Still waiting for refund from March.. Help!

sfleur

Hi
New to the forum and hoping for some help in next steps of getting back holiday refund.
Our holiday was cancelled in March due to the pandemic and we were informed by Travel Company that they would refund our holiday in full. To date (nearly 6 months) later still no refund. Their phone lines are down still, sent numerous emails (all ignored). Contacted credit card provider who informed us to contact ABTA. ABTA also ignoring emails, also it states that ABTA only can deal with Travel Companies that have gone into Administration of which our travel company hasn’t, so no joy there.
We totally understand and appreciate that travel companies are under enormous pressure etc but we think 6 months of NO communication from them is not on! It states on Travel Agents website that all cancelled holidays from March to May/June have now been refunded in full... which there are 1000’s of us still waiting according to their Facebook page!
Oh and Travel insurance just said “not our problem”
Really at a loss of where to go from here, any advise/links  or directions would be much appreciated....

Thanks.

Upsidedownandaround

You will need to do a S.75 claim with your credit card company and get a formal response from them that way. Search on your banks website for guidance on how to start the claim. From the information you have provided this should be sucessfull. If they still directed you to ABTA then you could escalate it afterwards. You could have done a chargeback but sounds like you have passed the time limit for that.

sfleur

Hi Upsidedownandaround
Thanks for you response. It’s much appreciated. I have already contacted credit card provider who informed me that they will only intervene/help when we have had a response from ABTA stating that they are not responsible for helping in getting the refund from the Travel Agent. Like you say it’s been to long to do a chargeback (more than 120 days)
The problem with this is that ABTA have ignored emails and a letter sent to them from us asking for help, so in turn we can’t give the credit card provider evidence that they refuse to help! They all seem to be passing the buck and I’m going round in circles...on ABTA’s website and our certificate it states that they will only help in situations where a travel company has failed and lists all the failed travel agents, beside that is a claim form for that particular failed agent. Because ours haven’t failed there is no claim form to send off to claim a refund!,

At a loss what to do next...

Upsidedownandaround

It sounds like they are either fobbing you off, you are speaking to the wrong people at the company or they don't know what they are talking about. Your only option would appear to be to instigate the s.75 claim then once you have a formal response if they still reply with the same escalate it via the complaints procedure. The Credit card company is jointly and severally liable and if you have waited 6 months for a refund that is more than enough.

Birseh_

You have a private message

sfleur

Thanks Biresh
Im going call the credit card company tomorrow and do the s.75 form, I’ve ran out of options now, other than the small claims court, but that costs money we don’t have and is such a slow process...

Regards

Birseh_

Page 8 of your policy......they are trying to say you should have purchased "travel disruption" but that for volcanic ash etc...READ page 8 and see clause for curtailment....its says "Compulsory quarantine, jury service attendance or

being called as a witness at a Court of Law of You or Your Travelling Companion". Just because MAPRE says its not covered does not mean so. 

sfleur

Thank you Biresh

It states quarantine will be calling the Insurance company first thing. 

I cant thank you enough....

Sfleur

Upsidedownandaround

Maybe I'm slightly confused given some of the conversation has been carried out via private messages (not sure why) but even if you do have a valid claim with your insurer I would expect them to refuse to pay until you have tried to minimise your losses by making a S.75 claim.

sfleur

Sorry for the confusion Upsidedownandaround.
I re read my travel insurance and they said I wasn’t covered for  travel disruption when I called them back in March, but as Birseh has pointed out my policy covers if we have to quarantine or be called as a witness etc so going to call them tomorrow and if they refuse then I’ll call my credit card provider and make a s.75 claim...

Thank you so much for taking the time to help it’s much appreciated.

Birseh_

sfleur.....the point is you are covered.....typically the policy states you have to tried to get refund back by other means BUT IF YOU CANNOT and you show that you ARE covered. Ignore what others say on here.