Coronavirus and travel

Cacran

Booked a holiday to Menorca earlier in year and paid £100 deposit holiday starting 1st July 2020
We are due to pay £300 tomorrow  and  a further amount in April. 
We are both over 65 and I have a number of medical conditions which leaves me with a poor immune system. 
We had made a decision not to go on this holiday due to the risk of Coronavirus and to forfeit the £100 deposit.
Contacted Tui today to let them know what we had decided to do. We were told that as the proper deposit should have been £200 each, we would have to pay them a further amount of £400 , should we cancel. 
We have been unable to get insurance cover which includes Coronavirus because of my conditions.
I don't think that this is fair as were would be giving them plenty time to resell our holiday. My husband said just to not pay them anymore money.
I don't know what to do.

comeandgo

Your £100 would have been on a low deposit deal.  You are due to pay all the deposit, it will be in the terms and conditions you signed.  

Cacran

comeandgo said:

Your £100 would have been on a low deposit deal.  You are due to pay all the deposit, it will be in the terms and conditions you signed.  

I feared that might have been the case. I should have read the T&Cs We are not going to pay it, so I guess they will have to take us to court. 
The risks in Spain is getting worse. Can't see it getting better for a while. Rather not risk it.

Pollycat

Exactly the same situation has been discussed in this thread:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6112652/low-dep-holiday-cancellation-charges-should-reflect-how-much-money-the-business-is-actually-losing#latest

They are asking for the balance of the low deposit.

You would have signed to say you agreed to it.

If you don't pay it, they may pursue you for the money.

You may wish to note the following posts from the other thread - in particular the 2nd one:

ttoli said:

As a former Branch Manager for 2 High Street Travel agents I can assure you that the Low Deposit scheme is clearly explained to each client ( failure to do so is a disciplinary offence ) , Yes it is to generate more bookings 

zagfles said:

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...

Ganga

Also if you do not pay the full deposit THEY might pursue this through the courts which could trash your credit rating making any purchases on credit in the future impossible.

bagand96

I can see that if you have decided not to go then you feel you don't want to pay any more.  However the advice above regarding the deposit is all correct.

You could perhaps explore postponing the holiday with TUI - they may be more receptive to that.  They may allow you to use your deposit money against a new booking for later in the year.  Not sure if they will or not but it's worth trying.

mattyprice4004

You were explained the T&Cs, you were given a copy of the T&Cs, why would you not pay it? 
With the way things are it's unlikely they'll resell it, so could (if their T&Cs allowed it, which they don't) come after you for their full losses. 

They will pursue it, bear in mind how much all this will be costing them. I'd pay it then take more care with checking contracts before signing the dotted line next time. 

silvercar

Given that you are liable to pay a further £400, it would be worth paying the next £300 in the hope that TUI cancel the holiday at some point before the final balance is due and have to refund you.

dickdasdedly

Removed as put elsewhere.

bradders1983

Talk about highjacking a thread with a totally different question.