Help required - seeking accommodation refund

lotte123

Way back in September 2019, I booked flights and accommodation in Majorca for April. Flights have been refunded with Easyjet but getting the £800 or so of accommodation costs is proving problematic.

The accommodation is with PortBlue Club Pollentia. I was offered a change of date but told them I was unable to accept as I did not know when I would be able to travel and was concerned that when my annual travel insurance came up for renewal I would not be covered for Covid-19 disruption as it was now a known event. The rate I booked was a non-refundable rate. I was then sent an email on 5/5 (almost 3 weeks after the date we were due to arrive) saying I had cancelled and there was no refund.

So I contacted my insurer who have just come back to me (4 months later) to say that they will not pay up as I was offered a change of date.

Could someone who has some knowledge of how this works please advise me what my rights are and who I should pursue for my money? I feel like I am going round in circles. Many thanks in advance.

Thrugelmir

You should have accepted the offer of a rebooking. 

bagand96

Was PortBlue Club open in April and accepting guests?  If it was, then there's no right to a refund as you had a non-refundable rate.Offering you a date change was a goodwill gesture.  Of course, if the hotel was closed, then they would owe you a refund as the product/service was not available.

In theory this would be an insurance claim.  However the insurance industry have decided that if customer's have been offered a voucher, credit note or date change, then they don't need to refund.  might be worth an in-depth read of your policy to see if this is mentioned at all.

lotte123

bagand96 said:

Was PortBlue Club open in April and accepting guests?  If it was, then there's no right to a refund as you had a non-refundable rate.Offering you a date change was a goodwill gesture.  Of course, if the hotel was closed, then they would owe you a refund as the product/service was not available.

In theory this would be an insurance claim.  However the insurance industry have decided that if customer's have been offered a voucher, credit note or date change, then they don't need to refund.  might be worth an in-depth read of your policy to see if this is mentioned at all.

I believe it was shut as Spain was in total lockdown. I am trying to find where in my policy it states that a credit note or change of date constitutes a refund and have asked my insurer where it states this. Have also requested chargeback but not holding out much hope. 

sheramber

You will not find it in your policy. Insurance companies  expect you to mitigate your losses and decided that being offered a  credit or a change of date  covers that. 
if you are not happy with their decision you can follow the complaint procedure in your policy document and escalate it  to the  ombudsman if still not happy. 
However,  the ombudsman has a   backlog of cases  so don't expect  a decision  any time soon.

98dynaglide

Section 75 claim on the credit card? 

Westin

98dynaglide said:

Section 75 claim on the credit card? 

OP was offered a change of date for the trip. Also seems to have let the offer and opportunity to hang.

Birseh_

You should be covered under insurance because it is not a prerequisite or condition that you are able to retravel or even be available on a new booking date. Your policy is to cover you for THOSE dates not new ones.

lotte123

Birseh_ said:

You should be covered under insurance because it is not a prerequisite or condition that you are able to retravel or even be available on a new booking date. Your policy is to cover you for THOSE dates not new ones.

That was my thinking. I booked to go on those dates because we, as a family, were available and could afford it. Going in the summer would have incurred extra cost on both flights and accommodation. I guess I put in to the ombudsman.