Holiday Company gone into administration and have been bought out

CovTeej

Alan_Bowen said:

Arena almost certainly hasn't paid the venue, they owe customers money from cancelled holidays in 2020 and they have ceased to trade. Leger is happy to run the holiday, and presumably, take the profits but only if they get paid and Arena certainly don't seem to be in a position to do so.

I suspect the credit and debit card companies will eventually take the hit. Still, this failure was only announced publically over the weekend and I suspect no banks have yet advised their chargeback staff of the failure. There is certainly no ATOL cover as there were no flights involved, their website claims that if there is no ATOL protection, the holidays were protected by financial failure cover through Zurich Insurance. What worries me is that every other operator was told last year that Zurich had pulled out of the market altogether last September because of Covid, so I just hope that the claim on the website remains correct!

I have read the t&cs that came out with the booking (bit late I know), their financial failure insurance is now with Evolution not Zenith so that is ok, however further down the t&cs it clearly states that if you book something other than a package holiday you are not covered.  There is no travel included in our bookings, there is never an option it is always accommodarion only, so I don't see how we can claim on their insurance when the banks refuse to pay out.

I have contacted the venue to see if they will tell me anything but they have just told me to speak to Arena.

CovTeej

lisyloo said:

I saw you said the company did ATOL, but that does not mean all bookings are ATOL protected as you know, hence why I asked if the booking was protected.

It looks like you are asking all the right questions.

do you have legal cover on home insurance?
this can be used for free legal advice from a solicitor as well as a claim.

I'm going to have a look at my home insurance to see what I can do on that, it seems to cover pretty much everything!

Alan_Bowen

This should be a valid claim against your debit card, go back and talk to the chargeback team. If for some reason they refuse again, tell them you will be making a claim through the Financial Ombudsman scheme in due course. 

JCS1

Alan_Bowen said:

This should be a valid claim against your debit card, go back and talk to the chargeback team. If for some reason they refuse again, tell them you will be making a claim through the Financial Ombudsman scheme in due course. 

You can only go to Financial Ombudsman after having exhausted the banks complaints procedure.

Alan_Bowen

Absolutely, but there is no harm in telling them that is where you will go if they do not agree to engage

blackqueen

Resurrecting this one as Arena Travel have chased me again about payment for the holiday I've already had and already paid for but which they now want me to claim a refund for and repay to Leger Travel, who bought them out. 

At the time I did approach my bank who thought it was all very odd as the holiday was still going ahead. The problem is I paid the deposit over 2 years ago. Bank said they'd look into it but I didn't really pursue it at the the time as the bank said it was odd as the holiday wasn't cancelled. 

So Arena then said to claim through their insurance, which was with Evolution at the time. I did this and they rejected it, saying I needed to go through the bank first. To be honest, I did nothing after this as we'd had the holiday and all was good. 

Today Arena Travel have chased me again. They are saying if I go through their insurance, now Towergate Travel Finance. I need to provide them with:

• Bank statements showing what I paid - the original deposit I paid was over 2 years ago. I will need to pay for that statement but quite frankly don't see why I should when I paid for the holiday and have had the holiday. 
• A copy of your credit or debit card provider's final response to the Section 75. I don't have this. It was done verbally when I went into the bank. I can go back and ask them but if I need a letter I expect they will charge won't they? 
• They are even asking for a copy of a utility bill and my passport to prove my identification! I am not keen to pass on such personal information either!

Where do I stand on all of this? They are chasing me for a payment I have already made for a holiday I have already had. I'm not sure how this is my problem now - I paid for a holiday that I got.

Thank you for listening. 

Jackroban586

I saw you said the company did ATOL, but that mean all bookings are ATOL protected as you know, hence why I  if thaskede booking  protected.
welcome to my url;

Jackroban586

Jackroban586 said:

I saw you said the company did ATOL, but that mean all bookings are ATOL protected as you know, hence why I  if thaskede booking  protected.
welcome to my url;

welcome to all

DullGreyGuy

blackqueen said:

Resurrecting this one as Arena Travel have chased me again about payment for the holiday I've already had and already paid for but which they now want me to claim a refund for and repay to Leger Travel, who bought them out. 

Leger didn't buy the company, they bought the company's assets such as its branding etc. 

blackqueen said:

• A copy of your credit or debit card provider's final response to the Section 75. I don't have this. It was done verbally when I went into the bank. I can go back and ask them but if I need a letter I expect they will charge won't they? 
  

What card type did you pay by? A Section 75 would only apply if you paid by credit card and the response would be given to you in writing. You will have spoken to the staff about a chargeback not S75 (it applies to credit and debit cards) who may have advised you were time barred as the scheme has various time limits.


Its odd that the trip went ahead without you having made payment to Leger or at least a promise to pay to them

blackqueen

Jackroban586 said:

I saw you said the company did ATOL, but that mean all bookings are ATOL protected as you know, hence why I  if thaskede booking  protected.
welcome to my url;

Company was ATOL but this didn't apply as there was no travel involved, only accommodation. I believe that is correct.