Cottage - Refund and Booking Fees?

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

We had a cottage booked for this week in Pembrokeshire which couldn't go ahead due to travel restrictions.

After speaking to the cottage company and several emails back and forth, they have given me 2 options:

1. 18 month voucher for any of their properties minus booking charge.

1. Refund - minus booking charge and cancellation fee which combined is about £100.00.

Paid by credit card - do I accept refund on their terms and get over myself?

The reality of the situation is that although covered by s 75, will probably take ages to get any action.

Advice?

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

.

[Parkrunner25]

Did they cancel, or did you? (I know you can't travel to them, but this does make a difference).

[MustBeDueSomeBetterFeet]

I can understand a small admin charge for their time overhead, but if the holiday can't go ahead - have they cancelled?? - then not sure why you would be penalised?

Alternatively, would your travel insurance cover you?

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

They cancelled - it was an email saying that due to government restrictions the cottage was not available.

[ChateauMargaux]

Honestly, it's a cost that you would have to have incurred anyway and the booking fee and cancellation charges are probably equal to the petrol you have saved and day out which you can't now have whereas they have no income and even if they manage to recover some amounts from the government support scheme which is profit based, they will still have a huge amount of costs to cover in this period which will not be covered.

[CuriousaboutSamphire]

I have a cottage booked for September and expect to get the same response if things haven't changed. They are a business, I'd have to accept they would want to claw back some money!

[CuriousaboutSamphire]

Cross posted... THEY cancelled? Tell them that they owe YOU the cancellation fee!

[ZoeandChandon]

I think that’s a lot. I had booked Mamma Mia the party, obviously it’s been cancelled. Booking fee was £36 a ticket, they refunded all the money bar £2.50.

[puckingfixies]

The voucher valid for 18 months is worthless if the cottage company goes bust before you have an opportunity to use it. If you can get the money refunded via credit card I would do that.

Is the company an agency, ie has no assets but makes its money by charging commission to owners and/or booking fees to guests? It's going to be a very difficult year for such businesses.

[Parkrunner25]

If they cancelled then you're legallyentitled to a FULL refund in CASH. Don't back down on this one.

You can CHOOSE to accept a voucher or a rebooking, but they can't arbitrarily decide that these are your only options.

You had a contract with them. They are saying that they cannot fulfil it. You're entitled to a refund. The holiday industry wants to get the law on this changed, but it has NOT changed yet.

[Ernieshere]

Look at their terms & conditions regarding themselves cancelling it.

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

Thanks for all the advice - I get the impression they are a small local business, so will offer to pay the booking fee and hopefully negotiate the cancellation fee fairly.

Don't think anyone is making much profit at the moment though.

[Theyweretheworstoftimes]

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/how-citizens-advice-works/citizens-advice-consumer-work/the-consumer-rights-act-2015/

Here you are read this

[TheGirlWithAPrince]

If they could cancel and still retain money from it then everyone would put theire houses up for holiday rental and cancel but keep the fee