Help needed with holiday rental deposit refund.

NCMoney

Hello. I'm a new member and hope I can get some help with getting my deposit back. Here's the story so far
My wife and I booked a holiday home rental in England for 3 weeks in September and paid £2,000 deposit with the balance of £4,000.00 due 4 weeks before moving in. Yes. It's expensive but it's a beautiful house and my wife has a lot of family in England whom she hopes to visit us in the house. The owner says that the deposit is non refundable as printed in their terms and conditions but I believe, in these extraordinary times, with Covid19 and the quarantine (and being vulnerable at age 74 and 75) that the full deposit should be refunded. We don't want a credit as we live in the USA and don't know when, if ever, we will return to England.
I have read on British newspapers that some UK booking companies are being forced (encouraged?) to make refunds even if their T&C state no refunds.
I have yet to formally ask for a refund but have asked what options we have in the event that we cannot travel. I got no reply to that request. So, in the event of a likely refusal what can I do from here in North Carolina to get their attention and our money back?
I have followed Martin for years never thinking I would need to use his site.
Thanks in advance.
NCMoney

sharpe106

Basically the deposit will only be refundable if they are unable to provide what you paid for, the cottage. Which at the moment it looks like they can, if this changes then you can get a refund. If you don't want to go or you can't get there it is not the problem of the owner. The cancellation terms and conditions are the same as you booked it. You could try your travel insurance

poppy12345

B&B's, hotels, holiday homes etc etc can now all open back up from 4th July this means that if you can't travel because you've vulnerable then it's unlikely that you will receive your deposit back. If they can't provide the service then it will be a different story and you may have more chance of the deposit being refunded but i wouldn't hold out your hopes.

I'm sorry if this isn't the advice you were looking for. Sadly we do get some new members who post looking for advice and don't have the advice they were looking for.

[Deleted User]

You are not legally entitled to a refund of the deposit, you are choosing not to undertake the service provision you are contracted to, and when people refuse to give you the answer you wish to hear, rather than the factual answer, you insult them. Hardly a great advert for your country, luckily I know that most Americans are lovely people. 

binao

MadMattUK said:

You are not legally entitled to a refund of the deposit, you are choosing not to undertake the service provision you are contracted to, and when people refuse to give you the answer you wish to hear, rather than the factual answer, you insult them. Hardly a great advert for your country, luckily I know that most Americans are lovely people. 

It's good to see the speed that MSE respond to abusive posts.

The naughty post by the OP has now been deleted.

[Deleted User]

binao said:

MadMattUK said:

You are not legally entitled to a refund of the deposit, you are choosing not to undertake the service provision you are contracted to, and when people refuse to give you the answer you wish to hear, rather than the factual answer, you insult them. Hardly a great advert for your country, luckily I know that most Americans are lovely people. 

It's good to see the speed that MSE respond to abusive posts.

The naughty post by the OP has now been deleted.

Am confused?   Just replied to same post somewhere else?  Are there two threads going from same poster?