If I am a UK National staying in a London hotel, do I need to provide my passport?

KJAVW

Hi

I have made a booking through Booking.com for a last minute trip to London.  I have paid in full in advance for the one night for a group of three senior ladies, and paid a refundable deposit in case of any damage in the flat during our visit.  Post booking, the rental company has asked for either a driving licence or international passport to be scanned over for the person named on the payment credit card (me).  However I do not drive and my passport is with my new employer for right to work checks.  I have already booked and paid for the trains and various other activities that are non-refundable.  Without this, they will not release the checking in or exact location details.

This was requested after booking and was not stipulated on the listing and its a non refundable booking.  I don't have it to send and I don't think I would if I could, as if someone intercepts this, they can clone my ID and hijack my financial security as they already have my credit card details.  I raised this with Booking.com and they said this has been passed to the rental company as I have queried their right to stipulate new terms and conditions post booking.  All the rental company say is that this is an industry wide requirement and my response is that I have not been asked this before (well abroad they ask to see my passport for immigration purposes but I am British booking a London flat for one night) and that it was not stipulated in the initial terms and conditions otherwise I would not have booked with them as I can't comply as I don't have a driving licence and my passport is with my new employer.  The trip is Thursday this week so I won't be able to get my passport back even if I wanted to.

I feel like I am being held to hostage and they have relented and said they will accept it for anyone in the party but why should we have to? My friend and fellow named occupier of the flat has provided her passport and now they have said it has to be the passport for the person who paid by card which was me?

Where do I stand?  I have used Booking.com three times previously since 2018 without any issue, so they know I am genuine, I have left and received good reviews but have never been asked for this ID before.  I have tried ringing their customer care three times, but they keep disconnecting me before I even get to say who I am!

Lavendyr

If they've offered to accept an alternative then what's the issue? Sorry, bit confused. Are they accepting an alternative or does it need to be you?

CKhalvashi

I've never not had to show ID when checking into any accommodation for the first time. As this is a pre-paid booking this seems reasonable, especially if the booking is for a high amount. This reduces fraud risk.

Whether you're British or not is irrelevant. It's illegal for a business to discriminate on the basis of nationality or national origin and therefore it would be illegal to treat you any differently to anyone else for checks the provider are trying to complete.

As an aside, as an employer I have never had to keep an identity document for longer than it's taken to put a few pages through a photocopier, so I'd reasonably question why your employer has your passport.

prowla

Have you told them you have a passport?

There's no requirement to even have one.

prowla

CKhalvashi said:

I've never not had to show ID when checking into any accommodation for the first time. As this is a pre-paid booking this seems reasonable, especially if the booking is for a high amount. This reduces fraud risk.

Whether you're British or not is irrelevant. It's illegal for a business to discriminate on the basis of nationality or national origin and therefore it would be illegal to treat you any differently to anyone else for checks the provider are trying to complete.

As an aside, as an employer I have never had to keep an identity document for longer than it's taken to put a few pages through a photocopier, so I'd reasonably question why your employer has your passport.

Regarding work, it depends whether the employee has taken it in to the employer or has posted it (eg. if WFH).

As for the legality: it is not a requirement of a UK citizen to have a passport, driving licence, or any other form of photo ID; therefore you can't throw a perceived discrimination law at this situation.

KJAVW

Lavendyr said:

If they've offered to accept an alternative then what's the issue? Sorry, bit confused. Are they accepting an alternative or does it need to be you?

I booked and full prepayment was a requirement of the booking due to the immanency of the booking.  They then emailed after I had booked asking me to comply with their terms and conditions which were that "which can be either (1) a driver’s license showing address, or (2) an international passport and a proof of address. The payment card for the booking must match the name of the individual who made the booking." I do not drive and I am awaiting the return of my passport from my new remote employer so had this requirement on the initial property listing, I would not have booked with them.

Late last night, my fellow holiday maker provided her passport and their response was:-

"Upon check-in, guests are required to show their official photo identification, such as a drivers' license or passport, and the payment card used to secure the booking. The name and address must correspond to the details provided on the booking, and on the payment card provided. If the payment card used for payment is not that of the guest who booked or on the reservation, valid photo identification verifying the address on the reservation must be supplied that corresponds to the payment card supplied."

However they are doing a virtual check in, in advance, and require the info scanning over before they will release the exact address and key location.

The booking is in my name, the credit card is in my name so I have complied with this, but it was post booking they advised of this new requirement and obviously my fellow traveller has provided her passport (their suggestion) but now they are saying the details on the ID provided must correspond with the booking name and the credit card used for payment.

KJAVW

As an aside, as an employer I have never had to keep an identity document for longer than it's taken to put a few pages through a photocopier, so I'd reasonably question why your employer has your passport.

Just to say that I will be working remotely and its not a local employer so my passport went in the post Friday and it is in the post on the way back to me so nothing untoward there,

KJAVW

prowla said:

Have you told them you have a passport?

There's no requirement to even have one.

When I made the booking, they added the requirement post booking, I honestly advised them that none of us drive and that my passport has been sent to my new employer for ID checks.  But as you say I don't legally need to have one so what do they do then!

KJAVW

CKhalvashi said:

I've never not had to show ID when checking into any accommodation for the first time. As this is a pre-paid booking this seems reasonable, especially if the booking is for a high amount. This reduces fraud risk.

I have pre-paid the full amount in advance, which has cleared without issue and left an additional significant refundable deposit as security for any damages.  Unless I have misunderstood your comments, providing my full credit card details, which they have on the booking and then my passport (if I had it) and proof of address, if intercepted could lead to identity cloning and won't protect me against fraud risk? But again if this was a requirement, it should have been in the listing pre-booking/payment and not first mentioned post booking and payment surely.

onashoestring

It says official ID such as a drivers' license or passport.

Do you have any other photo ID ? Bus Pass? Work Pass/ ID ? 

Are you sure your booking request has been accepted ?
It seems that this is an ID  check required by the property owner - if you are unable to provide the ID  the property owner should cancel the request and should not charge you. 

Don’t cancel the booking yourself but ask booking.com or the property owner this question.

KJAVW

I don't have a bus pass, I have a Costco card with my photo on but they won't accept that and as I am between jobs (start new job in July),  so I do not have a work pass or ID but that does not provide the info they want anyway.