Sykes Cottages/ Lakelovers Automated Payments

Carefulspender1

I hope I'm posting this in the right forum - I'm looking for other peoples experience and advice re Lakelovers Holidays, part of the Sykes Holidays group.

I booked a holiday for Summer 2027 through Lakelovers in January and paid the deposit by credit card as I have always done in the past. The balance of payment isn't due until eight weeks before our holiday begins, however yesterday I received an email from Sykes stating that my credit card expires this month before my payment next year is due and therefore I must give them my replacement card details to enable them to take an automated payment.

I have never authorised automated payment in the past nor did I authorise automated payment this time - I much prefer to decide for myself when I make the balance payment (which is always on time) and don't tend to store my credit card details online with any sites. I have tried to telephone Lakelovers - they don't answer. I used their WhatsApp chat yesterday and no one came back to me until a couple of hours ago today when they said they would take a look at the booking and text me back…which they haven't done.

Has anyone else had this experience with Lakelovers before? Surely I should have a choice. I've booked holidays through them and Heart of the Lakes, who they bought out in 2020, since 2007 and I've never faced this issue before. Any advice or your experiences would be much appreciated.

born_again

Tell them that until you get your new card, around a month before expires, you will not have the details. Something they really should know. never mind that people may use different cards for payments.

If they are set up to automatically take the payment, then they will know the Account updater details that both Visa & Mastercard have. That allows them to get the new card details anyway.🤣

Carefulspender1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81965874#Comment_81965874

Thanks for your response - it seems they automatically set you up for automated payment when they take your deposit, so that when the payment is due they can take payment at their convenience. I've just finally heard back from them and they basically told me there isn't an opt out option when you book and there is no consent option - they just set it up anyway! That said as long as I make the payment before the due date the balance (as I always do) all will be well. So in a way it's resolved, however, are companies really allowed to take the card details you use for a deposit and set up an automated payment, even if it is just a one off as it would be in this case, without authorisation. It just doesn't seem honest to me.

flaneurs_lobster

 So in a way it's resolved, however, are companies really allowed to take the card details you use for a deposit and set up an automated payment, even if it is just a one off as it would be in this case, without authorisation. It just doesn't seem honest to me.

Don't know about it being dishonest, but not giving you the opportunity to decline an automated balance payment would appear to breach their own Terms

4.6 Taking payments after you receive your Booking Confirmation: If the Balance or any other additional payments are due after you receive your Booking Confirmation, then:

4.6.1 if you authorised us to take payment for these amounts from your chosen payment method when you made your Booking, we will automatically take payment using your original payment method. If there has been a change to the Total Charges (for example, due to changes in exchange rates), we will contact you before taking the changed payment (see paragraph 5.2 below); or

4.6.2 if you did not authorise us to take payment from your chosen payment method for these amounts when you made your Booking, or your chosen payment method that you authorised us to take payment from has expired or cannot be used by us and we contact you to inform you of this, you will need to make these payments either by using the payment feature within your account on the Site or by contacting us by telephone using the number set out in paragraph 21.

my bold

https://www.lakelovers.co.uk/terms/booking

Carefulspender1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81965923#Comment_81965923

Yes they do seem to breach their own terms. I don't know if you're reading it like I am, but in 4.6.2 they don't actually say if I need to make payment when they contact me…which they have done by email telling me to give them my new card details, or if it's ok to just wait until next year when I have to phone this other number and pay for the holiday. It's all a bit unclear to me.

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81965895#Comment_81965895

They really should tell you, might be something that is part of the deposit terms. (although above is odd)

You could ring your bank & get them to put a block on any CPA to them.