Trip Advisor tricked me out of £840!

[HeckyWithTheGoodBear]

Made a booking to go on holiday yesterday, then changed it to a few weeks time to fit in with uni dates.

Specifically did it with tripadvisor/ booking.com as there is no deposit or cancellation fees up to 2 weeks before you travel, and money is tight so it was good to know we could cancel if necessary.

Anyway, it was necessary to cancel (unexpected money had to be spent on essential household/ children's stuff) so I did. Did that last week; I checked and they had sent me an email saying all is fine and I would not be charged.

Got an email today saying that I had not showed up yesterday (the original booking date) so would be charged £840.

It seems I did not get an email to confirm that I changed the dates, but that is definitely what I did; I logged into booking.com went to my bookings and clicked change the dates.

I've lost and ordered a new card since the booking so I think that's why no money went out today. Thank goodness as its rent day today and we wouldn't have had it. What a nightmare!

What do I do? Where do I stand legally? AIBU not to pay it? I definitely can't afford to, and although I should have checked for a confirmation email which I usually always do, Sod's law, I know for a fact I changed the date of my original booking, not made a new one

Well done if you understood any of that, and please don't tell me too many times how stupid I am, my anxiety is going through the roof

[AndNowItsSeven]

Won't help now but for future always screen shot confirmations , order numbers everything in case of no email.

[buzzpop]

I have booked a trip before and despite it being a "we won't take a penny before you arrive" they have pre-authorised the entire amount on my card.

This happened to me today, said no money would be taken from card prior to arrival, and free cancellation... They took the full amount of £600 on the day my rent is due, I tried to sort it with bank today and obviously cancelled the booking immediately but the money is still not there in my account.
Pain in the arse, won't be booking with them again, hoping it gets sorted asap so can pay my rent :(

[UpsiLondoes]

I've booked with them a few times (and sometimes cancelled) and you do always get a new email for every new booking. So you didn't make 2 bookings as you didn't get an email.

Never been charged in advance, either.

[kali110]

Could it be something to
Do with the magic themes resort as it says in your screen shot that they set their own cancellation policy and to contact them etc?