Incorrectly charged twice lastminute.com pacakge

AMUK786

I bought a flight+hotel package from Lastminute.com, fully paid in March.  Lastminute booked the hotel through booking.com

On leaving the hotel, they said they have not been paid. They showed a booking.com form indicating that they need to ask the customer for payment. I had a flight to catch so made the payment, over £780.

Now I've contacted lastminute and sent the receipt from the hotel and put a claim in for a refund. It's now been over 10 days and they have not responded at all other than automated responses. The telephone support is no help. 

I've put in a formal complaint to lastminute but no formal response only automated.

I've logged a claim with ABTA.

I'm now thinking of small claims? 

Any suggestions as I seem to be getting nowhere and it seems very little that I can do to get through to anyone responsible at lastminute.

Appreciate your help in advance.

onashoestring

If LM failed to respond/ refund you and you have proof that the hotel was paid for- you could do a Section 75 / chargeback with the card you used for payment.

Westin

Booking.com would likely be paying the hotel using a virtual credit card.  The card is normally attached to the reservation and funded a few days before check-in. Depending on their agreement with the hotel the funds can be accessed and drawn down at check-in or check-out. I wonder if a new member of hotel staff did not know the procedure.

LM don’t have a particular great post booking service reputation but in this instance I think it might take some time for the parties to get this sorted out.

You of course want this sorted quickly and a refund. I understand that.  The problem with the s75 route will take the money from the hotel. Only you can decide if that is fair.

AMUK786

Thanks for the replies, really appreciated.

@Westin I think you are exactly right. 

I spoke with my card company about s75 and they seem to be a little unclear where the s75 would be charged.

Is it the hotel who have taken the second payment? 

Or is it lastminute for failing to fulfill the booking?

CKhalvashi

Wait for LM to get back to you for the moment, they will need to reconcile the payment from their client account and check outward payments which may take some time. I'm not sure whether LM use client accounts or a trust account, but if the latter it will take longer still to get back to you.

In answer to your final question, probably LM. S75 wouldn't be charged anywhere as the bank would be obliged to refund you, anything beyond that would be their problem.

Clockwork145

AMUK786 said:

I bought a flight+hotel package from Lastminute.com, fully paid in March.  Lastminute booked the hotel through booking.com

On leaving the hotel, they said they have not been paid. They showed a booking.com form indicating that they need to ask the customer for payment. I had a flight to catch so made the payment, over £780.

Now I've contacted lastminute and sent the receipt from the hotel and put a claim in for a refund. It's now been over 10 days and they have not responded at all other than automated responses. The telephone support is no help. 

I've put in a formal complaint to lastminute but no formal response only automated.

I've logged a claim with ABTA.

I'm now thinking of small claims? 

Any suggestions as I seem to be getting nowhere and it seems very little that I can do to get through to anyone responsible at lastminute.

Appreciate your help in advance.

OP did you get this sorted? Just had the exact same issue happen to us and we are fuming!

CKhalvashi

Clockwork145 said:

AMUK786 said:

I bought a flight+hotel package from Lastminute.com, fully paid in March.  Lastminute booked the hotel through booking.com

On leaving the hotel, they said they have not been paid. They showed a booking.com form indicating that they need to ask the customer for payment. I had a flight to catch so made the payment, over £780.

Now I've contacted lastminute and sent the receipt from the hotel and put a claim in for a refund. It's now been over 10 days and they have not responded at all other than automated responses. The telephone support is no help. 

I've put in a formal complaint to lastminute but no formal response only automated.

I've logged a claim with ABTA.

I'm now thinking of small claims? 

Any suggestions as I seem to be getting nowhere and it seems very little that I can do to get through to anyone responsible at lastminute.

Appreciate your help in advance.

OP did you get this sorted? Just had the exact same issue happen to us and we are fuming!

As above, get back to LM immediately and ensure they can reconcile their client account to your payment.

At that point, a refund should be shortly coming from somewhere. LM are a regulated company and yours is a regulated booking so in theory this should be quite simple to solve.