Overseas Wedding - Credit Card Protection?

MadeThisForMyself

Hi,
I'm sure there are a lot of people in the same boat right now but I want to ask if anyone could provide some advice.

My fiancee and I are meant to be flying from Scotland out to Thailand to get married in May. Travel is obviously a big issue at the moment since the FCO has advised against all unnecessary journeys until at least the 15th of April. If this is extended through to May then we will obviously be staying put at home.

We have paid for our wedding/hotels/catering with our credit card and have paid the card all off - The original idea was to use the air miles towards a honeymoon later in the year. Right now we are trying to negotiate a refund with the hotel ( if we are unable to make the journey through no fault of or our own) but they are not budging on the refund and are trying to give us vouchers instead. If the hotel wont change their mind is it possible for us to make a section 75 claim to try and get our money back? We paid everything directly with the hotel so there's no third party involved.

Any advice would be really appreciated. Cheers

2e0arr

tell them you will be there and that you have the virus too LOL.

I think you have a consequential loss claim as a result of your flight being cancelled you are unable to celebrate your nuptials at the Hotel as a consequence of the flight being cancelled due toe situation and FCO advice.

MadeThisForMyself

Hi,
Thank you for replying!
My main concern is whether or not we have to accept the voucher if we are unable to negotiate a refund. Normally that would be fine but I am not sure when we will be able to travel out there again. Also with the current lockdown we are slightly worried about our income in the long run. Hopefully we will be able to make a consequential loss claim if it comes down to it.

2e0arr

i think simon calder (from the independant) on the bbc said if you cancel then they offer a voucher or something. if they cancel they have to refund you no argument.
he mentioned quite a few travel/holiday companies are on the financial brink so a voucher is to be avoided.  
im sure this was on the bbc travel show last weekend have a look on catchup/iplayer.

MadeThisForMyself

Thanks for replying, 
Good point about not accepting vouchers in case of hotel going under. I will definitely keep this in mind!

bris

If you didn't pay for the flights with a CC then there is no S75 to claim on for consequential loss. You say you were going to use air miles for the flight is that correct? If so then you really have little options and mostly relying on good will.
You may have a consequential loss claim if Thailand closes their borders to tourists though but thats a big may.

2e0arr

if you paid for hotel with cc and the hotel cancel then the consequences are that your flight is not required so if flight not paid with cc the you can make a S75 claim. its always in  CC companies interest to refund cos if you take them to an FO adjudication they face  the case fee win or lose about £550 and no cost for you.

MadeThisForMyself

We also paid for our flights with the credit card. BA at have already canceled parts of our flights as we were meant to transit through Singapore airport.

Thailand are still allowing flights in but the FCO are currently recommending against all unessesary travel. If we are allowed to fly in May then we will go but I just want understand whether or not we have any sort of cover for the wedding/catering if we are told we cannot travel through not fault of our own. We also have travel insurance through our bank but that would only cover our flights/hotel.

2e0arr

MadeThisForMyself said:

We also paid for our flights with the credit card. BA at have already canceled parts of our flights as we were meant to transit through Singapore airport.

Thailand are still allowing flights in but the FCO are currently recommending against all unessesary travel. If we are allowed to fly in May then we will go but I just want understand whether or not we have any sort of cover for the wedding/catering if we are told we cannot travel through not fault of our own. We also have travel insurance through our bank but that would only cover our flights/hotel.

Brilliant you are in a good place now. buy everything with a credit card. The protection it gives you will be your saviour.
Search on youtube "frank abagnale How Using a Credit Card Can Help Protect You from Fraud" whilst this tells you about the situation in the usa it mirrors the same in the uk.
search on youtube for "Frank Abagnale: "Catch Me If You Can" | Talks at Google" at 43:17 and at 45:40

Everything from £100.01 to £30,000 is covered by section 75. read up on the FOS site about section 75. Get savvy

Chino

2e0arr said:

Everything from £100.01 to £50,000 is covered by section 75. read up on the FOS site about section 75. Get savvy

Where you will learn that the upper limit on claims is £30,000, not £50,000:

"Section 75" is just a technical name for the law that protects consumers when buying goods and services (with a cash price of more than £100 but not more than £30,000) using certain types of credit.

https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/faqs/all/ive-heard-can-make-complaint-section-75-whats

Anamox

Why not just try and get the refund anyway? 

When you call to make a S75 claim they ensure you have a good case/reason by their own standards before they'll refund it, normally they refund it within minutes if they think your case is fine. Your card will go into negative balance and eventually, once the dispute is settled, they'll send you a cheque for the balance so you can bank it. The other party then has 45 days to dispute it and you'll then be involved in providing extra info if required, but often the CC company handles it on your behalf. My experience of disputing foreign transactions, which this may be, is that they rarely respond in the time given and I walk away with a refund. 

If they dispute it and the CC company send the money back to them, then you can just hope you can go ahead and travel as planned or that a government forced cancellation occurs and then you'll have a stronger claim.