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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:
M4J4 · 08/12/2018 20:21

I don't understand... are the friends say they can't pay you in December or can't pay you at all?

DrinkFeckArseGirls · 08/12/2018 20:25

Tell them in that case you need to sell the tickets to make up the difference.

AlmostAJillSandwich · 08/12/2018 21:27

If they haven't budgeted to pay it now, they can't pull money from nowhere like a magician.
Yes they have nights out planned, they've pre planned these, night already have taxis etc pre booked, and it might be the only time they get to see certain friends, expecting them to cancel isn't fair.

I'm sorry but you're the one who booked, it was on you to make sure you checked all the small print. Unless they've dropped a bollock and the website really did state with all the options you chose specifically that it was pay on arrival and not that you've misread or misunderstood that it only applies with certain rooms, then it was your mistake, which could have been avoided.
Someone has got to be out money and plans, unfortunately, it's you. In their minds better you than them, and better one person than 3.

AlmostAJillSandwich · 08/12/2018 21:29

Also, they have paid you for the concert tickets, so they aren't your property to sell on, however tempting it might be. You don't want to end up in trouble for trying to sell stolen property.

BewareOfDragons · 08/12/2018 22:15

If they haven't budgeted to pay it now, they can't pull money from nowhere like a magician.
Yes they have nights out planned, they've pre planned these, night already have taxis etc pre booked, and it might be the only time they get to see certain friends, expecting them to cancel isn't fair.

So has the OP, I'm guessing. And she's done them a massive favour by booking the hotel, and the mistake should be on all of them, not just the OP. They're supposed to be friends, not arseholes.

MilkyCuppa · 08/12/2018 22:32

They can’t produce the money and it isn’t fair to expect them to... but it’s fair to expect OP to produce the money to cover everyone? Sorry but no.

If they don’t have the money they need to get it from somewhere. Borrow from a parent or friend, get an overdraft, put it on a credit card, sell something on EBay, etc. It’s not that hard to find £64. Or if they have to cancel a night out then so be it. But you don’t drop your friend in the shit.

ReflectentMonatomism · 08/12/2018 22:39

The OP booked on Booking.com where the terms stated it was pay later/pay on arrival.

I would guess I have booked roughly 100 nights on booking.com over the past umpty years.

I have never seen a case where a hotel is both (a) non-cancellable, non-refundable, as the OP said it was and (b) pay on arrival, as the OP thinks it was. It's pretty much one or the other.

Pemba · 09/12/2018 03:56

Wow AlmostaJillSandwich your logic is seriously dodgy. (And your morals!) How is it 'not fair' on the friends to have to stump up £62 each but apparently perfectly fine for the OP to have to stump up hundreds on their behalf? She booked on their behalf and at their request. Why should she be only one to suffer from this?

Can only assume you are one of the dodgy friends. But whatever, please don't try to insist this is a decent and reasonable way to treat others, it really isn't.

Boysnme · 09/12/2018 09:04

samppo I just did a dummy booking and unfortunately when you click into the detail it does say you can be charged at any time so whilst you should still call and argue the inconsistency in their wording, I don’t think they will do much about it.

I do still think your friends are being really shitty about it and it would make me question my friendship with them.

Alfie190 · 09/12/2018 09:45

I have just seen the photo of booking page, it didn't show up yesterday.

Anyway OP, the "non-refundable" is very easy to see and should have told you that it would be paid for in advance. So I think I may have to change my stance, unless you agreed with friends to book on a non refundable basis , this was a very silly mistake on your part and I don't think your friends should have to stump up.

Buttercupsandaisies · 09/12/2018 09:57

I book with booking.com a lot and it does sound like your mistake. If it's the cheapest option that normally requires payment straight away or within 3 months. It's slightly more to pay 24 hours before or to be able to cancel. This is why I never book the cheapest price as it often has very strict terms that go alongside it

That said, your friends are out of order for not being able to find the money, esp if they're having night out

Biancadelriosback · 09/12/2018 10:33

I don't think it's fair to be annoyed at your friends. They didn't expect to have to pay now (same as you) and like PP says, these night outs may well have been arranged ages ago, a rare opportunity for them to go out/see certain people etc. I know all of this applies to you as well, which is why it's shit! But you need to speak to the hotel again and booking.com
Keep going on at them until they refund you. It does work. Often a big hotel like Marriott will refund you to keep you quiet!

diddl · 09/12/2018 14:24

Maybe if money is so tight they should be spending £100+ on a ticket & night away?

Perhaps Op shouldn't have booked anything or just something for herself?

No good deed...

Oblomov18 · 09/12/2018 14:46

You should have booked a place you wanted, with terms you knew about.
Not this. It is a bit of a con by the website.

But you do sound like a bit of a doormat.
Are these real friends?

ThatssomebadhatHarry · 09/12/2018 14:54

Send them a group message saying that them not having a few extra drinks on Nights out is a lot different that expecting you to cover the full 240. You didn’t choose or organise this just paid for it. If they are willing to see you struggle like this they are not friends.

billybagpuss · 09/12/2018 14:58

Have you contacted them again yet OP?

RibbonAurora · 09/12/2018 15:12

Sounds to me like you got such a good deal because it's a non-refundable pay-in-advance deal, saying they can take the money any time up to arrival means they can do just that. I get it's put you in a difficult position but, in fairness to your friends, if you made the booking it was on you to read the t & c properly. You told them it was pay on arrival so they probably weren't expecting to have to budget for it until next June. Either contact the hotel and explain you misunderstood the t & c and ask for a refund or suck it up I'm afraid.

OnlyLittleMissOrganised · 09/12/2018 17:19

I would be rather petty and say if they don’t pay their share of the hotel, you will sell their concert tickets and find other people to go with but that’s just me.

Sarahrellyboo1987 · 09/12/2018 17:21

Take the issue up with the hotel chain. If your friends hadn’t expected to pay for it now then I can understand why they might not be able to pay. However - they should make some attempt no matter now small.

MarilynSlumroe · 09/12/2018 17:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mumofsonny · 09/12/2018 17:39

If they can't pay, cancel and get your money back. Simple.

PixiKitKat · 09/12/2018 17:40

After this I don't think I'd be booking anything with them again! They sound awful.
If this was my friend I'd certainly pay the money asap so as not to leave them in the shit.
I booked a hotel for me and my friends recently and everyone paid me the money when they said they would as they are decent people!

TigerTooth · 09/12/2018 17:42

Just tell them clearly that it's £62 each now or £248 just for you now, remind them that its Christmas for you too and you cant afford to be £186.00 out of pocket.
Tell them if they can't pay within 24hrs then you'll have to cancel as its your xmas money. They won't know you cant cancel and if they are happy to leave you with the whole bill then they are a poor choice of friends.

MarilynSlumroe · 09/12/2018 17:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

diddl · 09/12/2018 17:45

"If they can't pay, cancel and get your money back. Simple."

If only Op had thought of thatHmm

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