lastminute.com - Refund Issue

TMcCabe1985

I had a flight booked with lastminute.com (flying with TUi) in April and have still not had a refund. Does anyone know how to get hold of anyone? The number I have states the call centre is closed and when I login to my account it says the refund is being processed. I have spoken to TUi who have confirmed they have refunded lastminute.com. It is a bit of a joke that this has taken over 6 months to refund!

Nebulous2

You’re in a rather large and not very select group, including me. There’s not a lot you can do. If you had applied earlier you might have received a chargeback, depending how you paid, but you will be too late for that now. 

Have you checked your insurance to see whether they cover you?

Sel77

I'm also part of this group - or at least I was. Trip booked for April to US on United.

I finally got a refund from them a week or so ago - being Lastminute, they didn't make it easy of course.  

I sent a number of emails to ukescalations@lastminute.com, also called them on a weekly basis on their london number 0208 396 1209.  It appears to be important to call from the number that you have in your booking detail, so they can tie it up.  The normal email for customercare is useless.  Note - I also sent to marco.corradino@lastminute.com and fabio.cannavale@lastminute.com, which prompted a reply from ukescalations.

Each time I reiterated my issue and stated that I'd raised a section 75 request (which I had) and on the last call I requested their UK address so that I could start court proceedings.

You can imagine my surprise when making my next routine call, it was answered with an automated voice stating that my refund was ready to be processed (hence worth making the call from the number they have on file)!  I hadn't had any other response, email or phone btw.  I got through to the agent who then actioned the refund - for some reason it didn't get credited to my CC and I was asked for a bank account IBAN, but the money did indeed turn up 3-4 days later.

I don't know what the trigger was to get to it - I haven't had any response from HSBC on the s75, so it could have been that; or that I was persistent; or that I threatened court action; or it could have just been that they got round to it, but I'd like to think that the combination of things pushed it through. (I also complained to ATOL and put a negative review on Trustpilot - working from home, so why not)

I'm not sure if this helps anyone, but I wanted to join and post on this topic since I know there are others in the same boat.

And, of course I won't be using LM again. 

eskbanker

Telling a merchant that you're going down the section 75 route is actually a disincentive for them to resolve your issue, as in doing so you're effectively pursuing another party for the disputed sum.  In some cases this may have ramifications for the merchant, if the card company chooses to seek redress from them after refunding the customer, but my understanding is that this is the exception rather than the rule, and so citing s75 is essentially letting the merchant off the hook rather than being a mechanism to stimulate action....

Butts

Sel77 said:

I'm also part of this group - or at least I was. Trip booked for April to US on United.

I finally got a refund from them a week or so ago - being Lastminute, they didn't make it easy of course.  

I sent a number of emails to ukescalations@lastminute.com, also called them on a weekly basis on their london number 0208 396 1209.  It appears to be important to call from the number that you have in your booking detail, so they can tie it up.  The normal email for customercare is useless.  Note - I also sent to marco.corradino@lastminute.com and fabio.cannavale@lastminute.com, which prompted a reply from ukescalations.

Each time I reiterated my issue and stated that I'd raised a section 75 request (which I had) and on the last call I requested their UK address so that I could start court proceedings.

You can imagine my surprise when making my next routine call, it was answered with an automated voice stating that my refund was ready to be processed (hence worth making the call from the number they have on file)!  I hadn't had any other response, email or phone btw.  I got through to the agent who then actioned the refund - for some reason it didn't get credited to my CC and I was asked for a bank account IBAN, but the money did indeed turn up 3-4 days later.

I don't know what the trigger was to get to it - I haven't had any response from HSBC on the s75, so it could have been that; or that I was persistent; or that I threatened court action; or it could have just been that they got round to it, but I'd like to think that the combination of things pushed it through. (I also complained to ATOL and put a negative review on Trustpilot - working from home, so why not)

I'm not sure if this helps anyone, but I wanted to join and post on this topic since I know there are others in the same boat.

And, of course I won't be using LM again. 

My word what an ordeal !!!
I feel almost guilty to tell you I did a chargeback and got the money back in less than a week.
Why were you pursuing a Section 75 rather than a Chargeback ?

dalejmorgan

 I booked with last minute in January and paid extra for there "full flex " service allowing me to change or cancel booking and get a voucher for future travel if anything goes wrong
As we all know covid hit so I cashed in that original booking and got there voucher ,
I subsequently rebooked for another holiday in November with the voucher thinking it would all be sorted as we know it's not going to happen
Both me and my partner are furloughed for the foreseeable future , so a holiday is the last of our worries
Last minute will not refund the cash they are saying because I booked with a voucher they will only refund a voucher for again future travel
Can someone advise if I have to accept the voucher or can I fight for the cash refund???
Bad news Is my travel insurance wont pay out on it
Because of covid and the original transaction was on a debit card
Can some one advise 

Westin

dalejmorgan said:

 I booked with last minute in January and paid extra for there "full flex " service allowing me to change or cancel booking and get a voucher for future travel if anything goes wrong
As we all know covid hit so I cashed in that original booking and got there voucher ,
I subsequently rebooked for another holiday in November with the voucher thinking it would all be sorted as we know it's not going to happen
Both me and my partner are furloughed for the foreseeable future , so a holiday is the last of our worries
Last minute will not refund the cash they are saying because I booked with a voucher they will only refund a voucher for again future travel
Can someone advise if I have to accept the voucher or can I fight for the cash refund???
Bad news Is my travel insurance wont pay out on it
Because of covid and the original transaction was on a debit card
Can some one advise 

That sounds right. New booking paid for with a credit voucher. No right for a cash refund on that new booking.

Butts

Westin said:

dalejmorgan said:

 I booked with last minute in January and paid extra for there "full flex " service allowing me to change or cancel booking and get a voucher for future travel if anything goes wrong
As we all know covid hit so I cashed in that original booking and got there voucher ,
I subsequently rebooked for another holiday in November with the voucher thinking it would all be sorted as we know it's not going to happen
Both me and my partner are furloughed for the foreseeable future , so a holiday is the last of our worries
Last minute will not refund the cash they are saying because I booked with a voucher they will only refund a voucher for again future travel
Can someone advise if I have to accept the voucher or can I fight for the cash refund???
Bad news Is my travel insurance wont pay out on it
Because of covid and the original transaction was on a debit card
Can some one advise 

That sounds right. New booking paid for with a credit voucher. No right for a cash refund on that new booking.

And the "full flex" has proved as useful as a chocolate teapot - just peruse Trust Pilot or to a lesser extent here for confirmation.

Westin

No need. I wouldn’t use or book with Lastminute.com.  

Owned by BravoNext SA, with a convenient HQ in Switzerland and on off ‘service’ provided from their Spanish office location.  Reviews online have long been available showing customer discontent yet people continue to shop based on price alone, do no research on the business they are paying large amounts of money to and have few contingency plans to back them up if things go wrong.  I’d rather book direct with the travel provider/airline or use a reputable company, one preferably based in the U.K. supporting a U.K. work force. But hay-ho, each to his own.

dalejmorgan

Cheers for the replies   
Just a thought mind what would happen god forbid they go into administration will I just have the most expensive worthless piece of paper or would I get money back through ABTA/ATOL , or should I use the voucher ASAP
And get flight confirmations 
Unsure what to do

Westin

dalejmorgan said:

Cheers for the replies   
Just a thought mind what would happen god forbid they go into administration will I just have the most expensive worthless piece of paper or would I get money back through ABTA/ATOL , or should I use the voucher ASAP
And get flight confirmations 
Unsure what to do

Depends if you booked an ATOL protected package. Do you have an ATOL certificate?