US Motel still has my UK driving licence and will not post it to me

sidewayssyd

I checked in at about 22.30 at a motel in Florida, tired after a long day and long drive. They asked for my credit card and id..I gave them my UK driving licence. They gave me back my credit card but I didn't spot that they didn't give me back my licence. I didn't notice that I didn't have my licence until two days after checking out, the day before I travelled home. It took me a while to work out the last time I'd seen it, then I realised it was at that motel. I contacted them via booking.com when I was at the airport and when I got home I found they'd replied and said they did have my licence. I'd stayed there for three nights and checked out with the guy who checked me in - they had plenty of time to return it to me but hadn't. Since then, (March 18th), they've not responded to any messages. I contacted booking.com customer services who came back to me that the motel would be posting it back. Today, I checked with booking.com who called the hotel and now the news is that the motel is not allowed to post sensitive personal information - they can only hand the licence back to me. Is that correct? They have my UK address from checkin and that's the address I've asked them to post it to and I said I'll transfer the postage cost.  

Cressida100

Report it lost and get a new one. 

https://www.gov.uk/apply-online-to-replace-a-driving-licence

I've used the service and it's pretty quick

eskbanker

sidewayssyd said:

Today, I checked with booking.com who called the hotel and now the news is that the motel is not allowed to post sensitive personal information - they can only hand the licence back to me. Is that correct?

No idea if there is any such legal restriction, but even if not it may be their policy - however, is the motel part of a chain, where you may find a more helpful response from a head office team?

TELLIT01

As Cressida100 said, just get a new one.

sidewayssyd

Eskbanker - thanks, yes I thought of that..they are called Relax Inn (in Frostproof, Florida) which I thought was part of a range but I couldn't find an overall website for Relax Inns in the US. But as I made the booking through Booking.com, I talked to them today and they agreed that the hotel had it for three days and should have given it to me so they are opening a complaint. Cressida/Tellit...if it was my fault, I'd happily let it go. If they're not sending it back, I'll apply for a new one and booking.com are asking for $30 from the hotel to pay for my new one. It's the principle of the thing.

bagand96

sidewayssyd said:

Eskbanker - thanks, yes I thought of that..they are called Relax Inn (in Frostproof, Florida) which I thought was part of a range but I couldn't find an overall website for Relax Inns in the US. But as I made the booking through Booking.com, I talked to them today and they agreed that the hotel had it for three days and should have given it to me so they are opening a complaint. Cressida/Tellit...if it was my fault, I'd happily let it go. If they're not sending it back, I'll apply for a new one and booking.com are asking for $30 from the hotel to pay for my new one. It's the principle of the thing.

They made an error in not giving you your licence back at the time of check-in, and not subsequently giving it you back at check out.  You made an error in not realising your important Government issued ID had not been returned to you at check-in, and for some time afterwards.

Errors on both sides and I'm not sure one error carries any more weight than the other? I'd chalk it up to experience and get a replacement.  If you manage to recover any costs then fair enough!

TELLIT01

sidewayssyd said:

 Cressida/Tellit...if it was my fault, I'd happily let it go. If they're not sending it back, I'll apply for a new one and booking.com are asking for $30 from the hotel to pay for my new one. It's the principle of the thing.

It's your fault as well for not realising that they hadn't returned your driving licence.  Working on the basis of mutual blame for yourself and the hotel, they owe you half the cost of replacement i.e. £10.  How much is your time worth in chasing this?

Leavemealone

I would at least request proof it has been destroyed or handed to the Police as lost property. 

sidewayssyd

I agree it's partially my fault, I agree, but more so them. It's not really costing me any time. I'll update in a few days with the final position. Thanks for everyone's comments

eDicky

sidewayssyd said:

I agree it's partially my fault, I agree, but more so them. It's not really costing me any time. I'll update in a few days with the final position. Thanks for everyone's comments

I don't think you share much of the blame at all. It's the responsibility of the hotel staff, if they need to see your id document, to return it to you in a timely manner, preferably immediately, after taking a photocopy if necessary.

Archergirl

My husband left a brand new Sketchers shoe in a motel in Miami, we know it was left there but they said it hadn't been handed in so the cleaner just chucked it in the bin as they couldn't be bothered to do the paperwork, an £80 pair of Sketchers lost so cross with them.....
At least they admitted they had your DL.