UK Hotel refund

cdm55

I had a holiday booked in a Derbyshire hotel in August. After acknowledging that a refund was due, all has gone quiet. Emails now just get the response: The furlough leave rules mean that we will not be picking up emails or phone messages, but will work through these systematically on our return, which we hope to be as soon as possible in the New Year.  We will endeavour to reply to you as soon as possible on our return. Thank you for your understanding and support.

Any bright idea, beyond waiting with my fingers crossed for a £500+ refund?

McKneff

Ask your bank what they can do ot your cc company .

Upsidedownandaround

Without knowing the method you paid by no one will be able to give you  specific advice.

If you are due a refund hopefully you paid by credit card and the amount was over £100. If you did contact them and make a S.75 claim. It sounds like you are too late to do a chargeback so if you didn't use a credit card you will either have to cross your fingers or take them to the small claims court if you are legally entitled to a refund.

"acknowledging a refund was due" sounds a bit vague though given I can't think of anything preventing hotels opening in August. Why was a refund due? Was it booked on a refundable basis? Was the hotel open or closed?

mattyprice4004

Sounds reasonable to me - if they're not there, there's no one to process the refund.

macman

Why have you waited 5 months before taking action? The second lockdown didn't begin until 30/10/20. Has the hotel really been completely shut since August, with no management staff dealing with admin, even if working from home? I find that unlikely.
Unfortunately your chargeback deadline was some time in December, so an S75 is your next best option now, if you booked with a credit card.

theonlywayisup

cdm55 said:

I had a holiday booked in a Derbyshire hotel in August. After acknowledging that a refund was due, all has gone quiet. Emails now just get the response: The furlough leave rules mean that we will not be picking up emails or phone messages, but will work through these systematically on our return, which we hope to be as soon as possible in the New Year.  We will endeavour to reply to you as soon as possible on our return. Thank you for your understanding and support.

Any bright idea, beyond waiting with my fingers crossed for a £500+ refund?

Who cancelled, was it you or the hotel?  Who acknowledged that a refund was due (you?). How did you pay. 

cdm55

They acknowledged refund due, asking for bank details. The hotel did not reopen after first lockdown. Initially, refund was promised for September, October, then it all went quiet. I thought I had 540 days, alas, so timed out - and used debit not credit card. Lesson learned!!

Thrugelmir

If they've put the hotel into hibernation and furloughed themselves. Then there's nothing you can do except wait. Is the hotel a chain or family owned. 

jimi_man

Yes as others have said not much you can do other than make sure you don’t go there again and leave them a negative review. They sound a shabby outfit.