Friend refuses to pay for their place

meeiamloo

Hi all,
Myself and 4 other friends booked a holiday to Ibiza for June 2020.
Now, last week one of those friends (who is the lead booker) decided she didn’t want to go anymore because of covid19 and refuses to pay for her place. We booked a larger room so that she could come, making the trip more expensive. My other 3 friends and I have all applied for jobs, worked hard and saved £600 each which is what it costs, baring in mind we’re 17/18 years old. My friend, who is dropping out, has not saved a single penny for this trip as her parents were supposed to be paying for her birthday. Now she tells us that her dad no longer has a job so she can’t afford to pay it, okay it’s understandable but we booked this holiday in January surely she would have some amount saved? She refuses to pay for her place saying “if I’m not going I don’t have to pay” and that we should each pay £150 for her spot on the trip. She now says that we’re bullying her and forcing her to come on the trip, which we are not and only trying to make her understand that this is unfair on us. Her reply is that if we really wanted to go then we’d find the extra money and pay her place. 

We just need some advice on what to do. Thanks. 

Westin

Have you only paid a deposit at this stage or full balance?
Is this a package holiday or have you booked elements separately?
If she is the lead passenger she holds responsibility for the booking.  If say you have only paid a low-deposit, she (as lead name) would be responsible to pay the balances.  If the booking is cancelled the money also gets refunded to her, which may create another issue if the holiday is cancelled.
I think you need to provide a few more details before the MSE community will be able to offer further advice.

mgdavid

Nobody will be going on holiday in June this year. With any luck she'll be lumbered as lead booker, and when chased for the rest of the cost she may become more reasonable ;-) but yes we need the full details to be accurate and sure in responses.

NoodleDoodleMan

If she is the lead name on the booking she will be responsible for the whole cost, unless I'm mistaken.

That should help concentrate her mind on the realities.

pollypenny

As said, the holiday is unlikely to happen, anyway. However, perhaps a bit of sympathy for the family as her father has lost his job. It's a worrying time and holidays are low on the list of priorities.  

NoodleDoodleMan

Yes, sympathy for the father, he is an innocent party - but not for his daughter who appears to think she can/should get a free holiday, regardless of who pays for her place........as long as it's not herself.

What planet does she live on ?

Pollycat

My sympathy is with the 3 young friends who worked hard to pay for the trip themselves.

From what the OP says, the 'friend' has behaved pretty badly.

Saying that her 3 friends should pay extra to fund her holiday?

Really?

Lots of people have lost their jobs. Many who couldn't have afforded to fund their daughter's holiday because they had enough on just managing to live.

That's where my sympathy lies.

eDicky

I'm guessing that the real story is much less one-sided, going by the OP's failure to return to acknowledge replies and give clarification, as well as her apparent lack of awareness of ongoing travel interruption.