that what you said when you offered the room on the forum?)

So I guess you should still ask the room mate for that 50% of the cost (and you lose the other 50%).

Depending on the hotel's cancellation policy, perhaps you could have cancelled your booking with no charge. But then you would have left your room mate with nowhere to stay.

shaun_from_Africa

It could have been a lot worse.
As the room had been reserved with your payment details, you would have been potentially liable for any damages or losses incurred during the time the room was occupied by the other person.
If she had trashed the room, smoked in there (which may have meant an extra cleaning charge) or simply decided that she liked the towels and took them home, it would probably have been you that ended up footing the bill.

sharpe106

Unless the other person pays you I doubt there is much you can do, you could try going to small claims court for the other person but I doubt it would be worth the effort as it would be pretty hard to prove one way or the other. Just take it as a lesson learnt.

I would have been more worried about sharing a room with a complete stranger I met on a forum and did not know at all.