Cancelling non refundable hotel where I have yet to pay

TheMalsh

I’m going away to Portugal in a few months with some mates and booked a nonrefundable hotel room earlier this week.

I noticed that although they took credit card details (Revolut) no money had been taken out. Shortly after this I received an email from a third-party payment service (reduniq) requesting I made payment using a link and this was shortly followed by the hotel sending an email saying “This is regarding your reservation at …. 

As your booking is non-refundable, payment must be made before arrival. 

Please note that your credit card details are required only to secure the booking and will not be charged by us. 

We have sent a secure payment link to your email. If payment is not made by 22/03, your booking will be released. Kindly let us know if you encounter any issues accessing the link.”

Due to the above and from what sounded like the booking was not 100% confirmed further research found a better hotel for better value.

I have since sent them a few emails saying I will not be making payment and therefore to cancel the booking (we just simply found a better hotel). I had yet to receive an email response so I sent a WhatsApp to their business account earlier where they had advised an email had been sent to head office as the booking have been made on a nonrefundable process. I did however respond and say I appreciate this but at the same time I will not be making payment therefore this is up to them how you would like to proceed.

Worst case scenario we go with the booking and it’s not the end of the world, but would anybody be able to confirm if there is any way they could take the money without me using the link provided? 

It’s also important to note I used my Revolut card to secure the booking as this is my card I use for international currencies - is there anyway I could block them taking money?

grumpy_codger

How did you book it?

This looks like a common scam for booking.com (and, possibly, not only for this site).

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/alert/booking-com-alert

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/beatthescammers/article-13768727/Booking-com-scam-Spike-reports-summer-holidaymakers-conned-THOUSANDS.html

However, if the original booking was genuine and non-refundable, I don't think you can cancel it without loosing all or part of the money due. That's the whole point of "non-refundable".  They have your card details and you authorised them to take the money.

Newbie_John

What website did you use?

Without knowing details it could be anything - it could be fraud - there were known similar cases on booking.com, it could be that the hotel may just give up and cancel it.. but most likely situation they won't and will charge your original card later - and as it's Revolut (debit card) then again many things can happen - they can charge you in most unexpected time, they can let go.. they can use debt recover agency - you promised to pay, and that's legally binding.

Voyager2002

What did the website where you booked say about making payment?

I suggest that you contact the website and say that you think this is attempted fraud, and for that reason you don't want to go ahead with the booking.

TheMalsh

grumpy_codger said:

How did you book it?

This looks like a common scam for booking.com (and, possibly, not only for this site).

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/alert/booking-com-alert

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/beatthescammers/article-13768727/Booking-com-scam-Spike-reports-summer-holidaymakers-conned-THOUSANDS.html

However, if the original booking was genuine and non-refundable, I don't think you can cancel it without loosing all or part of the money due. That's the whole point of "non-refundable".  They have your card details and you authorised them to take the money.

I booked it through the hotels official website. It’s a hotel chain.

Will like to add I only thought about cancelling it due to the email being sent through saying “Payment must be made using the following link as we, the hotel, do not take the payment” etc.

2 interesting things to know as well are the link expired today due to the email saying the link was only valid till midnight the following day so even if I wanted to pay it and missed that link does that mean they class that as a cancellation? Also they only took my card number and expiry Date but no CV number or anything like that, I did approve it on Revolut at the time as any strange card related queries on Revolut need to be approved and I believe the cv number would be needed to use my actual card. 

TheMalsh

Newbie_John said:

What website did you use?

Without knowing details it could be anything - it could be fraud - there were known similar cases on booking.com, it could be that the hotel may just give up and cancel it.. but most likely situation they won't and will charge your original card later - and as it's Revolut (debit card) then again many things can happen - they can charge you in most unexpected time, they can let go.. they can use debt recover agency - you promised to pay, and that's legally binding.

Thanks.

as mentioned in a previous response it was booked on the official hotels website and it’s a chain.

there are two things that are quite important to note that although I had to approve it on revolut, I did not approve any transaction, I simply approved a external website having my credit card details but it did not have my CV number, only card and expiry date. I believe they would need The CV number to take any payment.

also the link to make the payment expired midnight the following day so even if I had not seen the email but had intentions of paying what do they class that as?

obviously these are answers the hotel would only know but as I am not receiving a response, I would appreciate opinions.

Voyager2002

I find it worrying that the information about how they wanted payment (the link and the explanation supposedly from the hotel) came by email, not by secure messaging from within the site. Even if you wanted that booking, the risk of fraud seems unacceptably high.

What does the hotel chain website (where you made the booking) say about how payment is taken?

retiredbanker1

TheMalsh said:

Newbie_John said:

What website did you use?

Without knowing details it could be anything - it could be fraud - there were known similar cases on booking.com, it could be that the hotel may just give up and cancel it.. but most likely situation they won't and will charge your original card later - and as it's Revolut (debit card) then again many things can happen - they can charge you in most unexpected time, they can let go.. they can use debt recover agency - you promised to pay, and that's legally binding.

Thanks.

as mentioned in a previous response it was booked on the official hotels website and it’s a chain.

there are two things that are quite important to note that although I had to approve it on revolut, I did not approve any transaction, I simply approved a external website having my credit card details but it did not have my CV number, only card and expiry date. I believe they would need The CV number to take any payment.

also the link to make the payment expired midnight the following day so even if I had not seen the email but had intentions of paying what do they class that as?

obviously these are answers the hotel would only know but as I am not receiving a response, I would appreciate opinions.

I think when you delve into the terms and conditions you HAVE given consent to them debiting your credit card if you do not turn up.
Whether it be one night charge or the whole thing - the only reason why they took your card number is to get their money if/should you not carry out your side of the contract.

So; until they advise you otherwise expect to pay - cancelling your card or reporting it lost will make no difference.

That is my take on the matter.

flaneurs_lobster

TheMalsh said:

there are two things that are quite important to note that although I had to approve it on revolut, I did not approve any transaction, I simply approved a external website having my credit card details but it did not have my CV number, only card and expiry date. I believe they would need The CV number to take any payment.

The CVV number is not required to process a transaction although it's to the vendor's advantage to ask for it in case of dispute.

Amazon, for example, don't ask for the CVV when taking payment (they're big enough to figure that having less friction at checkout outweighs increased fraud chance).

Newbie_John

By clicking "buy" you legally promised that you'll pay.

The only way out is to ask hotel to cancel it - as they may do as a goodwill gesture. Tbh not taking payments on the spot they must have a lot of cases like you and I doubt they sell the non-shows to debt recovery agencies.. but who knows these days.

Cancelling the card, cancelling Revolut etc. isn't the way forward - it will likely just delay the process and it may add on interests (again most pessimistic case).

So contact the hotel and ask to cancel as the entire process looked dodgy to you and you don't want to proceed anymore - and see what they say.

HillStreetBlues

Newbie_John said:

By clicking "buy" you legally promised that you'll pay.

The only way out is to ask hotel to cancel it - as they may do as a goodwill gesture. Tbh not taking payments on the spot they must have a lot of cases like you and I doubt they sell the non-shows to debt recovery agencies.. but who knows these days.

Cancelling the card, cancelling Revolut etc. isn't the way forward - it will likely just delay the process and it may add on interests (again most pessimistic case).

So contact the hotel and ask to cancel as the entire process looked dodgy to you and you don't want to proceed anymore - and see what they say.

It will be down to the T&Cs. Personally I think it's more likely to find room isn't reserved until payment is made.  This would also let the hotel reject it in case of double bookings.