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Charge to change dates - Booking.com no force majeure

Tanny137
Posts: 1 Newbie
Hello,
For my stag weekend 19-22 June I booked 3 apartments in Berlin in the same block from the same owner. 2 were booked via Airbnb and 1 was via Booking.com.
Our Easyjet flights from UK have been cancelled. Obviously the FCO advisory is also in place.
Airbnb have declared force majeure and allowed us to cancel the 2 apartments booked through them for a full refund. Booking.com have only declared force majeure until 15 June 2020. The apartment owner initially suggested we cancel so they could then get an idea of occupancy rates and explore an "unbureucratic solution". That didn't feel quite right so I contacted booking.com who then got in touch with the apartment owner who has said that no cancellation is possible and there is a €150 fee to change dates, plus any additional difference in rates for the new dates, if applicable.
This is obviously not a solution I consider reasonable. I have responded to the apartment owner to suggest a voucher for the amount paid originally is a more reasonable solution. Travel insurance will not cover the trip as i didn't have the appropriate disruption cover add on. I did use a credit card when booking so shall try my luck with a s75 claim although I am not too hopeful on that front.
Does anyone have any advice on other steps that can possibly be taken here? Personally I think booking.com should extend their force majeure policy as there is no way we can realistically make the trip. Particularly as Airbnb force majeure is in force, for the exact same trip.
Thanks in advance.
For my stag weekend 19-22 June I booked 3 apartments in Berlin in the same block from the same owner. 2 were booked via Airbnb and 1 was via Booking.com.
Our Easyjet flights from UK have been cancelled. Obviously the FCO advisory is also in place.
Airbnb have declared force majeure and allowed us to cancel the 2 apartments booked through them for a full refund. Booking.com have only declared force majeure until 15 June 2020. The apartment owner initially suggested we cancel so they could then get an idea of occupancy rates and explore an "unbureucratic solution". That didn't feel quite right so I contacted booking.com who then got in touch with the apartment owner who has said that no cancellation is possible and there is a €150 fee to change dates, plus any additional difference in rates for the new dates, if applicable.
This is obviously not a solution I consider reasonable. I have responded to the apartment owner to suggest a voucher for the amount paid originally is a more reasonable solution. Travel insurance will not cover the trip as i didn't have the appropriate disruption cover add on. I did use a credit card when booking so shall try my luck with a s75 claim although I am not too hopeful on that front.
Does anyone have any advice on other steps that can possibly be taken here? Personally I think booking.com should extend their force majeure policy as there is no way we can realistically make the trip. Particularly as Airbnb force majeure is in force, for the exact same trip.
Thanks in advance.
0
Comments
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If the place is open and your insurance won't cover it not much I feel you can do without the goodwill of the owner.
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