Pay balance or lose deposit on villa holiday?

Victor_Delta

Early last year, when no one thought Covid would still be with us in 2021, we booked a large villa in the south of France for a family holiday (via a reputable UK villa agency) to coincide with some 'major' birthdays in the second half of June 2021. I paid the deposit and, now that we are 3 months away, am being asked to pay the balance.
Given the way things are going at present, frankly I would like to at least change the date of the booking to later in the year. However, the villa agency is not allowing this until 6 weeks before the holiday starts 'owing to the fast moving and changeable situation' and then only if the UK Government does not recommend non-essential travel to France.
Furthermore, if I don't pay the balance now, I will be deemed to be cancelling the holiday myself and so will lose the deposit and, as I read it, will not be able to claim this from my insurance company (Holidaysafe).
Just wondered if others have found a way round this conundrum or have any suggestions...?
Thanks.

Thrugelmir

A self inflicted conundrum. The risks of doing so were too all apparent when you booked. There's no alternative options to those you've laid out. 

Boa21

Only you can decide, but the starting point would be the terms and conditions of the contract and any travel insurance that you hold in case you have to cancel.

Then, is it likely all adult members of the party will have been vaccinated by the time of the holiday?

This should help inform your decision based upon the level of risk this leaves you with and your appetite for this risk. As they rightly say, this is a fast moving situation.

[Deleted User]

No @Victor_Delta.  There isn’t a way round it. If you don’t pay the balance as agreed then you are terminating the contract and will be liable for whatever the t’s and c’s dictate (which could even be more than the deposit you have paid so check this)

Pollycat

It's a conundrum that many people faced last year for holidays booked pre-covid.

We had 2 holidays booked for 2020 - both booked in 2019.

We opted to pay the balance for the June 2020 one and given that there was no travel at all at that time, we were offered a refund or  a 20% incentive to defer to 2021. We deferred and are not sure that the holiday will go ahead and even if it does, we are not sure that we will want to travel.

For the August one, we opted to walk away from the £60 per person deposit.

Probably easier for us as they were both package holidays but it's a decision you'll have to make for yourself.

yksi

The agency might well be forced to refund you or change your dates if France itself does not allow you entry - which is now more likely than the UK stopping you from travelling. But if you don't pay your balance in time the whole situation is moot.

Victor_Delta

Thanks for all the helpful comments. Looks as if we shall simply have to bite the bullet and pay the balance. If the situation improves we'll go and, if not, then hopefully we shall be able to change the dates (in amongst its Covid 'Book with confidence' blurb on its website, the agency makes it clear that refunds cannot be given!).

A_Lert

Try not to fall for the sunk cost fallacy. The deposit is gone. See the choices as follows:

A, pay £x for this villa, that has quite a high risk of you being unable to travel and unable to get any refund.

Or, B, keep the £x to spend on something else you are confident you will be able to use. For example something booked close to your travel time when you know the situation, or something in the UK.

ratechaser

yksi said:

The agency might well be forced to refund you or change your dates if France itself does not allow you entry - which is now more likely than the UK stopping you from travelling. But if you don't pay your balance in time the whole situation is moot.

I'd be very cautious about that first part. If the border is closed but the villa would still be available (e.g. to French or other nationals), then the contract may well be fulfilled and no refund due. It will depend on the precise terms of the contract you have with the agency - which could simply be acting as an arranger between you and the owner of the villa.

This is presumably a pure villa booking and not part of a package that might give you greater protection?

yksi

I did think that. But one would expect (hope?) that the point stands, a UK-based agency isn't able to provide what was sold, that is, a holiday that a UK family can use. It's dicey either way.

ratechaser

yksi said:

I did think that. But one would expect (hope?) that the point stands, a UK-based agency isn't able to provide what was sold, that is, a holiday that a UK family can use. It's dicey either way.

But in principle it's not really different to all those people trying to get money back from Ryanair (and other airlines) and getting nowhere because the flight departed even though they were not allowed to go on it.

Obviously not a great situation, but the airline has provided the service, and would say that it's not its fault you couldn't use it. Package holidays come with a greater level of protection of course.