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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect my friends to pay?

252 replies

samppo · 08/12/2018 15:39

Me and 3 friends are going away for one night next year June.
The hotel room is 2 double beds and is costing £248.
As usual I reserved it on my bank card (using booking.com) 3 months ago.
Today checked my bank and yesterday they've charge my account the full £248.
I've text my friends telling them what's happened and can they all pay there share.
They've all said no this close to Christmas,they have nights out planned and this close to Christmas can't do it.
So basically I've lost £248 ..I can't afford to cover £248.
Aibu here?

OP posts:
SometimesMaybe · 08/12/2018 16:49

You have a couple of options -

  • speak to booking.com and try and get a compromise.
  • get an authorised overdraft and tell your friends that you are going to split the cost of the interest / charge between all of you as its a crap situation all round but you can’t pay bills this month if you don’t get the money back. It’s then up to them to pay back at their leisure.
DarlingNikita · 08/12/2018 16:49

When I booked it said "no prepayment needed,pay on arrival "
When you click on the terms and conditions it then says "full payment can be taken anytime prior to arrival"

Get on to the manager and point out this discrepancy.

But more to the point, your friends are arseholes. It's close to Christmas for you too; do they not think/care that YOU might have nights out or other things planned as well? Confused

I'd read them the fucking riot act.

Boysnme · 08/12/2018 16:52

OP contact bookings.com and query with them.

Regardless of how this mistake has come about if bookings.com won’t refund or sort it out then your friends are pretty poor friends to leave you to deal with it

FrankieChips · 08/12/2018 16:53

There’s no way I wouldn’t pay a friend in this case. YANBU.

MartyMcFly1984 · 08/12/2018 16:53

I assume friends don’t know about the cancellation policy, so quick text;
Hi, as no one has a spare £60+ this time of year, I’m going to have to cancel the hotel. we will probably have to pay out a bit extra for a late deal in the new year, but Being £200 down means my rent/mortgage won’t be paid if I don’t cancel. Hope this is ok with everyone

See if they cough up then. If they don’t, I’d be selling the tickets 😂

diddl · 08/12/2018 16:55

Have they paid for their tickets?

Celebelly · 08/12/2018 17:01

I'm pretty sure the non-refundable ones are not pay at property (as otherwise there wouldn't be anything to refund in the first place). That banner about pay at property is just a generic website one and not specific to that room.

However it's strange they've taken it now and not at the time it was booked.

BlackandGold · 08/12/2018 17:05

For the 3 of you it will be about £83 pp so you are down £166.
Can you ask them to pay half of that now? £42 isn't that much money surely?

DropZoneOne · 08/12/2018 17:08

How did you book OP? Website, mobile or app?

I'm not familiar with the app, but on web and mobile, whilst a hotel may present in search results with "pay at hotel", you need to specifically choose that option when the room prices are shown. If you choose non-refundable the room is cheaper because funds are taken up front.

Could you ring the hotel and ask about switching to a flexible price instead? Chances are it will cost more, and they may not agree, but it's worth trying.

Otherwise ask your friends for instalments- £10 each a month so at least you are getting some of the money in.

JuniperBeer · 08/12/2018 17:12

The issue here isn’t the hotel, it’s your friends. Send a text to them all saying you’ve been charged and that whilst you appreciate it’s close to Christmas, it’s only £62 to each of them whilst it’s another £180 you are down and need that money. You don’t want have to ask again but desperate for the money they owe you. Use that phrase.

Mumshappy · 08/12/2018 17:14

Just say youll have to cancel if they dont pay up (even if you know you cant) You shouldnt have to bear the brunt of this for six months. I wouldnt expect any of friends to do this for me. I would find the money to give you. I hope they see sense

eddielizzard · 08/12/2018 17:14

I'd tell your friends that of course you also have plans which you're now in deep shit about. You were very generous to use your card since they refused, and if they don't pay their way now, you will never use your card for them ever again. Duh

fuck.

Original poster
samppo · 08/12/2018 17:14

I just used the website I think.
Or the App

OP posts:
AmIRightOrAMeringue · 08/12/2018 17:16

I think your friends are being harsh. They can't afford their share this close to Christmas but you have to suck it up!?

I'd tell then again you really can't afford all that money at once and will have to look into cancelling it and selling your concert ticket on if they don't give their shares. And then do so. They don't seem to care.

BumbleBeee69 · 08/12/2018 17:17

I would tell all of them that if you don't pay their share now, they won't be getting into that room ATALL. Flowers

Tjzmummabear · 08/12/2018 17:19

They don't in all honesty sound like friends.

I'd happily buy three Pink tickets off you btw and the room. You could even twist the knife and add because they couldn't afford it...aww...

Mummyoflittledragon · 08/12/2018 17:26

Well there you go, you can tell your friends you’ll have to sell the tickets and the room to Tjz.

MilkyCuppa · 08/12/2018 17:29

Speak to booking.com and see if you can get a refund. If not, tell your friends you’re cancelling the hotel unless they pay up. I know you can’t actually cancel, but they don’t know that. I’m willing to bet they’ll pay up sharpish if they think they’re going to lose the room.

Johnnyfinland · 08/12/2018 17:33

They’re being totally out of order. Fair enough if they said ‘we haven’t got it now but will transfer it the moment we get paid’, but it sounds like they don’t plan on doing that either. None of you knew you’d get charged early but you should all suck it up together if you’ve all agreed to go together. I would 100% sell the tickets if they outright refuse. I wouldn’t think twice about paying a friend in this situation!

KirstyJC · 08/12/2018 17:44

So they made you choose a more expensive hotel than you wanted to, then refused to use their bank cards to book it, now won't pay their share despite knowing you have been charged in full?

I think you need better friends!

Did you pay for the tickets too? Or have they paid their share of those? Are they being sent to your address? If so, I would tell your 'friends' that you can't afford to be down this money either so they can either pay up or you will sell the tickets.

Regnamechanger · 08/12/2018 17:46

Op - if you use Booking.com you are booking under their policy as stated when you book, not what is on the hotel website. If you chose to pay on arrival that is what you can do. I travel a lot and have had this happen to me a couple of times. I just rang the hotels, reminded them it was a booking.com booking and they needed to apply those t+c's... and they apologised and credited my card.

MaryDollNesbitt · 08/12/2018 17:48

So they all have money for Christmas nights out and £100+ tickets for Pink, but none of them can find their £62 share for this hotel room - the one they happily allowed their kind friend to book on all of their behalves? They will quite happily allow you, their supposed friend, to become £248 overdrawn in the run up to Christmas, rather than each take a £62 hit? I'm sorry, but that's a seriously cunty thing to do, regardless of circumstances. You are not a bank or credit lender.

Would I fuck allow any friend of mine to swallow MY £62 payment, especially just before Christmas, potentially putting her in debt. I'd cancel night out plans, increase my overdraft facility or scale back somehow to make sure she got that money. As if you tell your friend, "No - I can't afford to pay you that" when you have a night out planned that same day. The brass neck on them! Shock How bloody selfish can some folk be?!

Regnamechanger · 08/12/2018 17:49

"I'm pretty sure the non-refundable ones are not pay at property (as otherwise there wouldn't be anything to refund in the first place). That banner about pay at property is just a generic website one and not specific to that room."
I've got a booking.com booking in January. I have chosen the cheaper rate, which means I can't get a refund if I cancel. However I have not been charged and I will pay on arrival. If I don't arrive they don't care, they will charge the card I used to reserve the room.
Op - just contact booking.com or the hotel, rather than worrying and speculating, I'd be surprised if this doesn't get sorted out OK.
You're friends are shits though...

Alfie190 · 08/12/2018 17:49

I think your friends are being very unfair on you.

However, I also would not have booked a hotel seven months in advance with those conditions.

CandleWithHair · 08/12/2018 17:49

Not sure why you’re on here OP, you need to call the hotel and/or booking.com about the contradiction in policy and get this resolved. It’s not your friends fault!

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