Your Golf Travel (YGT) - suggestions gratefully received

abroct

Not an unfamiliar situation given the pandemic we've been in for the last year or so, but would appreciate any insight from those more learned than me about the validity in the below response, if I truly am not entitled to a refund or how to achieve one.

• On 8th September I originally booked a group of 6 to go down to Devon for 3 nights/rounds 29-31 September
• Given the situation worsening in September, on 22nd September we postponed the trip and were given the options: cancel and move the funds to credit or postpone to a later date.  We moved it to the end of March, which now is not possible from a government restrictions perspective.
• Rather than postponing again I have been pursuing a refund via phone calls, emails, promises of it being in process etc.  I have just received the below:

Today I received the following response:

"I’m writing to you to follow-up and outline our cancellation policy in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 The policy is as follows: 

• Where customers booked (or moved) their trip during the pandemic, it was on the basis that they understood the risks attached to the coronavirus pandemic could still be ongoing, and that reasonable precautions would need to be taken whilst on holiday (for example social distancing, hand sanitization, the use of face masks and some minor restrictions on services available whilst on holiday).   In this context, the pandemic is not deemed to represent “extraordinary and unavoidable circumstance”. 
• The continued existence of the pandemic on the date of departure does not give rise to a right to full refund because of some unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances. Rather, the coronavirus pandemic was a circumstance which existed at the time of booking or when the booking was moved and so the booking was made in full knowledge and acceptance of these circumstances.
• Where customers wish to change their travel arrangements because of concerns relating to the pandemic, we are happy to do so in line with our Flexibility Guarantee. This means that you can change the date or destination of your trip if you are concerned about travelling under the existing package.  Alternatively, you are eligible for a travel credit which can be used to pay for a future holiday.

I am therefore sorry to say that we cannot offer you a full refund on your booking. If you would like to talk to one of our Customer Experience team further, please contact us on this email address and we will contact you shortly."

Ganga

Why not just move the date of the booking again? 

abroct

Ganga said:

Why not just move the date of the booking again? 

That's probably what we'll have to do or get a travel credit, although would prefer to get the refund if possible

Eassenav

We are having a similar issue with YGT although our original booking was for April 2020 and we booked before any of us had heard of coronavirus.

YGT are not being very helpful (and I understand the pain that the travel industry is going through but this does not justify the way they are treating people).  I have been digging around trying to find anything that might help to get the refund that we should be entitled to and found this:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-to-investigate-concerns-about-cancellation-policies-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-consumer-contracts-cancellation-and-refunds

As it stands we can't travel, the hotel is not open so therefore they can't keep their side of the contract.
Maybe someone on here who has more legal knowledge will be able to give some advice.

parcival

As I see it you are entitled to a refund. Have you tried getting money back via credit card.
For future reference - I have heard a lot of stories of very poor service from YGT and Golf Breaks. I had a group booking for Cyprus last May which had to be cancelled - value £9600. It was booked with a company called Golf Escapes. Full refund processed back to me within 28 days. They are the only golf travel company I will deal with.

abroct

Thanks for the comments - booked via debit card due to the fees for credit cards.  On hindsight, should have paid the extra for the added benefits.  Yes, I'm not the only one in this situation, many are.  I am also sympathetic to YGT and others whose revenue and cash flows have taken a serious hit from the pandemic.  However, they also need to be careful in not ostracizing their customer base through poor customer service as that, in the long run, will be their downfall.
On this occasion I will go via the travel credit route, but I do so with a bad taste in my mouth and does not endear me to using YGT in the future.

ceh209

abroct said:

booked via debit card due to the fees for credit cards.

Hold your horses right there, that's not legal for a start... (unless you were looking to pay on a corporate credit card)

abroct

ceh209 said:

abroct said:

booked via debit card due to the fees for credit cards.

Hold your horses right there, that's not legal for a start... (unless you were looking to pay on a corporate credit card)

Think it might have been that they don't accept Amex, rather the fees per se.

CKhalvashi

I can dig up some posts if needed, but do recall advising on something reasonably similar for someone last year.

It was decided that this was a package booking and therefore within the scope of the PTD, and therefore a full refund was able to be given.

It can be a package holiday even if no flights are involved. I will of course need a quick browse of the contract (which probably is on their website) to be able to ascertain if this is relevant here, but generally if you've paid for both the tee time and hotel under a single contract, it will be a package and therefore subject to the additional protections.