Increase of villa booking by 100% more

Eu_Bares_All

Increase of villa booking by 100% more than quoted, accepted and booked cost.

Hello all

I was just wondering if anybody knows the correct answer to this enquiry.

Yesterday I booked 2 weeks in a Spanish Villa for next year via the tripadvisor owned Holiday Letting site. It was good value but not an outrageous price, being £1500 in June 2019. I made a payment of £350 as requested and gained a receipt and booking reference.

Today I received an email stating a change had been made to my booking and I had 48 hours to accept or decline. After a bit of searching I found that the outstanding balance was now £2650 rather than the £1150 I had been advised. I am not intending on paying the new rate but I'd like to know where I stand.

Have we not already entered a contract? Should they honour this (I acknowledge that we could turn up and have problems, eg locked doors.) ? Could Holiday Lettings have some responsibility.

I am happy to be reasonable but not to pay that whole requested rate, I simply would not have booked that villa.

Looking at the website there is lots of information around what I should do if I chose to cancel, including losing any booking fee I have paid. But cannot see anything about the situation I find myself in. There is detail stating I had 24 hours cooling off period, does this apply to the owner too?

Thank you in advance.

hollydays

Why not email them and ask for assurance you won't lose your booking fee?

Eu_Bares_All

Thank you. I will do that later, should it come to it. I've absolutely no intention of losing money.

DoaM

If they're varying the contract then you're entitled to reject the variance and cancel the contract without loss.

If they try to retain all/some of the deposit then raise a claim with your card provider. (Chargeback claim if paid by debit card; Section 75 claim if paid by credit card).

Eu_Bares_All

DoaM wrote: »

If they're varying the contract then you're entitled to reject the variance and cancel the contract without loss.

If they try to retain all/some of the deposit then raise a claim with your card provider. (Chargeback claim if paid by debit card; Section 75 claim if paid by credit card).

Much obliged DoaM, that is very useful. I was not aware of the Chargeback process.

I am beginning to guess that they do not have to honour the original price?

waamo

No they don't if they made an error.

Eu_Bares_All

Thank you waamo. That's confirmed my thoughts. Another session of searching needed therefore.

unholyangel

waamo wrote: »

No they don't if they made an error.

Only if that error was obvious (or should have been obvious). If similar properties go for similar prices then they wouldn't be able to rely on the contract being void for unilateral mistake.

As for whether they can vary it - if the agreement was binding on you then its binding on them (save for unilateral mistake).

J_B

hollydays wrote: »

Why not email them and ask for assurance you won't lose your booking fee?

Eu_Bares_All wrote: »

Thank you. I will do that later, should it come to it. I've absolutely no intention of losing money.

As an advertiser on Holiday Lettings, I've always found it VERY difficult to contact them in any way ...


Good luck!

ChrisK....._3

Yes you have entered into a contract but their liability for the breech of contract extends only as far as making you whole again (giving you your money back) - Hence why they offered it to you

Eu_Bares_All wrote: »

Increase of villa booking by 100% more than quoted, accepted and booked cost.

Hello all

I was just wondering if anybody knows the correct answer to this enquiry.

Yesterday I booked 2 weeks in a Spanish Villa for next year via the tripadvisor owned Holiday Letting site. It was good value but not an outrageous price, being £1500 in June 2019. I made a payment of £350 as requested and gained a receipt and booking reference.

Today I received an email stating a change had been made to my booking and I had 48 hours to accept or decline. After a bit of searching I found that the outstanding balance was now £2650 rather than the £1150 I had been advised. I am not intending on paying the new rate but I'd like to know where I stand.

Have we not already entered a contract? Should they honour this (I acknowledge that we could turn up and have problems, eg locked doors.) ? Could Holiday Lettings have some responsibility.

I am happy to be reasonable but not to pay that whole requested rate, I simply would not have booked that villa.

Looking at the website there is lots of information around what I should do if I chose to cancel, including losing any booking fee I have paid. But cannot see anything about the situation I find myself in. There is detail stating I had 24 hours cooling off period, does this apply to the owner too?

Thank you in advance.

Eu_Bares_All

unholyangel wrote: »

Only if that error was obvious (or should have been obvious). If similar properties go for similar prices then they wouldn't be able to rely on the contract being void for unilateral mistake.

As for whether they can vary it - if the agreement was binding on you then its binding on them (save for unilateral mistake).

I think in some respects it was obvious in as much as it was good value for the property . However since they have doubled the price, it no longer meets that same value, therefore I will cancel.

There is a further detail, of which I'll share in a moment.

Much obliged to you.