Balance due on holiday.

Katemaci12

I have paid a deposit (£500) on accommodation through a Spanish rental company (Quality Rent Villas www.qualityrent.com) and are due to pay the balance on the 31st May but our flights have been cancelled.  We have been offered a voucher but are concerned they might not be in business this time next year.  Should I continue to pay for the holiday and try to claim through my travel insurance (travel insurance was taken out before Covid) or should I try to chargeback on my credit card for the deposit only?  I wasn't sure as this was booked through a Spanish company whether it would be different rules and wasn't sure if we would lose our deposit.  Many thanks in advance.

Kate

Mrsn

Ok not quiet my area of expertise but is the accommodation booked going to be open still even though the flights have been cancelled? That possibly might affect any claim you have with the travel insurance (someone might know about that more in depth though!)

Life__Goes__On

Katemaci12 said:

I have paid a deposit (£500) on accommodation through a Spanish rental company (Quality Rent Villas www.qualityrent.com) and are due to pay the balance on the 31st May but our flights have been cancelled.  We have been offered a voucher but are concerned they might not be in business this time next year.  Should I continue to pay for the holiday and try to claim through my travel insurance (travel insurance was taken out before Covid) or should I try to chargeback on my credit card for the deposit only?  I wasn't sure as this was booked through a Spanish company whether it would be different rules and wasn't sure if we would lose our deposit.  Many thanks in advance.

Kate

When is your stay?

Katemaci12

Mrsn said:

Ok not quiet my area of expertise but is the accommodation booked going to be open still even though the flights have been cancelled? That possibly might affect any claim you have with the travel insurance (someone might know about that more in depth though!)

The accommodation booked is an apartment in a block but all apartments seem to be owned by different people.  I think 'Quality Rent Villa's are possibly like our Booking.com/AirBnB where folk advertise their property through a 3rd party.  According to Quality Rent there as been no cases of Covid in Denia. 
Thanks for taking the time to answer.

Katemaci12

Life__Goes__On said:

Katemaci12 said:

I have paid a deposit (£500) on accommodation through a Spanish rental company (Quality Rent Villas www.qualityrent.com) and are due to pay the balance on the 31st May but our flights have been cancelled.  We have been offered a voucher but are concerned they might not be in business this time next year.  Should I continue to pay for the holiday and try to claim through my travel insurance (travel insurance was taken out before Covid) or should I try to chargeback on my credit card for the deposit only?  I wasn't sure as this was booked through a Spanish company whether it would be different rules and wasn't sure if we would lose our deposit.  Many thanks in advance.

Kate

When is your stay?

We were due to stay from 29.06.20 - 17.07.20. 

Life__Goes__On

If you pay the balance and find you aren't covered with the insurer,  and you are unsuccessful elsewhere you could lose the lot. That's the worse case worse-case scenario,
I'm not sure with the apartment  you would be legally allowed to stay on the 29th June,  as they only start opening up to overseas holiday makers from 1st July. But this could change.

All I can suggest is what I would do  personally, others might have a different view.
I wouldn't pay the balance,  as if I do lose money, at least this way it's the least amount.

The next step I'm unsure what I would do but will give you the options as I see them
1]   Take the vouchers,   with the risk  they might be worthless next year.
2] Try and reclaim the deposit,  either via your card or insurance.
If taking option 2] I would first try my card,  raise a Chargeback, stating you can no longer legally stay at the apartment due to  the Spainish lockdown rules, this properly won't work,  but worth ago as can be quick , it's free, and unlike an insurance there isn't any excess that might be payable.

While this is going on ask your insurer about getting a refund,  and see what they say. (  you can claim on both fronts,  but keep only one payment),
If both Chargeback  and insurance fail, the last roll of the dice would be a Section 75,  but I will that will be a long time, and also not sure of winning.

Katemaci12

Life__Goes__On said:

If you pay the balance and find you aren't covered with the insurer,  and you are unsuccessful elsewhere you could lose the lot. That's the worse case worse-case scenario,
I'm not sure with the apartment  you would be legally allowed to stay on the 29th June,  as they only start opening up to overseas holiday makers from 1st July. But this could change.

All I can suggest is what I would do  personally, others might have a different view.
I wouldn't pay the balance,  as if I do lose money, at least this way it's the least amount.

The next step I'm unsure what I would do but will give you the options as I see them
1]   Take the vouchers,   with the risk  they might be worthless next year.
2] Try and reclaim the deposit,  either via your card or insurance.
If taking option 2] I would first try my card,  raise a Chargeback, stating you can no longer legally stay at the apartment due to  the Spainish lockdown rules, this properly won't work,  but worth ago as can be quick , it's free, and unlike an insurance there isn't any excess that might be payable.

While this is going on ask your insurer about getting a refund,  and see what they say. (  you can claim on both fronts,  but keep only one payment),
If both Chargeback  and insurance fail, the last roll of the dice would be a Section 75,  but I will that will be a long time, and also not sure of winning.

Thank you for taking the time to reply with such comprehensive advice.  My gut instinct was to try the chargeback on the credit card and if we were unsucessful then at least we would only have lost the deposit rather than the full amount. Stay safe and thanks.

Life__Goes__On

Good luck with refund

Katemaci12

Thank you.

Thrugelmir

Katemaci12 said:

Mrsn said:

Ok not quiet my area of expertise but is the accommodation booked going to be open still even though the flights have been cancelled? That possibly might affect any claim you have with the travel insurance (someone might know about that more in depth though!)

According to Quality Rent there as been no cases of Covid in Denia. 

Where are you flying to, Valencia?