Are we entitled to a refund?

milne89

Hi all appreciate any help we can get with this one as not really sure where we stand. We were due to go on a stag do and booked an apartment in the centre of Newcastle this weekend Friday and Saturday night. We paid everything up front (£1650) and were told that there would be no refund if cancelled within 8 weeks of the date, which was fine as we had no plans to cancel. However with everything that has happened with coronavirus over the last couple of weeks there are a lot of worried people and with bars and pubs being closed and told to avoid unnecessary contact we decided to postpone for a later date. The apartment owner however says there isn’t any way we can get a refund and no chance of moving the booking to a later date as they think they’ll be out of business once this is all over. So basically have lost all the money and not getting much help from the owner at all. I know that there are people with a lot bigger problems out there however it has just all been really disappointing and don’t know if its worth taking this any further to try and claim some money back, or how would even go about doing that. Again appreciate any help at all, thanks all.

AdrianC

When you booked, you were told no refunds within 8 weeks of the booking.
The booking starts tomorrow. That's less than 8 weeks away...

miamoo21

Government have left pubs and clubs open and it’s just advisory at the minute to stay away. This would still be classed as your  disinclination to go and unfortunately I can’t see how they would be liable to offer a refund

diggingdude

 No reason why you can't go so sadly you won't win. Maybe ask for 10 per cent back as a gesture? Know anyone up there that fancies a free break?

Alter_ego

Try a letter before  action. Tell them you intend to do a claim in the small claims court. They may cave in but if not you don't have much chance of winning.

greatcrested

milne89 said:

..... were told that there would be no refund if cancelled within 8 weeks of the date, which was fine as we had no plans to cancel. ......

Nothing to add to the previous posts, but what a strange thing to say. No one would 'have plans to cancel', or they surely would not book in the first place.....

AdrianC

greatcrested said:

milne89 said:

..... were told that there would be no refund if cancelled within 8 weeks of the date, which was fine as we had no plans to cancel. ......

Nothing to add to the previous posts, but what a strange thing to say. No one would 'have plans to cancel', or they surely would not book in the first place.....

Or, at the very least, would have booked a place with a more flexible cancellation policy.

hippocrates1

He says he’s going out of business I’m sure his losses are much greater than yours

Davesnave

Alter_ego said:

Try a letter before  action. Tell them you intend to do a claim in the small claims court. They may cave in but if not you don't have much chance of winning.

You're having a laugh?  The owner will chuck that in the bin and deal with their real problems, knowing that it's one thing to win in the court and no possibility to enforce if there's no money. Besides, if the OP was given T&C re cancellation in writing, as I suspect, there will be no win.

Slithery

Why did you post this in the Housing board?

AdrianC

Davesnave said:
Besides, if the OP was given T&C re cancellation in writing, as I suspect, there will be no win.

They freely admitted in the original post that they knew the cancellation terms...