Booking.com wont refund my cancelled room.

dmdrabble
dmdrabble Posts: 23
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Forumite
Hello,

I booked a room on the Booking.com website for a 2 week stay in an apartment in Goa for January 2019. The booking was made September 2018.

Booking.com list rooms and hotels from other 3rd parties who advertise on their site. This booking was listed on booking.com through the broker Guest Houser. Booking.com instructed me to follow a link sent by the 3rd party to pay 50% initially, with the further 50% to be paid 2 weeks before travel.

As Christmas approached, I hadn't heard anything further about payment, so I sent several messages via the booking .com portal, asking when the 2nd payment link was to be sent. After several messages without reply, I called booking.com and they prompted the 3rd party to send the 2nd link. I paid the final balance straight away.

At this stage I had paid the £560 in full. I expressed some concerns at the lack of communication and the fact nobody had enquired about the time I was due to arrive. Due to the lack of information, I was concerned that I would turn up with nobody to meet me at the resort. Booking.com support said in any event that I arrive with no room, they were obliged to find me an alternative of similar or better standard and told me not to worry.

I contiuned to ask for clarity and the day before I was due to travel, Booking.com told me that they or Guest Houser had been unable to contact the apartment owner since the last 2 weeks and that my room wasn't available. I asked if they could find me an alternative at this late stage. I also sent them links to several rooms and hotels listed on their site, that showed availability. They agreed to contact each of these alternative accommodation to secure a booking and suggested I tried to find suitable accommodation myself. I was told I would get a full refund within 10 working days and as it was such late notice that they would cover any charges or extra payment over what I had initially paid.

Fast forward to the morning of my departure, I still didn't have a room booked. None of the suggested rooms had been booked by booking.com and my emails hadn't been replied to. I was lucky to find a room via a different contact on the exact same resort that I had originally booked, but as this was made so late, I was forced to pay a further £225 for an identical room on the same dates.

I finally got a call from the support agent who I had been dealing with and she told me to save all receipts, so I could claim back any payment over what I had originally spent and for things like taxis, if the resort was much further away.

At this stage I had paid £560 for the booking made in September and a further £785 for an identical room. On returning, I sent over my receipt via email.

Over 2 months on, I still haven't got my original £585 back and I haven't received the £225, that I had to pay over and above, as I was promised. I have called and emailed so many times. So far I have sent copies of my transactions for proof of payment for the booking made with them, bank statements and the receipt for the £785 twice now. Then I was asked to send the images in pdf format. I did this. They offered to pay me back 50%, (£280), but I rejected this.

I have taken to Twitter to make comments on some of their ad campaigns, telling would be customers to be beware. I get a response telling to email and contact customer services. I reply saying I must have sent 20 emails, but they just get ignored.

I don't know what else to do because they now ignore me when I contact them. Should I just keep emailing them or is there somebody I can complain to? I don't think they are part of ABTA as they are a broker and not a travel agent.

Comments

  • knightstyle
    knightstyle Posts: 6,985
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    Looks like they are a Dutch company so send a final letter saying you will persue them in a Dutch court or European court using https://e-justice.europa.eu/content_small_claims-42-en.do
    Give them 14 days to refund then take them to court.
  • jpsartre
    jpsartre Posts: 4,085
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    How did you pay? If you paid by card, there are possibly ways to get back your money through your cardprovider.
  • dmdrabble
    dmdrabble Posts: 23
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    Hello and thanks for the replies. I paid by a pre paid travel. card. Revolut Mastercard.
    I will contact Revolut and take a look at the European small claims route.
  • dmdrabble
    dmdrabble Posts: 23
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    Forumite
    Hello,


    I emailed Boking.Com on Sunday evening, telling them I would give them 14 days to give me a refund. At 07:50 on Monday, I got an email from Booking.com, saying my refund would be available to transfer soon. I now have the money in my bank account in full.


    Thanks for the advice.
  • Sharon87
    Sharon87 Posts: 4,011
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    Good to hear you got the money back. For future and other people - if booking.com doesn't refund anyone - then your travel insurance is your port of call.
  • jpsartre
    jpsartre Posts: 4,085
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    I doubt this kind of case is covered by travel insurance. If Booking.com had not returned the money it would have been a matter for a court or cardprovider.
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