Expensive Customer Service phone call

Basset

I have just recieved a refund from Hotels.com, only to find out that the 1 phone call I made to their customer service line that they provided me the has cost me £87.00. I don’t except that I should pay £87.00 for one phone call.

eskbanker

What was the number you called and how long was the call?

Basset

the number that hotels.com provided me was  18002302315 and lasted 28 minutes

oldernonethewiser

That is a US number so an international call.

How much does your phone provider charge for those calls?

Basset

oldernonethewiser said:

That is a US number so an international call.

How much does your phone provider charge for those calls?

On the Vodafone website it says they charge £3.00 per minute. I called on my mobile and I'm with Vodafone

I didn't know it was a US number, I don't know why they didn't give me a uk number to call

oldernonethewiser

£3 per minute is the advertised charge for Vodafone ( if not on one of their inclusive deals) so sounds like you got charged the correct amount.

Think 0844 448 1670 is Hotels UK contact number

m-holland

Correct me if Im wrong, but dont Vodafone play a pre-recorded message at the start of the call if its an international call not included in minutes?

oldernonethewiser

Have you been in contact with hotels.com and asked why they gave you a US number to call?  

Andy_L

Basset said:

Sorry maybe I wasn't clear. My complaint is against Hotels.com not my phone provider. 

Hotels.com sent me an email saying I needed to phone customer care on the number 18002302315 to sort out my refund, they could have sent me a UK number.

Perhaps they dont have a UK office/number and everything goes through their US HQ

400ixl

Basset said:

Sorry maybe I wasn't clear. My complaint is against Hotels.com not my phone provider. 

Hotels.com sent me an email saying I needed to phone customer care on the number 18002302315 to sort out my refund, they could have sent me a UK number.

It is your responsibility to check the rate you will be paying not theirs. They have no idea what it will cost you.

As an example, if they gave you a number 01182302315 would you have used it? That's a UK number but a premium rate and would have cost you similar.

As others have said it is very easy to call that number for free or through a 3rd party service which would allow you to use your inclusive minutes.

Sorry that won't be the message you want to hear, but I would be very surprised if you get anything from complaining to them, but nothing to lose by trying.

user1977

"1" is the international code for the US (which isn't a particularly obscure bit of general knowledge) so I think much more obvious than some of the UK-based premium numbers. I think this is on you really.