Section 75 for accommodation?

No_imagination

Hello, we have Easyjet flights to Croatia booked for June 2021 (moved from Sept 2020 due to Covid disruption). We cancelled our accommodation and are looking for new accommodation. The villa we like is offering to pay 50% deposit direct to them and their cancellation terms are 18 month credit voucher. We can pay via credit card for 3% charge. My question is please: by paying via credit card will we be able to claim back money paid if we cancel the villa for any reason (e.g. easyjet goes under/we go into local lockdown)? Or will our only option be to use the credit voucher?
Many thanks

[Deleted User]

Paying by credit card only gives you the same rights against the card provider as the retailer.

bagand96

No_imagination said:

 My question is please: by paying via credit card will we be able to claim back money paid if we cancel the villa for any reason (e.g. easyjet goes under/we go into local lockdown)?

No.

Section 75 is not a "cover all" protection. As @Deleted_Usersays it only gives you the same rights as you have with the retailer/service provider. 

If easyJet cancel flights and you don't want to use the villa, you'd be subject to the T&C's you agreed to, which would be the voucher. Section 75 doesn't change that. 

[Deleted User]

Others beat me to it!  If you agree to the terms and conditions on booking to accept a voucher if you have to cancel then that is what you get.  

No_imagination

We suspected that might be the case, so the credit card protection is really only if the accommodation cancels the villa. Thanks very much for your swift and helpful replies.

bagand96

No_imagination said:

We suspected that might be the case, so the credit card protection is really only if the accommodation cancels the villa. Thanks very much for your swift and helpful replies.

Section 75 protects you if the supplier defaults on the contract.  So if you order something online and it's never delivered and they refuse to refund.  Or you book a villa and they cancel it but refuse to refund, or it isn't available when you get there etc.

It's one of the risks of "DIYing" a holiday. If you book a package you are more protected.  There's nothing wrong with DIY of course, millions do it each year. In normal times there's generally no problem, even if your flights were cancelled you could find others.  Obviously at the moment things are a little bit different and the risk of things going pear shaped are higher.

In terms of you not being able to go due to Government restrictions, this would usually be a travel insurance situation, if you can find travel insurance that doesn't exclude Covid of course!

No_imagination

Thanks very much for the explanation, yes it's certainly more risky making travel plans now. Hopefully 18 months would be long enough to rebook etc. If only I had a crystal ball 😆

macman

You can't be surcharged for using a credit card.  Not since 2018.