Lads holiday

[Flatstanley69]

Advice needed regarding a lads holiday my son has booked. So, 12 lads agreed they were going in 4 rooms. My son got allocated a room with 2 he hardly knew and went ahead and booked with him as the lead passenger using his card. All 3 put to for the deposit.

One lad has pulled out leaving my son and the other lad to shoulder his share. To cancel the booking it would be would be £200. Whatever happens it’s my sons card that gets charged.

The other 9 lads going all said they would chip in but have now gone back on that and the next payment for the holiday is due out Wednesday.

Any advice would be appreciated

When Flakey is in the Army with army pay and hardly any living costs or essential expenses to meet, he'll be able to pay the £200 in no time. Is that the total cost of the holiday, or just the deposit?

Your son needs to deal with this himself. Not have his mum step in.
But if I was your son I would tell him that I will take him to the small claims court for the money. This would not look good in the forces I suspect, so your son could tell him that.
And agree with earlier post that this is a good time for your son to learn hard financial lessons.

Only way is they pay the extra £100 each (split flakes £200) plus there £200 or cancel it and pay the cancellation fee and lose the £70 each.
You can’t force him to pay (and he should! I’m not defending him) but it’s a lose/lose.
It’s unfair all round as the others shouldn’t have to pay extra each also. I’d be abit annoyed at having to pay extra if someone not even in my room dropped out.
You said your ds was put in a room with people he wasn’t close too? Is he close to any of them?

Can they not persuade someone else to go in his place? Seem like a pretty shitty group of friends if the other 9 said they would chip in to cover it then all of them pulled out. Its experience for your son, to not book group holidays on his card, I guess. Only pay for the group if everyone has the money upfront, otherwise just pay for yourself.

Confirmation has come through from on the beach to say that there is no possibility of a refund and it is best to leave flakeys name on the booking as taking it off will cost more. This has been forwarded to flakey who does not seem to comprehend that he still has to pay despite telling my son ‘months before the holiday’ that he’s not going.
So my son is going to go down the small claims route I think. Thank you all for your advice

Get him to check out the Money Saving Expert forums on consumer rights.
forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=173

I had this happen to me when I was younger, went to small claims court and lost.

The magistrate told me he believed me but couldn't legally award anything as the 'contract' (verbal) between me and the people involved wasn't binding.

I don't regret it though, it showed them how pissed off I was and how serious I took their shitty behaviour.

Op - do it, especially if you have an email trail. mine was before email so nothing was written down