Low dep holiday cancellation charges should reflect how much money the business is actually losing.

Browntoa

You agreed to the terms and conditions on sign up.

It's a fair contract and quite clearly worded.

You are choosing to cancel , there is currently no advise not to travel to your destination. 

Pollycat

zagfles said:

ngs986 said:

Sorry I think you may have missed my point..... where does the Consumer Rights Act come in then? I'm not arguing about the low deposit scheme just its complete unfairness. The Act clearly says... "Any cancellation charges should reflect how much money the business is actually losing from the cancellation" My holiday would be a loss to the travel company of circa £500, but a holiday of £5000 value under the same terms would be a loss to the travel company of circa £4500.....so to be fair then higher value holidays should be paying greater deposits!

It's the usual here, people being whoosed and the usual predictable "it's all your fault for not reading what you signed up to" etc.

To answer your actual question, see the MSE news item here which gives advice on what to do: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2019/04/holiday-firms-warned-over-unfair-cancellation-rules/

I suppose in the current climate, the tour operator may argue they'd have difficulty reselling the holiday or would have to discount it significantly, and so the loss to the business could be the full deposit...

Just what the OP is looking for.

I hope he/she comes back to let us know the result of taking on TUI.

As for "it's all your fault for not reading what you signed up to" etc., the OP booked online with TUI.

On TUI website, it is very, very clear - not hidden in small print - that you are paying a low deposit and the balance of the deposit is due on x date.

If the OP missed that, it really is their fault for not reading what they signed up to.

mattyprice4004

Late to the party, but forfeiting the deposit is fair - I bet you'd be complaining if they didn't re-sell the holiday then could (legitimately) chase you for the full amount of the holiday; losing the deposit seems a fair deal. 

Cacran

We are in the same predicament to the original poster. 
We are both over 65 and I have a number of health issues which make me more vulnerable to catching things. I know that it did say that we had to pay the extra deposit but under these unusual circumstances, surely we don't have to pay any more money.
It is today when we have to pay the remainder of the deposit and we will not be paying it. 
They will have to take us to court. I would rather stay safe.

bradders1983

Good luck with that.

Aylesbury_Duck

Cacran said:

We are in the same predicament to the original poster. 
We are both over 65 and I have a number of health issues which make me more vulnerable to catching things. I know that it did say that we had to pay the extra deposit but under these unusual circumstances, surely we don't have to pay any more money.
It is today when we have to pay the remainder of the deposit and we will not be paying it. 
They will have to take us to court. I would rather stay safe.

How is paying what you owe preventing you from staying safe?  No one's forcing you to go on the trip but I fail to see what that's got to do with paying the deposit.

I wonder if you'll be sympathetic when people in the travel industry lose their jobs, partly because people like you don't feel it's necessary to honour agreements you entered into willingly and in full receipt of the terms. 

Actually, I don't wonder at all.  It's fairly obvious.

Undervalued

Cacran said:

We are in the same predicament to the original poster. 
We are both over 65 and I have a number of health issues which make me more vulnerable to catching things. I know that it did say that we had to pay the extra deposit but under these unusual circumstances, surely we don't have to pay any more money.
It is today when we have to pay the remainder of the deposit and we will not be paying it. 
They will have to take us to court. I would rather stay safe.

So you expect the company to take the additional risk of you cancelling due to your "health issues" ?

You have entered into a contract and the company are entitled to be compensated if your break your side of the agreement. They have a duty to make reasonable efforts to minimise their losses. Providing they do that they can look to you for the amount they are out of pocket. That could be less or more than the amount of the deposit you have paid so far. Given that they will probably struggle to re-sell, it could well be more. 

I know this forum is about money saving but people do need to accept some personal responsibility. The current situation is no more the company's fault than it is yours, yet you expect them to shoulder the full burden.

zagfles

Cacran said:

We are in the same predicament to the original poster. 
We are both over 65 and I have a number of health issues which make me more vulnerable to catching things. I know that it did say that we had to pay the extra deposit but under these unusual circumstances, surely we don't have to pay any more money.
It is today when we have to pay the remainder of the deposit and we will not be paying it. 
They will have to take us to court. I would rather stay safe.

Check your travel insurance, you might be covered if medical advice is not to travel.