We book with Centerparcs 2-3 times a year and have done for the past 6 years. We have been bloody good customers since we had the kids and didn't want to travel abroad with them. Our big holiday being in the summer with my parents so last July 2014, I booked a great place in Whinfell for the 6 of us put down the £400 odd deposit and put a note in my diary to pay in May 2015.
As it happens, we booked impromptu in April 2015 to go to Sherwood so as I paid up front, it was a good reminder to send them a letter to let them know we had moved In Dec 2014.
I phone up this weekend to pay the final balance to be told the booking has been cancelled and I will be losing the £400 deposit. This is reasonable to them because they sent me an email (and if I received the original email then I must have received one they sent recently - don't know about you but massive difference in locating a relevant email out of your junk mail when you are expecting it!) and a letter. I've not received either nor a phone call (tel number not attached to this booking apparently - I can't remember if I did or didn't).
First up: how absolutely shitty of them to not even send letters recorded delivery so they are sure someone is aware they are going to lose their holiday. I work in healthcare and we make sure we are at least confidence we have communicated with someone. For something as important as this (with a loss of £400), the company policy has massive repercussions and they are so self-righteous about their lazy attempts to communicate with their customers.
Lastly, the villa that we wanted has gone, as "goodwill" the deposit can be carried over to a new villa with the high last minute costs attached. I am absolutely gutted to be paying extra. The company showed zero flexibility in taking part-responsibility in this and at least not raising their prices for a loyal customer. I felt over a barrel, do I lose the £400 deposit on principle because I am so disappointed in the company or do I put it towards what seems a massively overpriced holiday now.
AIBU to never book again because they are ruthless rip off merchants?
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AIBU to Think CenterParcs are Total Rip Off Merchants
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F4ttyBumBum · 25/05/2015 19:49
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