Admin fees sunshine.co.uk

adamck

Hi all.

I booked 2 hotels on sunshine.co.uk within their £1 hotel booking policy, which implies a £1 booking fee and free cancellation.

I have previously booked via this policy as it’s a convenient way to tie in the price early and you can cancel and rebook if the price drops or you decide on a different hotel.

I double checked the terms and although they have recently changed a little (since being bought by on the beach). It appears to still cover this policy and all I will pay is £1.

Upon cancelling the 2 bookings, I’ve been charged £150 admin fee per booking.
these booking are 7 weeks away from the date I submitted the cancellation request.

I’m now £300 out of pocket.

the terms and conditions for the £1 booking police states clearly that all you will pay is £1.
it doesn’t say ‘plus admin fee’ and doesn’t have a small print etc.

I called to asked them about the charges (an hour on hold) and was told they don’t refund admin fees so there’s nothing they can do.

I’ve read these terms several times and still can’t see where I have misunderstood or why they have charged me?

The policy terms are:

£1 Hotel Deposit Policy

Our "£1 Hotel Deposit Policy" applies to all hotels, which are subject to availability. This policy means you can book your Hotel Only stay for £1 with the final balance due 4 weeks before you travel. Should you wish to cancel your hotel more than 2 weeks before your departure date, then you will only pay £1. If you wish to cancel within 2 weeks of departure, charges will apply in accordance with clause 10. We reserve the right to charge an additional fee in accordance with clause 10 should you wish to make any amendments to your reservation.

DullGreyGuy

You haven't quoted the rest of the clause which points out that some rooms in the £1 deposit are non-refundable and so full fee is payable if you dont want to proceed. 

Are you sure its an admin fee and not what the full price was?

adamck

No the full fee was £4560 per booking, so I’d have noticed that.
the fee is £30pp and as there’s 5 of us it’s £150.
on the booking page for the hotel is states it’s £1 booking and free cancellation.

elsien

Although it’s the group that’s £300 out of pocket rather than you as an individual - should they not be taking their share of the costs? 

Have you asked them to point out the specific terms which allow them to charge the fee?

adamck

The whole website is very contradictory.
if I can book for £1 and cancel for free and the above terms say all I will pay is £1 as long as it’s more than 2 weeks from departure.
on the booking page it’s saying it has to be more than 28 days from departure Which is contradictory, but still doesn’t apply as I’m more than both of those.

says admin fees apply on one page but then the terms say they don’t with the £1 hotel policy where I only pay £1.

there no transparency here.

adamck

elsien said:

Although it’s the group that’s £300 out of pocket rather than you as an individual - should they not be taking their share of the costs? 

Have you asked them to point out the specific terms which allow them to charge the fee?

The group is me, my fiancé and my 3 kids.
I can’t ask them to chip in much 🤣

elsien

Looking at the full terms and conditions, I would also read them that no admin fee should apply if you cancel more than 14 days before travel. I think you need to push them to explain why clause 23 is not being applied to your situation. 

adamck

elsien said:

Looking at the full terms and conditions, I would also read them that no admin fee should apply if you cancel more than 14 days before travel. I think you need to push them to explain why clause 23 is not being applied to your situation. 

I’m glad you read it the same way as me.
I even asked chat GPT to comment on my circumstances based on the terms and conditions and it said i should only pay £1 to cancel.

they are a nightmare to get through to and they haven’t replied thus yet to my customer care emails.

I have also raised it with Competition and Markets Authority on the gov site as they have a section specifically to holiday companies charging unfair admin fees etc.

Pollycat

Thread created May 2023 and original poster has not logged on since June 2023.

Necropost.