Hoseasons and Cottages.com owner reverses "No Refund" Policy

Placitasgirl

Hopefully some good news for customers of Cottages.com and Hoseasons who've been refused refunds for cancellations due to COVID-19

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52972590

grunnalls

My question is now for those of us who were given little option other than to re-book (we had to move our holiday from Easter to the end of October) can we now get a full refund based on this news?

Dark_Zero

In the same boat as grunnalls.  Forced to use the voucher or lose our money.   Ours was a birthday weekend so the new booking was pointless, would not listen and just stated rebook or  lose .  Would we be entitled now to a full refund?

Placitasgirl

The information I shared doesn't make any mention of whether the refunds could be applied retrospectively for bookings for which a voucher has been issued. 

Perhaps if you are able to clarify this with Hoseasons/Cottages.com you could update this thread with their response. 

Gonna-be-debt-free

Interesting.  In March they told us they had cancelled our July holiday.  Then a month later they said it wasn't cancelled (although at that point we could no longer go).  Then no response from their "holdmybooking" email address.  Not sure if this means I can now get a refund (although at this point, I don't even know if they are still expecting me to turn up to the cottage in 4 weeks!).

Life__Goes__On

Gonna-be-debt-free said:

Interesting.  In March they told us they had cancelled our July holiday.  Then a month later they said it wasn't cancelled (although at that point we could no longer go).  Then no response from their "holdmybooking" email address.  Not sure if this means I can now get a refund (although at this point, I don't even know if they are still expecting me to turn up to the cottage in 4 weeks!).

How did you pay?   If they e-mailed you saying it was cancelled I would be using that to get my refund,

Gonna-be-debt-free

Life__Goes__On said:

Gonna-be-debt-free said:

Interesting.  In March they told us they had cancelled our July holiday.  Then a month later they said it wasn't cancelled (although at that point we could no longer go).  Then no response from their "holdmybooking" email address.  Not sure if this means I can now get a refund (although at this point, I don't even know if they are still expecting me to turn up to the cottage in 4 weeks!).

How did you pay?   If they e-mailed you saying it was cancelled I would be using that to get my refund,

Paid by credit card.  I think I will contact them again and find out what is going on.  I think there should be a good argument for getting a refund given it was them who initially cancelled, even if it was "by mistake".  The only issue I can see is that the booking is for July, which in theory still could go ahead (if it weren't for the cancellation debacle).

I was initially thinking I would be magnanimous about the whole thing, but that was when I thought I was dealing with a small local cottage booking company.  It took quite a bit of digging to find out they were actually part of cottages.com.

Life__Goes__On

Gonna-be-debt-free said:

Life__Goes__On said:

Gonna-be-debt-free said:

Interesting.  In March they told us they had cancelled our July holiday.  Then a month later they said it wasn't cancelled (although at that point we could no longer go).  Then no response from their "holdmybooking" email address.  Not sure if this means I can now get a refund (although at this point, I don't even know if they are still expecting me to turn up to the cottage in 4 weeks!).

How did you pay?   If they e-mailed you saying it was cancelled I would be using that to get my refund,

Paid by credit card.  I think I will contact them again and find out what is going on.  I think there should be a good argument for getting a refund given it was them who initially cancelled, even if it was "by mistake".  The only issue I can see is that the booking is for July, which in theory still could go ahead (if it weren't for the cancellation debacle).

I would try a Chargeback with your credit card  using the proof of cancellation, I can't see how a company can inform you that it is cancelled  then uncancel it without your consent.

Thrugelmir

Be usefull to have a full list of Vacation Rentals operations, note that BlueChip was mentioned.