Reclaiming accommodation cost on credit card 12 March 2020 at 2:31PM in Coronavirus travel help & info 9 replies 401 views

MrsAndy

If you gave paid for a holiday cottage on your credit card and nowmcannot go due to the corona virus can you reclaim the money from the credit card company?

Undervalued

MrsAndy said:

If you gave paid for a holiday cottage on your credit card and nowmcannot go due to the corona virus can you reclaim the money from the credit card company?

Why is it that you "cannot go"?

As far as I am aware at the moment, nothing legally prevents you from going so it is presumably your choice not to go? That may change but as it stands at the moment, unless the cottage owner choose to give you a refund you will be out of pocket.

You would only have a claim against the credit company if the cottage owners did something unlawful, went bust or prevented you from going.

redpete

MrsAndy said:

If you gave paid for a holiday cottage on your credit card and nowmcannot go due to the corona virus can you reclaim the money from the credit card company?

As the supplier has not failed to provide the service I would suggest 'no'.

Dox

No; there are no grounds for doing so, if you are the one who has decided not to go. If the cottage owner has said you can't have the cottage, you'll get your money back from them.

AnnaElsa

Does this still stand if government advice is to maintain social distancing and not travel unless necessary? 

Brackenfield

AnnaElsa said:

Does this still stand if government advice is to maintain social distancing and not travel unless necessary? 

That's what I am wondering.... 4 parts of the family, from different areas of uk and ages... all booked for a cottage.  I've got travel insurance which looks like it needs to be fco advise not to travel to invoke and I pd by credit card... will watch this thread with interest... 

Undervalued

AnnaElsa said:

Does this still stand if government advice is to maintain social distancing and not travel unless necessary? 

Yes.
It is still just advice. Nothing (currently) legally prevents you from going. If that changes you may have some rights but currently you don't. At the moment, unless the cottage closes for business, it is up the the owners whether they want to make a gesture of goodwill or not.

falcieri

I am also confused about this. We have just cancelled a holiday let in June. It seems pretty certain that non-essential travel will still be banned but the holiday company haven't told us not to come so theoretically they still want us there even though we're not allowed to travel. So they are not refunding the deposit we paid. This seems like a loophole since if we did go we'd be flouting the lockdown rules BUT the company haven't cancelled our break and I've seen people losing money because of this situation whether the choice to cancel has been put down to the holiday maker even though they can't travel. It just seems a little bit sneaky. I appreciate that the holiday company want the money because they are losing out, but so are we because we've paid for something we're not going to get through no fault of our own. We would never have cancelled this holiday in other circumstances.

[Deleted User]

falcieri said:

I am also confused about this. We have just cancelled a holiday let in June. It seems pretty certain that non-essential travel will still be banned but the holiday company haven't told us not to come so theoretically they still want us there even though we're not allowed to travel. So they are not refunding the deposit we paid. This seems like a loophole since if we did go we'd be flouting the lockdown rules BUT the company haven't cancelled our break and I've seen people losing money because of this situation whether the choice to cancel has been put down to the holiday maker even though they can't travel. It just seems a little bit sneaky. I appreciate that the holiday company want the money because they are losing out, but so are we because we've paid for something we're not going to get through no fault of our own. We would never have cancelled this holiday in other circumstances.

Unfortunately falcieri, there are thousands of people in same situation.   For the ones, like myself, who have paid ALL upfront and not just a deposit we are looking at losing the lot if we cannot re-book within twelve months.   Lots of people are finding this option totally impossible for a variety of genuine reasons such as property already booked for same period 2021, property up for sale, special occasion that will have passed, multiple persons unable to attend etc, but insurers and banks are saying that the voucher offer IS a refund of sorts ?    Don't agree?   NO, neither do thousands of others.   Join the fight.

twopenny

As it seems that accommodation should be closed to visitors (otherwise how could it open later as proposed) then if your holiday is during this lockdown period they should be unable to fulfill their side of the contract.

If your holiday is later than the proposed date for accommodation and hotels to be opening then they aren't liable to refund unless they cannont offer their part of the deal on the date you are contracted to arrive.

Dates in the future still stand as viable until you can prove otherwise.