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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Hotel mistake, wibu to tell them I'll correct it after Christmas?

495 replies

Sanshin · 09/12/2017 09:40

Recently went to Vietnam on holiday. Stayed in a 3 star hotel for 3 days at a cost of £90. Lovely hotel, lovely staff.

Whilst there we booked a trip organised by the hotel at a cost of $100.

When we checked out they forgot to charge us for the trip and we never realised as we were rushing around so just settled the bill they presented to us.

A week later I receive a friend request on Facebook from a lady who worked at the hotel. I accepted and she sent a message saying that whilst we were at the hotel we booked a trip that they forgot to charge us for. She goes on to ask if we will now pay for it because if we don't, the staff have to pay for it themselves. It was very polite but almost pleading. I felt really guilty as I know $100 is a hell of a lot of money to these people so I replied straight away and said of course we will pay.

I spoke to DH on the night who wasn't happy because we will now how to pay a currency conversion fee but agreed we would pay. Then as we have been so busy since we got back we forgot.

So she sends another message asking if we can pay now and if we send her the card details we can pay like that. I meant to speak to DH about it again but he's working long hours at the minute and I keep meaning to mention it but when he's here I keep forgetting!

Anyway yesterday she sent another message. However now we can't really afford to pay it until after Christmas. We have £500 left to last us until after Christmas and that $100 will leave us skint. If they'd charged us at the time it wouldn't have been a problem!

As it was there mistake wibu to tell them I'll pay after Christmas?

OP posts:
notapizzaeater · 09/12/2017 16:24

I Way would I give her my card details -it could cost you a lot more tha. The $100

I’d wait for the bank details and pay it straight in there

perfectstorm · 09/12/2017 16:30

The OP knows she owes the money, she says she feels guilty for not paying, she states that quite clearly in her original post, so I'm not sure what she is checking or why it would be a scam.

She had no idea they didn't pay until a woman messaged and told her so. Then she felt guilty. She makes no mention of checking, to see if the claim is in fact accurate. She just agreed to pay up on the woman's word - they literally had not looked at the bill when paying so had no idea. That is what she actually, you know - says. What you took that to mean is neither here nor there.

They paid the bill at the desk without checking it so had no clue it was incorrect. A week later, she was messaged and told it was an underpayment as they paid for the room, but not the trip. There is literally nothing there to say whether or not she had checked to see it was accurate, and she is very clear that she did not know until told, contrary to your statement.

So telling her that, if she hasn't checked to ensure that the claim is correct, doing so might be a good idea... seems logical to me. I don't know, perhaps you just assume someone messaging you on Facebook and claiming you underpaid by £100 so give them all your card details is definitely correct? I wouldn't. I am simply pointing out that the OP may want to check that angle, too, if she has no already, as there is nothing in the OP to say that she has.

I really don't know why you are struggling here. It's not complex.

GoulishGoblinPumpkinSnatcher · 09/12/2017 16:35

Yes puzzle exactly that. If she feels the need to pay it then do so through the correct channels, like I previously said, not through some FB exchange. It's so unprofessional to even contact OP on Facebook, and I'm sure if management knew there would be privacy breech there. You aren't looking to get anyone sacked but they shouldn't be contacting you through FB!

Roussette · 09/12/2017 16:53

perfectstorm If you know your hotel is £30 a night for 3 nights = £90 and you know your trip cost £100, if you look at your credit card account, and see a £90 payment, it's obvious you haven't paid for the £100 trip! Everyone does their banking online nowadays, it takes 30 seconds to check what you've paid if you really didn't know.

I've been to Asia many times, when I get home I carefully go through my credit card statement. I also don't accept people I don't know on FB

I'm not struggling but thanks for your concern. OP has not said anywhere that she doesn't owe this money so I am unsure what you mean by 'checking that angle'. Plus I've said in my copious posts (yep am totally over invested) again and again, that I would not be paying some random person on FB but I would be contacting the hotel for safe payment. No struggle here. Perfectly clear to me.

perfectstorm · 09/12/2017 17:11

Most people don't check statements carefully, actually - weird, but true. 40% of people don't bank online, either. And if you need to shift your claim that something is absolutely definitely in the OP if I would only read it, to saying well the OP will absolutely definitely be doing something that isn't in the OP but you know she will do because absolutely everyone does and therefore you are still right... then surely that's an admission that it was not in the OP.

Incidentally, if we're playing the, "well it's not in the OP, but..." game... you say everyone banks online, and everyone regularly checks their outgoings. So... how come the OP didn't know the issue existed, until the supposed hotel worker contacted her to tell her so?

But hey, your mind's not going to change, and that's fine. It's not like any of this actually matters, is it.

limitedperiodonly · 09/12/2017 17:13

I'm dying to know what's involved in a trip that costs $100 when a 3-star room only costs £30 a night. It sounds either really good or a total rip-off.

I think OP should ignore the woman. If she wants she could contact the hotel and ask them to check their records and offer to reimburse them if she has underpaid. She should pay them after Christmas if rectifying their mistake will leave her short of funds.

Whinesalot · 09/12/2017 17:16

I wouldn't send your credit card details. Send a direct payment of some kind direct to the hotel.

perfectstorm · 09/12/2017 17:19

And no offence, OP, as being money savvy isn't a moral quality, and you clearly both earn enough to go travelling to far-flung places... but someone who doesn't even look at a hotel bill before settling it, and is this short just before Xmas doesn't sound the most financially, um, precise of people.

Again, she may have checked. I hope she did, obviously. But they didn't at the hotel when the bill was literally in front of them, just settled a payment that could have been for any sum. So why the hostility to the suggestion? It's not like it could do any harm. Confused

Roussette · 09/12/2017 17:44

perfectstorm you're splitting hairs here. I am saying that WHEN she was contacted by the hotel worker, that is when she would check her CC statement online to double check she hadn't paid for the tour. Not sure where you get your figures about no one checking anything though. Also my post doesn't say everyone checks their online outgoings, I just said that I did after a trip to Asia.

40% quite possibly, but I imagine that's a certain age group but hey what do I know Smile

But let's agree to differ Smile. As you say, none of this matters and a glass of Wine and pap on telly is calling!

GoulishGoblinPumpkinSnatcher · 09/12/2017 18:48

I don't understand the comments with people saying clearly you can afford to go to far flung places and other comments like you can afford to go to Vietnam etc.
Jealous much? Why use this as a weapon to OP?
She will go where she likes, n if she can afford such nice holidays then so what?! Some real bitchy comments on here.

dontbesillyhenry · 09/12/2017 18:49

Of course she's entitled to go where she wants but pleading poverty now seems a bit much

RavingRoo · 09/12/2017 19:04

Contact the hotel via the company you booked with and explain the situation to them. Get their advice

Puzzledandpissedoff · 09/12/2017 19:10

I don't understand the comments with people saying clearly you can afford to go to far flung places and other comments like you can afford to go to Vietnam etc

Nor me Confused There are some very expensive hotels in the far east, but unless these are a "must" you can actually stay and eat perfectly well for almost nothing at all (and I'm not talking about student dives here either)

Granted the flights are expensive, but once everything's balanced out it needn't cost any more than some boring Spanish resort

AccidentallyRunToWindsor · 09/12/2017 19:21

I second that Puzzled- we are far from wealthy but the Far East is super affordable once you get there- that's why I go!

Which brings me back to the point that the OP knows how far $100 will go out there so she needs to pay up- in a safe way of course.

limitedperiodonly · 09/12/2017 19:37

some boring Spanish resort

Spain is not necessarily boring and neither is SE Asia thrilling. Just wanted to add that to the mix Wink

Iwantamarshmallow · 09/12/2017 19:47

I think this sounds like a scam. I dont think a hotel would conduct business though a random staff member on Facebook. Is there no way you could contact the hotel directly and send the £100 via bank transfer ? I would not give them card your details as they could take more than £100. Is it worth checking trip advisor to see if this has happened to guests of that hotel before ?
I'm actually inclined to agree with you. I don't think ybu at all. If they have made a genuine mistake (which I'm not convinced they have) Its not a mistake u made and it's easy enough to spend money u didn't realise u had. I think asking to pay after Xmas is reasonable request.

candlefloozy · 09/12/2017 19:56

Defo scam!!

Ifartrainbowsandglitter · 09/12/2017 19:57

YABVVVVVVVU

MiddleClassProblem · 09/12/2017 19:59

The money thing for me is just about them deciding they can afford it at the time but then now they realise they can’t. I don’t think the extra charge is the main issue. Maybe I’m reading into it.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 09/12/2017 20:07

I agree about the moral outrage on here, it's become very frothy lately.

OP... but what difference does it make whether the hotel sends you the invoice now or not? You've said you can't afford to pay for it.

Did you really not notice what is a relatively significant chunk of money given how small the bill is? Particularly as you must be watching your cash flow carefully if you can't afford the £70 odd just now. How does that work?

SparklyMagpie · 09/12/2017 20:28

Have you heard back OP?

I'm abit on the fence with this. If the hotel provide the invoice then id pay, but I would not be handing my card details to someone who messaged me on Facebook

TefalTester123 · 09/12/2017 21:03

At most you check with hotel, if they say money owed then transfer via a method where you get there details, don't give them yours. If there's a fee (eg 20 pounds is not uncommon) then split it with them, as they made a mistake too.
Do not pay a random person who got in touch.
You could wait until the actual hotel get in touch.

limitedperiodonly · 09/12/2017 21:57

It is typical Mumsnet: 'You must pay, you thief' with a side order of handwringing about honest folk in the third world.

AccidentallyRunToWindsor · 09/12/2017 22:23

Vietnam isn't a 3rd world country...

limitedperiodonly · 09/12/2017 22:26

I'm so sorry Accidentally. Where does it rank?