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Booking.com Host demanding undisclosed deposit after booking and refusing to honour booking
I’m hoping someone here has experience with this kind of situation and can offer some advice, because I’m getting nowhere with Booking.com.
I booked a property through Booking.com for a trip with my children next week. It was for a house, for a couple of days to be able to take my son for some medical appointments. Can't stay in a hotel as need a fridge for his medications and most UK hotels don't have fridges.
The listing at time of booking showed no damage deposit, no extra fees, and no off‑platform payments. I checked thoughally. Everything was fully confirmed and paid straight away.
A few days later, the host sent a message saying that I need to paid an undisclosed £400 “damage deposit” by bank transfer, or they would not honour the booking or register my stay. This wasn’t optional — it was presented as a condition for check‑in.
What they were asking for is more than cost of booking, wasn't stated at time of booking and they want it by bank transfer which gives me no security or garantee that I'll get it refunded after stay.
I contacted Booking.com customer service through app and got one response asking me to send over some screenshots and additional information which I did straight away, but they then went quiet and have had no response since.
After days of silence I reached out to booking.com via X/twitter.
There X team don't want to listen, are rude and just keep defending host.
This seems like clear host misconduct to me, but Booking.com support has repeatedly told me:
- the host “has done nothing wrong”
- the host was “simply checking if I was willing to accept a new condition” (How is demanding I pay and threatening to not honour my booking simply checking if I'll will accept new Condition?)
- adding a new mandatory deposit after booking “does not violate terms”
I’ve pointed out that Booking.com’s own terms say:
- “The price you pay will be the price shown at the time of booking.”
- “Any additional charges must be clearly disclosed before you complete your booking.”
Their Partner Terms also state that:
- a property must honour the conditions visible at the time of booking
- a property cannot add new mandatory conditions after confirmation
- a property must not refuse check‑in because a guest declines an undisclosed fee
- off‑platform payments (bank transfers etc.) are not permitted unless disclosed upfront
The host’s message clearly states that unless I pay an undisclosed £400 deposit by bank transfer, they will not honour the booking. That seems like a breach of all of the above.
Booking.com keep saying they have “contacted the host and told them I don't have to pay deposit and host needs to honour booking”, but they refuse to confirm whether the host has actually replied or agreed to honour the booking. I still have:
- no confirmation from the host
- no check‑in instructions
- no written assurance the booking will be honoured
Booking is due to start in 2 days
I’m being told to travel with my children who have special needs and medical conditions to a property that may refuse us on arrival, leave us stranded or could still demand this deposit on arrival and be hostile towards us and Booking.com won’t acknowledge the safeguarding risk. They say they won't help until we have travelled on Monday and tried to check in. This feels like classic procedural obstruction.
Has anyone else had Booking.com defend a host adding new conditions after booking?
Booking.com X/twitter team said a host can add new terms any time they want even after booking is confirmed, they said hosts can add any fees they like any time they want and can ask for payment off site any time they like. They say they are doing nothing wrong. I have this in writing from X/twitter team. I was genuinely shocked and could not believe what I was reading.
I asked them to escalate it to a formal complaint but they refused and said they could not. They gave me a email address and told me to email that to file a complaint.
I did that but it's been 2 days and suprise suprise no response.
Any idea what I should do, am I wrong to think I should not have to pay deposit. Am I wrong to feel uncomfortable travelling?. If a host is capable of basically threatening you demanding payment or won't honour booking despite me already paying in full for booking what else are the capable of.
I have asked booking.com to move us to Alternate Suitable accommodation or refund my money so I can book something else my self but they are refusing.
Any advice or shared experiences would be really appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Comments
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I’m hoping someone here has experience with this kind of situation and can offer some advice, because I’m getting nowhere with Booking.com.
I booked a property through Booking.com for a trip with my children next week. It was for a house, for a couple of days to be able to take my son for some medical appointments. Can't stay in a hotel as need a fridge for his medications and most UK hotels don't have fridges.
The listing at time of booking showed no damage deposit, no extra fees, and no off‑platform payments. I checked thoughally. Everything was fully confirmed and paid straight away.
A few days later, the host sent a message saying that I need to paid an undisclosed £400 “damage deposit” by bank transfer, or they would not honour the booking or register my stay. This wasn’t optional — it was presented as a condition for check‑in.
What they were asking for is more than cost of booking, wasn't stated at time of booking and they want it by bank transfer which gives me no security or garantee that I'll get it refunded after stay.
I contacted Booking.com customer service through app and got one response asking me to send over some screenshots and additional information which I did straight away, but they then went quiet and have had no response since.
After days of silence I reached out to booking.com via X/twitter.
There X team don't want to listen, are rude and just keep defending host.
This seems like clear host misconduct to me, but Booking.com support has repeatedly told me:
- the host “has done nothing wrong”
- the host was “simply checking if I was willing to accept a new condition” (How is demanding I pay and threatening to not honour my booking simply checking if I'll will accept new Condition?)
- adding a new mandatory deposit after booking “does not violate terms”
I’ve pointed out that Booking.com’s own terms say:
- “The price you pay will be the price shown at the time of booking.”
- “Any additional charges must be clearly disclosed before you complete your booking.”
Their Partner Terms also state that:
- a property must honour the conditions visible at the time of booking
- a property cannot add new mandatory conditions after confirmation
- a property must not refuse check‑in because a guest declines an undisclosed fee
- off‑platform payments (bank transfers etc.) are not permitted unless disclosed upfront
The host’s message clearly states that unless I pay an undisclosed £400 deposit by bank transfer, they will not honour the booking. That seems like a breach of all of the above.
Booking.com keep saying they have “contacted the host and told them I don't have to pay deposit and host needs to honour booking”, but they refuse to confirm whether the host has actually replied or agreed to honour the booking. I still have:
- no confirmation from the host
- no check‑in instructions
- no written assurance the booking will be honoured
Booking is due to start in 2 days
I’m being told to travel with my children who have special needs and medical conditions to a property that may refuse us on arrival, leave us stranded or could still demand this deposit on arrival and be hostile towards us and Booking.com won’t acknowledge the safeguarding risk. They say they won't help until we have travelled on Monday and tried to check in. This feels like classic procedural obstruction.
Has anyone else had Booking.com defend a host adding new conditions after booking?
Booking.com X/twitter team said a host can add new terms any time they want even after booking is confirmed, they said hosts can add any fees they like any time they want and can ask for payment off site any time they like. They say they are doing nothing wrong. I have this in writing from X/twitter team. I was genuinely shocked and could not believe what I was reading.
I asked them to escalate it to a formal complaint but they refused and said they could not. They gave me a email address and told me to email that to file a complaint.
I did that but it's been 2 days and suprise suprise no response.
Any idea what I should do, am I wrong to think I should not have to pay deposit. Am I wrong to feel uncomfortable travelling?. If a host is capable of basically threatening you demanding payment or won't honour booking despite me already paying in full for booking what else are the capable of.
I have asked booking.com to move us to Alternate Suitable accommodation or refund my money so I can book something else my self but they are refusing.
Any advice or shared experiences would be really appreciated.
Thanks in advance
There is a wall of text (and emotion) there, but this bit below is the only relevant bit, if you booked a non-cancellable booking then they do not have to refund you, they do not have to find you suitable alternative accommodation as they are not a travel agent or tour operator, they are just a booking platform. You have no consumer rights to be allowed to stay there, the property can cancel the booking.
I have asked booking.com to move us to Alternate Suitable accommodation or refund my money so I can book something else my self but they are refusing.
In my experience most hotels still have a minibar fridge, but I would probably just buy a portable mini fridge or an electric cool box to be safe regardless of where I was staying. You are not going to get anywhere with Booking.com on this, nor are you entitled to what you are asking them, so the best option is to manage the situation in the best way you can.
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I agree. Given the importance of the trip, I'd book a hotel, buy a portable mini fridge to take with you, and do whatever you need to do with the booking to try and get a refund.
3 -
Judging by previous threads on this Forum, Booking.com have a reputation for not getting involved in disputes between guests and hosts
If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales0 -
The OP might find this similar thread interesting
If the host cancels the booking, does the OP get a refund?
Maybe let that happen and book an alternative.
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I suggest that you identify suitable hotels or properties on AirBnB, but do not make any non-refundable bookings. You will not get anywhere with Booking.com before the date of travel, and if you do not attempt to check at the accommodation you will be liable for the full payment.
The Booking.com platform is insecure and has frequently been hacked, and it is entirely possible that whoever demanded the deposit by bank transfer was not the host. If this is a security breach then Booking would probably not say anything until they had investigated.1 -
Any links to these hacks?
As they are reportable incidents.
Life in the slow lane0 -
There was a very recent podcast called "Scam Secrets" that had a whole episode on Booking.com scams. It seems that the scam isn't due to Booking.com itself, instead it is the hosts themselves having their host credentials stolen.
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2
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I would immediately send an LBA to Booking.com. They have failed to find you a booking on the terms originally offered and should refund you for that failure.
I seem to remember that there is a UK address for Booking.com somewhere.
0 -
Aren't they only acting as agents? It's their principal i.e. the accommodation owner who is liable.
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