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Non Refundable Hotels that are actually refundable?
Gary_J_2503
Posts: 3 Newbie
Hello everyone - my first post and sorry to say it might be quite lengthy, so thanks for taking the time to have a read if you get that far!
I booked a hotel with LoveHolidays (LH) in Florida for 2 weeks in mid August - i booked well before Covid-19 was even a thing, so i had every intention of going on the holiday.
This week Virgin Atlantic (VA) informed me that they had to cancel my flight home from New York (it was a Florida and New York trip) - and we are only dealing with the Florida hotel here. I contacted VA on Monday and they are processing a refund for me - brilliant - thanks VA!
I am, obviously, no longer going on the holiday, so i set about contacting the companies who i booked accommodation with - one of which was LH.
Now...i should say immediately that i booked the holiday under non-refundable terms and conditions - so this may ultimately be my undoing - but maybe not as there is a twist.
I booked under non refundable terms and assumed that the agent (LH) would also be booking under non-refundable terms and we would therefore be equally affected by a cancellation that is not refunded i.e. the hotel keeps the money as they are ultimately the ones affected by the cancellation.
This is NOT the case!
I rang the hotel chain directly on Tuesday and they informed me that my booking was fully refundable up to 48 hours before i arrived, and they made a note on my booking that i had spoken to them and they had informed me of this.
So - i contacted LH and asked them to contact the hotel to cancel my booking and refund me, as in fact it IS refundable. They refused to do this and informed me that i cannot get a refund as i had booked under non-refundable T&C. I could fully understand this IF LH would not get the money back form the hotel, but it seems they will - and intend to keep it.
To my mind, 2 things come out of this:
1. I could have paid considerably more for a refundable rate, but LH would have had to do no more, or accept no more risk than they already have, because it is booked as refundable anyway. This seems to me to be a blatant attempt at charging for doing nothing.
2. Who keeps the money?...if i cancel with LH and they in turn cancel with the hotel, they get a refund and keep it?
I should also say, that if LH said to me, 'fine we will cancel but there is a £100 fee for our admin and loss of commission etc' i would be happy to pay this....i dont want to be unreasonable, but at the same time, i cant help but feel that someone is getting ripped off by this - either by paying the extra fee for a refundable booking which was always refundable to the agent, or by them just keeping refunded cash.
I did pay by AMEX credit card (Not charge card), but I am not sure if i will get my money back through Sect 75 with them (i dont think they subscribe to sect 75, but have agreed to match the sect 75 T&Cs?)
Thanks for getting to the end of this if you have managed to do so, i look forward to hearing your thoughts (which may just amount to - 'you signed up for non refundable T&C - caveat emptor!') - hopefully not though!
Cheers
Gary
I booked a hotel with LoveHolidays (LH) in Florida for 2 weeks in mid August - i booked well before Covid-19 was even a thing, so i had every intention of going on the holiday.
This week Virgin Atlantic (VA) informed me that they had to cancel my flight home from New York (it was a Florida and New York trip) - and we are only dealing with the Florida hotel here. I contacted VA on Monday and they are processing a refund for me - brilliant - thanks VA!
I am, obviously, no longer going on the holiday, so i set about contacting the companies who i booked accommodation with - one of which was LH.
Now...i should say immediately that i booked the holiday under non-refundable terms and conditions - so this may ultimately be my undoing - but maybe not as there is a twist.
I booked under non refundable terms and assumed that the agent (LH) would also be booking under non-refundable terms and we would therefore be equally affected by a cancellation that is not refunded i.e. the hotel keeps the money as they are ultimately the ones affected by the cancellation.
This is NOT the case!
I rang the hotel chain directly on Tuesday and they informed me that my booking was fully refundable up to 48 hours before i arrived, and they made a note on my booking that i had spoken to them and they had informed me of this.
So - i contacted LH and asked them to contact the hotel to cancel my booking and refund me, as in fact it IS refundable. They refused to do this and informed me that i cannot get a refund as i had booked under non-refundable T&C. I could fully understand this IF LH would not get the money back form the hotel, but it seems they will - and intend to keep it.
To my mind, 2 things come out of this:
1. I could have paid considerably more for a refundable rate, but LH would have had to do no more, or accept no more risk than they already have, because it is booked as refundable anyway. This seems to me to be a blatant attempt at charging for doing nothing.
2. Who keeps the money?...if i cancel with LH and they in turn cancel with the hotel, they get a refund and keep it?
I should also say, that if LH said to me, 'fine we will cancel but there is a £100 fee for our admin and loss of commission etc' i would be happy to pay this....i dont want to be unreasonable, but at the same time, i cant help but feel that someone is getting ripped off by this - either by paying the extra fee for a refundable booking which was always refundable to the agent, or by them just keeping refunded cash.
I did pay by AMEX credit card (Not charge card), but I am not sure if i will get my money back through Sect 75 with them (i dont think they subscribe to sect 75, but have agreed to match the sect 75 T&Cs?)
Thanks for getting to the end of this if you have managed to do so, i look forward to hearing your thoughts (which may just amount to - 'you signed up for non refundable T&C - caveat emptor!') - hopefully not though!
Cheers
Gary
0
Comments
-
Oh mi! Just when I think I am getting to grips with the rules/law re travel along comes another I have no idea about.
Gut tells me Love Holidays are pulling a fast one. BUT as your contract is with them and not the hotel I don't know under what legislation you can appeal (am sure someone will come along who has more knowledge). It simply makes me not to want to deal with 3rd parties ever again! Having said that some people who book 'package' holidays are benefiting from this.
Not helpful Gary, but will be watching this thread with interest.0 -
Thanks Tedber. I think ultimately what will happen is the borders to usa will still be closed when I am due to depart, and if so I may have the option from LH to move the holiday or get a credit note at that point.
I too believe they are pulling a fast one, but probably a legal fast one, which is even worse.
Thanks again
Gary0 -
I think LH will keep your money, because they didn't pay the hotel yet.
0
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