Do I have to pay this fine? Help!

GemQuin

Hello,

I wonder if canyone can advise me please - Sorry this is my first post so not sure if it is in the right thread.

Bascially in january I went on a city break to Berlin. I was trying to find an apartment to book and in doing so I filled out a few forms and asked a few questions. Not once did I say I wanted to book and made it clear it was an enquiry.

However, one website has now started chasing me for a cancellation fee of 200 euros. They say that i clicked on the terms and conditions which said that if I filled the form in I was agreeing to book the apartment. In retrospect i remember ticking this box but only because this was the only way to submit an enquiry. In the text box I wrote 'I DO NOT WANT TO BOOK THIS I JUST WANT TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS'. They sent me an email saying my enquiry had been recieved. The next day they sent me an invoice. I replied immediately saying I was sorry but I just wanted some advice and asked about another apartment which I liked. I got a rude email back saying that I had already booked the other one and that if I wanted to canel I would have to pay a 100% cancellation fee.

Anyway to cut a long story short they are now sending me invoices and saying that I have to pay 200 euros or 'they will have to pass this on to their collection agency'. I found that be quite threating. Not once did they respond to my emails saying that it was a mistake and I was sorry. They just continue to send me threatening emails.

So, my question really is....do I have to pay this fine? They don't have my bank details but they has my address. I am worried what the 'collection agency' is? Also as they are in Germany will I get black listed or something?

I know it was actually my fault but it was a genuine mistake and the terms and conditions were not clear. I should have read it before ticking the box though and will do in the future - any ideas what I can do as I am very worried about this?

Thanks for you advice guys.

jonesMUFCforever

Let us know the web address so we can take a look?

yummymummy29

I would contact trading standards. I had a run in with a builder and they were superb and helped me write a letter which sounded so good. Good luck

GemQuin

Thanks for this guys.

Well...I went back to check the website yesterday and it has now completely changed and they do offer a 'contact us for an enquiry' button which was definitely not there before. If it had been there in the first place I wouldn't have had this problem.

There is also a much clearer way to see the 'Terms and Conditions' which again was not there before and when you tick the terms & conditions box there is a big red warning underneath saying 'Cancellations Incur a Fee'.

100% this was not there previously. Do you think it implies they have had other people who made the same mistake as me? You'd have thought they would take card details in advance surely if they were going to charge people. There's no way I would have continued my enquiry if I had to give over payment details.

Anyway the website is this: http://www.ferienwohnung-24-berlin.com/english.htm

Good idea to contact Trading Standards too - I'll try that now.

Cheers again for your help. x

jonesMUFCforever

Not sure how far you had to go with your enquiry before submitting - but I found an e-mail address for them with no trouble.
[EMAIL="anfrage@ferienwohnung-24-berlin.com"]mailto:anfrage@ferienwohnung-24-berlin.com[/EMAIL]

My German is not good enough to translate to risk going on in case I get a fine as well!

I see that you have been given advice to seek help from CAB - I would go down this route.