Difficult travel agent

JasryaBrenel

I have been trying to get my travel agent to issue me a refund for holiday to Dubai which was scheduled for 1st April.
The holiday cost over £6k but they are only offering me £800 and suggesting I claim back the rest off my travel insurance

Now I do have travel insurqnce but a bit annoyed they are only offering such a paltry amount. Is this right?

jonesMUFCforever

Who cancelled?
You or holiday firm?

JasryaBrenel

I had to cancel because FCO refusing to let us fly 

Westin

If it is a travel agent - they don't have to refund you.   They are acting as an agent.

Did the travel agent book your trip with a tour operator?  That might be a different situation.

I would suggest reading the MSE guide as it may answer some of your questions - 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-travel-help-and-your-rights/

Alter_ego

JasryaBrenel said:

I had to cancel because FCO refusing to let us fly 

If you booked a package, I think you should have waited for the company to cancel.

JasryaBrenel

Yep they are a travel agent and they booked the flights and hotel direct
I think the refund is for the transfers which is with a tour operator.
Claim under travel insurance it is then I guess

Westin

If the flights and hotel were purchased together you may have a claim under the regulations specified under this -

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/634/contents/made

Certainly worth looking at your travel insurance cover and contacting them if you feel you have a valid claim.

JasryaBrenel

Having mulled over this for a few days now I am feeling more and more the travel agent has tried to 'pull the wool over my eyes' by only offering me 2 options: change the date or cancel and we will send back what we can - claim rest of travel insurance.
They didn't event offer me what I am legally entitled to - full refund and now they have cancelled my holiday I am sure they will say it's too late, you agreed to what we offered.  Surely this is not fair, we can only go with what they suggest.  Of course after being so quick to email back with my options and process the cancellation, they are now not answering any of my emails

Caz3121

JasryaBrenel said:

They didn't event offer me what I am legally entitled to - full refund and now they have cancelled my holiday I am sure they will say it's too late, you agreed to what we offered. 

it sounds like you acted in haste and cancelled before the supplier cancelled. The advice here would have been to hold off cancelling until much closer to departure in the hope that they cancelled first.
Things are changing day by day....I had a flight booked for mid-April that I needed to cancel...airline were still scheduled to operate so option available was rebook or voucher only (which I didn't want)....I just kept checking till the airline website until they cancelled the flight (which they have now done) and will contact for my refund 72 hours before travel date

JasryaBrenel

You are right I think I acted in haste but surely the fact that FCO was in place would mean they should have offered me a full refund?

Caz3121

JasryaBrenel said:

but surely the fact that FCO was in place would mean they should have offered me a full refund?

the FCO guidance would be relevant for your travel insurance
most companies offering reschedule or vouchers only unless the flights etc are actually not operating