Destination2 Covid-19 Cancellation Refund

sunnyp

I am looking for some advice regarding a holiday booking we made earlier this year with Destination2.

We paid for the holiday by Nationwide credit card for a holiday that was due to depart in May but was cancelled due to Covid.

Destination2 issued a refund credit note in May stating that refunds would not be available until 31st October.

They have finally agreed that refunds are now available and may take 28 days to process are subject to a £9.95 processing fee. 

It’s bad enough that I’ve had to wait this long in order to get my money back but this is a new refund fee to get my money back is taking the mickey! Is this even legal? Surely I should be entitled to a full refund and that shouldn’t take longer than a few days to process?

Their phone lines are closed and they aren’t responding in a timely manner by email with satisfactory responses.

Looking at their recent Trustpilot reviews it looks like others are having the same issues too.

Any advices would be greatly appreciated.

pogofish

Did did you somehow miss this:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6116453/read-before-posting-coronavirus-related-posts#latest

GrumpyDil

Can I ask exactly where in that link the question about the processing fee is answered?

OP. My view is that charging a processing fee to provide a refund is a little off but given the circumstances everyone has found themselves in this year and that the holiday company will have to pay their staff for processing the refunds I'd not get too excited about a tenner. 

bagand96

From the Destination2 T&C's

In relation to any type of refund payment/s, we reserve the right to levy a minor Refund Processing Fee of £9.95 per booking to cover our payment and administration costs.

Not sure if this fee was in the T&C's you agreed to or not, but it's there now.  

In terms of the length of time the refund has taken, it's been the same for virtually all travel companies to varying degrees.  Most companies have been overwhelmed with the administration of processing refunds (keep in mind they will be chasing their own suppliers as well as refunding customers).  Initial lockdown and working from home only added to this.  Not making excuses, it's just the reality of the situation.

Going back to the £9.95 fee... If it's in the T&Cs that you agreed to then it's hard to argue with really.  They will have had a cost to sort out your refund, and £9.95 is a lot cheaper than some agents have tried to charge people.  Might just be a case of putting it down to experience, I don't know how much your trip was, but I expect the fee is a very small percentage of it?

nilanteh

I got my refund from d2 in full by doing a chargeback on my credit card. You only get 120 days to do that so you will be outside the time limit. D2 have changed their terms and conditions and they don’t send you them when you book so you won’t have evidence that they’ve changed them but you could challenge them to show that they did provide you with t&cs when you booked. All in all might not be worth the fight for £10 especially given how long you’ve already waited 

[Deleted User]

Wasn’t it decided it was fair enough for agents to charge an admin fee?  (Not sure who or where). From what I remember you can challenge if you feel the amount is unreasonable but it doesn’t seem to be in this case.  Some charging £25 upwards.  

Bear in mind if you challenge your refund will probably be put on hold until you reach agreement and that this could involve you taking it to court so weigh it up. I know what I would do.  

Westin

I am not saying it is right but this is what they say in their booking terms and conditions-

“In relation to any type of refund payment/s, we reserve the right to levy a minor Refund Processing Fee of £9.95 per booking to cover our payment and administration costs.”

Like others, given your wait and they fact that a refund is now potentially forthcoming, I’d probably begrudgingly accept their £9.95 deduction and just not use them again in future.

eskbanker

pogofish said:

Did did you somehow miss this:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6116453/read-before-posting-coronavirus-related-posts#latest

GrumpyDil said:

Can I ask exactly where in that link the question about the processing fee is answered?

OP. My view is that charging a processing fee to provide a refund is a little off but given the circumstances everyone has found themselves in this year and that the holiday company will have to pay their staff for processing the refunds I'd not get too excited about a tenner. 

The quoted post links to the main coronavirus travel guide, a lengthy article that does include reference to the legitimacy or otherwise of such fees, at https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-travel-help-and-your-rights/#accordion-content-0406585740-3

Can a travel agent charge me a 'cancellation fee' if my flight or holiday is cancelled?

We've heard from MoneySavers who have had 'cancellation charges' of up to £75 per person taken off their refunds by their travel agent after an airline or package holiday firm has cancelled their trip.

Travel agents' association ABTA says agents ARE allowed to do this, as long as this is included in their T&Cs – though if in doubt, check what you agreed to when you booked.

Yet even if a travel agent does cover this in their terms, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute told us there's a chance it may not be a "fair term", so might not be allowed. It told us it couldn't comment on whether such terms are fair at this stage, or whether holidaymakers can successfully challenge these fees – but if you think a cancellation charge is unfair, contact your travel agent and ask it to justify the fairness of its fees.

Also note that tour operators and airlines can't charge you a cancellation fee if you booked direct, so if this happens, make sure you demand a refund in full.

mattyprice4004

Most shonky online travel agents charge an admin fee - some have been £50+ per person so I'd take a £9.95 fee over that any day!
Special shout-out to Netflights who didn't charge a penny in fees, I was surprised too...

bagand96

mattyprice4004 said:

Most shonky online travel agents charge an admin fee - some have been £50+ per person so I'd take a £9.95 fee over that any day!
Special shout-out to Netflights who didn't charge a penny in fees, I was surprised too...

To be fair to Netflights I wouldn't describe them as shonky.  They've always been a fairly decent online agent, although have gone through a few ownerships, being part of the Thomas Cook Group in the past and now part of dnata (Emirates)

mattyprice4004

bagand96 said:

mattyprice4004 said:

Most shonky online travel agents charge an admin fee - some have been £50+ per person so I'd take a £9.95 fee over that any day!
Special shout-out to Netflights who didn't charge a penny in fees, I was surprised too...

To be fair to Netflights I wouldn't describe them as shonky.  They've always been a fairly decent online agent, although have gone through a few ownerships, being part of the Thomas Cook Group in the past and now part of dnata (Emirates)

Sorry, I should have said that I don't class them as this either; all communication was very professional, and while I had to nudge occasionally for updates that's rather a given in the current climate.