Hotel Refusing Refund

Joyce140

I booked hotel in Isle of Man for TT Races.   The races were cancelled 16th March 2020 and when I approached hotel for refund they were still open and refused refund or alternation dates next year.  On 25th March thehotel was put into lockdown and I again rang the hotel and they again refused refund or transfer booking to 2021 TT Race time.  Since then I have rang hotel and written to CEO requesting refund but they refuse stating they are waiting for Isle of Man Governnent to compensate them before they will refund.  I believe they should be refunding my money (nearly £6,000) am I correct?  I have threatened them with going to small claims court but is there a quicker way to get my money baack?

bagand96

Was the hotel open or closed on the dates you should have stayed?

Was your booking non-refundable or was it flexible?

Mrsn

bagand96 said:

Was the hotel open or closed on the dates you should have stayed?

Was your booking non-refundable or was it flexible?

OP says hotel was open so unless he booked a flexible booking I don’t see a resolution that they will be happy with.

Mrsn

Actually could you clarify the actual date of your booking because you say the races were cancelled on the 16th March. If so the hotel closing on the 25th would have no relevance to your booking anyway?

Upsidedownandaround

It's not clear if the hotel was open or not for his booking because he hasn't provided that information. It may be that his booking was after 25th March but he contacted them in the first instance on the 16th when they were open but he had realised he wouldn't be going there anymore.

nyermen

Looking up the races, it appears they were due to be 31st May to 12th June.  So I think the timeline is:
- (?) OP books hotel, presumably at that cost for most if not all of the race period
- 16th March, race is cancelled. OP calls to ask for change or refund, it is refused
- 25th March, hotel is closed due to lockdown.
- 4th July (I think?), hotels in England allowed to reopen. Not sure about IOM.
Presumably, the hotel was still closed between 31st May and 12th June, so - depending on IOM lockdown rules and consumer rights law - were unable to fulfil the accommodation.

Neil49

The TT races are run from the end of May until mid June.

Was the hotel open during that time or not? 

The OP hasn't made that clear in their post. 

Hasbeen

Joyce140 said:

I booked hotel in Isle of Man for TT Races.   The races were cancelled 16th March 2020 and when I approached hotel for refund they were still open and refused refund or alternation dates next year.  On 25th March thehotel was put into lockdown and I again rang the hotel and they again refused refund or transfer booking to 2021 TT Race time.  Since then I have rang hotel and written to CEO requesting refund but they refuse stating they are waiting for Isle of Man Governnent to compensate them before they will refund.  I believe they should be refunding my money (nearly £6,000) am I correct?  I have threatened them with going to small claims court but is there a quicker way to get my money baack?

Sorry: I would say reading at what you have said you are incorrect.  

The hotel was open on the 16th until the 25th March.

You decided not to go. Your choice. 

The hotel would not be interested in TT races, but the fact a customer had booked, did not turn up and then wanted a refund?

Even if the Isle of Man Government compensated them for the time closed / lost bookings, that the hotel would have to refund to customers that booked dates during the hotels lockdown period.
I would think it unlikely that in your circumstances you would be due a refund.  Especially if the booking was non-refundable?

Your only hope from the hotel is a goodwill gesture. But depends on your dialogue with hotel to date if they feel charitable?

How did you pay? Debit / Credit card?   Was there any insurance involved? For a trip worth nearly £6000. I would certainly hope so?

sammyjammy

Hasbeen said:

Joyce140 said:

I booked hotel in Isle of Man for TT Races.   The races were cancelled 16th March 2020 and when I approached hotel for refund they were still open and refused refund or alternation dates next year.  On 25th March thehotel was put into lockdown and I again rang the hotel and they again refused refund or transfer booking to 2021 TT Race time.  Since then I have rang hotel and written to CEO requesting refund but they refuse stating they are waiting for Isle of Man Governnent to compensate them before they will refund.  I believe they should be refunding my money (nearly £6,000) am I correct?  I have threatened them with going to small claims court but is there a quicker way to get my money baack?

Sorry: I would say reading at what you have said you are incorrect.  

The hotel was open on the 16th until the 25th March.

You decided not to go. Your choice. 

The hotel would not be interested in TT races, but the fact a customer had booked, did not turn up and then wanted a refund?

Even if the Isle of Man Government compensated them for the time closed / lost bookings, that the hotel would have to refund to customers that booked dates during the hotels lockdown period.
I would think it unlikely that in your circumstances you would be due a refund.  Especially if the booking was non-refundable?

Your only hope from the hotel is a goodwill gesture. But depends on your dialogue with hotel to date if they feel charitable?

How did you pay? Debit / Credit card?   Was there any insurance involved? For a trip worth nearly £6000. I would certainly hope so?

The OPs booking was for when the TT races were on which is late may to mid June,   Isle of Man closed to visitors in March and as of 29.6.20 was still closed to visitors.

mjm3346

Hasbeen said:

Joyce140 said:

I booked hotel in Isle of Man for TT Races.   The races were cancelled 16th March 2020 and when I approached hotel for refund they were still open and refused refund or alternation dates next year.  On 25th March thehotel was put into lockdown and I again rang the hotel and they again refused refund or transfer booking to 2021 TT Race time.  Since then I have rang hotel and written to CEO requesting refund but they refuse stating they are waiting for Isle of Man Governnent to compensate them before they will refund.  I believe they should be refunding my money (nearly £6,000) am I correct?  I have threatened them with going to small claims court but is there a quicker way to get my money baack?

Sorry: I would say reading at what you have said you are incorrect.  

The hotel was open on the 16th until the 25th March.

You decided not to go. Your choice. 

The hotel would not be interested in TT races, but the fact a customer had booked, did not turn up and then wanted a refund?

Even if the Isle of Man Government compensated them for the time closed / lost bookings, that the hotel would have to refund to customers that booked dates during the hotels lockdown period.
I would think it unlikely that in your circumstances you would be due a refund.  Especially if the booking was non-refundable?

Your only hope from the hotel is a goodwill gesture. But depends on your dialogue with hotel to date if they feel charitable?

How did you pay? Debit / Credit card?   Was there any insurance involved? For a trip worth nearly £6000. I would certainly hope so?

The booking was for the TT races so the dates would have been around "The TT races are run from the end of May until mid June." so the hotel being opened or closed in March doesn't matter (the March 16 date is simply when the races were cancelled which was well in advance of when they were due to be run)

mjm3346

"Since then I have rang hotel and written to CEO requesting refund but they refuse stating they are waiting for Isle of Man Governnent to compensate them before they will refund."

If they were a 4* hotel the IOM scheme is paying £21.25 a night per room to the hotel - if that's what they are waiting for it looks like most of the refund should be coming from their own pockets to refund you near £6k - If they are waiting for the scheme to payout they could still refund you apart from the £21.25 per night and make a separate payment of that when their Government funding comes through (The scheme has already paid out 70% of the claims made so far)

https://www.iomdfenterprise.im/financial-support/funding/coronavirus-strategic-capacity-scheme/