Shearings going into administration - how to get refund

gembod40

Hi. My 76 year old dad had a holiday booked through Shearings for this month. They called him to move his holiday to next year. He did this as he was told it was his only option. Now he has heard that they are likely to go into administration so he is concerned that he has lost his money. He can't get through on the phone. Any advice would be great, thanks! 

Browntoa

They are looking for a buyer .

Technically still operating

milimich

Shearings cancelled our holiday for 27th April due to the covid-19 situation and issed us with following: Due current Covid-19 outbreak Holidays has had suspend all holidays up including 31st May 2020.   This is your credit note which should be redeemed by July 2020, but valid for travel December 2021. It can applied any holiday. For added piece of mind security, value voucher fully bonded therefore protected original body that initial booking; this BCH coach or ATOL air holidays. We are delighted offer you a further 10% discount when redeem Are we still covered to get our money back?.

Thrugelmir

You'll need to wait until an administrator is appointed and commences to run the business to see how things will pan out. 

Frozen_up_north

Shearings have gone bust. Gembod40, your father needs to follow the advice in this link I was sent:
https://www.specialistleisuregroup.com/

We had a package booked with National Holidays (part of the same company as Shearings). I contacted my credit card company (Santander) to obtain a refund under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. I phoned the bank yesterday morning, they checked the website statement, asked that I forward all emails over the booking to their S75 department, and said a refund could take up to 8 weeks. Very straightforward, although if the payment wasn’t by credit card it might not be so straightforward.

simpywimpy

I booked mine through coach holidays.com who have been dismal to say the least. Hardly any contact during lockdown and nothing since this news. I paid in full for my booking which was due to travel 1st May to the agent. Who should I expect my refund from, the agent or shearings themselves>

Life__Goes__On

simpywimpy said:

I booked mine through coach holidays.com who have been dismal to say the least. Hardly any contact during lockdown and nothing since this news. I paid in full for my booking which was due to travel 1st May to the agent. Who should I expect my refund from, the agent or shearings themselves>

If the travel agent took payment  then it's the TA who should refund you.

simpywimpy

Thank you I thought that was the case when I was arguing with the agent they said I had to wait until shearings reimbursed them . This is of course before they went under. I will raise the s75 with my bank I think

Life__Goes__On

simpywimpy said:

Thank you I thought that was the case when I was arguing with the agent they said I had to wait until shearings reimbursed them . This is of course before they went under. I will raise the s75 with my bank I think

Not a S75  use a Chargeback, it will be quicker.

RovingBaz

A lot of downright obfuscation experienced in making a claim. I booked a coach/hotel only trip which I learned is covered specifically by  the Bonded Coach Holiday scheme. CSA  (Claims Settlement Agencies Ltd.) provide a claims form but written in red at the top is an instruction not to use this form if payment has been made on a credit card, which I had.
I took an age to get through to my bank who wanted proof that I had made a claim via BCH. Eventually I spoke to BCH and challenged the warning that the form should not be used if a credit card payment had been made. I was told that was false information and that I should continue with that form and claim. The BCH in turn require proof that you have registered a s. 75 claim with your bank and eventually I was provided with reference numbers with the bank.
Essentially, I have covered myself by making both the BCH and s.75 claim, but the toing and froing on the various call centres took all morning!!!

allan_b695

Having much the same problem. We had a holiday booked with Shearings. We were issued with a holiday credit note for the deposit.

I challenged Shearings on this and were told there is no alternative and they weren't issuing refunds.

After they went into administration we were directed to BCH website. It advised us to make a claim a charge back through the bank The bank have now told us to contact BCH. If BCH refuses the claim then we can claim the charge back?

We seem to be going round in circles. Something that is quite simple seems to have been made deliberately difficult.