Mis-sold holiday by TUI

SherelSchmidt

Hi All, 
I hope you are well. 
Wondering if any of you can help /advise me?
On 18th January 2020, I booked a holiday over the phone with TUI to depart on 6th April 2020. The only reason we went ahead with TUI is that they gave confirmation 3 times during the call, that we could amend the dates of the holiday for a £150 fee on the basis we were travelling within 12 week period, though advised if we amended the dates and the holiday was more expensive we would have to pay the difference, though, if cheaper, we would receive the difference back...The person we spoke to (Charlie) also said she would add the notes to the booking to ensure this was available to us, and any staff member could follow through on the advice both she and her line manager gave. (Due to my partner's work, we knew there was a possibility the date would have to change). 
Almost 3 weeks ago, I called TUI to change the holiday dates from 6th - 20th April to 13th - 27th April (keeping to the same hotel), prior to the call, checked online and to my surprise, the holiday had gone down too, so was happy at the thought of receiving some of the money-back... When I made the call, I was advised there were no notes on the system and to change the dates it would be full cancellation costs (the whole holiday) as I was now within an 8 week travelling period. As all calls with TUI are monitored for training purposes, I asked if they could obtain the call record so we could play it back together and hear their staff repeat three times that this change is available to us and that notes would be added. SHOCK - they said the could locate the call recording and so I now stand to lose £5800. 

Has this happened to you or anyone you know before?
Do you think this is something I am able to contact ATOL or ABTA about, or is there any leeway TUI should be giving me as it's their own error and I was mis-sold a holiday?

Appreciate the help in advance! 
Thanks,
Sherel

bradders1983

Hmm. Suppose you were naive to believe that you could amend the holiday up until the day before departure just for a £150 admin fee, but if they can't find the record its your word against theirs. Sounds implausible they would even say that so you need the evidence they did tbh.

The_Fat_Controller

Are there 3 of you travelling ? 
Change fees are £50 per person, there is no 8 week window, all the details are in the simple to read conditions in the link below.
Any change to a later date, as in your case, is treated as a cancellation and the termination fee depends on the number of days before travel, again detailed below, it would not be 100% !
https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/booking/tandc?ptype=PDP

bradders1983

"that they gave confirmation 3 times during the call, that we could amend the dates of the holiday for a £150 fee"

....if you move the date to earlier. Which they probably also said three times.