Dispute with serviced apartment

euanovsky

My mum wanted to visit Belfast as she has never been. As I had work commitment I couldn't go but I booked and paid for a serviced apartment for her as a treat and she went by herself.

I booked the serviced apartment using my card on booking.com and my mum paid for the security deposit at check in using her card. Four days prior to her arrival (noted this is in the non-refundable period). we've got a message from the serviced apartment that they had "upgraded" her to a different location. We didn't think too much of it at that point.

When she arrived, she realised the location of the serviced apartment was almost a mile from the original location. Whilst they have upgraded her booking to a two bedroom apartment (as opposed to one bed as per the booking), the quality of the apartment is worse as seen from the pictures on booking.com (both serviced apartments are listed there). The location is less central and the apartments there don't have harbour view. I have played around with a few dates just to check the prices and they suggest the serviced apartment they moved her to was cheaper.

While it's a nice thing that they have upgraded her stay to a two bed apartment, that's irrelevant as she's travelling by herself so would have no use of a two bed apartment to start with. My concern is that I didn't get the product I paid for. I booked for A and got B. 

I tried to resolve that with the serviced apartment directly but they have been ignoring my emails. What other course of action do I have?

Btw I am not looking for a full refund just a partial refund for the price difference. 

Thanks a lot. 

Okell

Sounds like the apartment that was provided didn't have the same "amenity value" as the one you paid for.

Can you collect evidence indicating that the "upgraded apartment" was in fact cheaper than the one you paid for?

Did you pay by credit card or debit card?

Might have an issue in that you basically paid for the apartment as a gift for your mother rather than yourself.

See what others have to say

euanovsky

Okell said:

Sounds like the apartment that was provided didn't have the same "amenity value" as the one you paid for.

Can you collect evidence indicating that the "upgraded apartment" was in fact cheaper than the one you paid for?

Did you pay by credit card or debit card?

Might have an issue in that you basically paid for the apartment as a gift for your mother rather than yourself.

See what others have to say

Thanks.

I paid with a credit card.

Is the evidence collected for the serviced apartments (in which case they should know) or for booking.com or for my credit card company?

[Deleted User]

Hi,

euanovsky said:
I tried to resolve that with the serviced apartment directly but they have been ignoring my emails. What other course of action do I have?

best to raise complaint with Booking.com.

Aylesbury_Duck

I think you'll have to persevere with the agent.  As I understand it, action through your card provider won't work because a) she did stay, so a service was provided, and b) you paid but someone else was the beneficiary.