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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Hotel has taken £800+ from my account

183 replies

interrogate2018 · 10/12/2018 14:36

I've just returned from a European break we I had a 2 nite stay in a 4 star hotel. We paid cash at the end of my stay of €300 - only you discover that upon arrival at the last when I passed over my card for the €150 security deposit 2 debits of 400+ sterling was taken from my card.

My bank have given me the authorisation codes which I have given to the hotel and they are requesting more evidence! -

I'm so angry I could cry. The lady who checked me and my friend in also tried to overcharge us on Sunday by adding an extra 200 to our bill making it 500 only we challenged her - her response was that English was not her first language so sorry for mistake.

Even if the give me the money back it takes 10 working days - 😢

OP posts:
WinterfellWench · 10/12/2018 15:16

Oh @RoboticMary just do one!

Do you think poor single parents should live in cardboard boxes under bridges, with crumbs that have been thrown to the birds to live on, and bowls of gruel, asking 'please sir can I have some more?' Hmm

Your pathetic grinning smiley on previous page is proving you are goading people. I have reported you and I hope a few others do the same.

OP I am very sorry for your troubles, I would be gutted. I would be making an appointment with the bank manager. £800 is a LOT of money for many people, and you need to get this sorted. Maybe the bank can contact the hotel? How dreadful.

WinterfellWench · 10/12/2018 15:17

Cross post. Glad you have got somewhere OP. Shame you have to wait a week!

FinallyHere · 10/12/2018 15:17

I realise that its too late now, but do you have proof in the form of a receipt that you paid the cash. One advantage of paying by card is at least 5ere will be a record of the payment.

incallthebloodytime · 10/12/2018 15:18

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

WinterfellWench · 10/12/2018 15:19

The OP has not begged though.

EdisonLightBulb · 10/12/2018 15:22

Hi OP,

Can you clarify the following:

You paid cash - did you get the invoice/receipt from the reception after you had paid?

Did you hand over a debit or credit card for the security deposit that has the pending payments against it?

incallthebloodytime · 10/12/2018 15:23

No they haven't begged... normally the sob stories lead to PMs from kind readers

It's sad really because previous trolls have led to genuine people being subjected to shitty comments and suspicions when distressed and looking for advice or venting rather than money

Tartyflette · 10/12/2018 15:23

I'd be on the phone to the hotel as soon as I could, and if that produced no joy I'd email the hotel's senior management with the details (copy to MD) and append my potential prepared trip advisor review to the email.

scaryteacher · 10/12/2018 15:25

If it's chip and PIN how did this happen, as on a debit card they would only be able to take what you had authorised? How did they see your PIN to achieve this, as any hotel I've ever stayed at in Europe, gives you the machine to inout your PIN and the staff look the other way.

Hedgehoginthefog · 10/12/2018 15:27

Ah - it sounds like they have blocked the money, not taken it. In practice this makes little difference to you, as you cannot access the money, but it means that you WILL get it back automatically after a certain number of days. This happened to me for an amount which took me over my overdraft limit meaning I could not use my account at all. It put me in a very difficult situation but there was nothing I could do (apparently, according to both bank and merchant) except wait to get the money back. Sorry not to be more positive.

MyEyesAreNotDeceivingMe · 10/12/2018 15:28

I had a situation where I paid for something online but at my end it looked like the transaction hadn’t gone through. I tried a few more times as well. Was horrified when they had all been debited from my bank account.

The bank did say that the transactions were pending but they required some code or other from the retailer for them to be authorised their end. They disappeared Within 48 hours in my case.

I hope similar for you. It’s a lot of money to be down by at this time of year.

MorningCuppa · 10/12/2018 15:29

I would be phoning the hotel and telling them your contacting the police because they have stolen your money, if you didn't authorise for them to take £800 then it's theft.

Travis1 · 10/12/2018 15:30

You might find it falls off without them taking it but that can still take about a week. Absolutely shit to happen though.

Biker47 · 10/12/2018 15:31

Never use a debit card for hotel/car hire deposits, always use a credit card.

WilburforceRaven · 10/12/2018 15:34

This is why I always use a pre-paid credit card to book these things. I load on the cost and deposit plus maybe another 25 quid then they can't tack on extras. I'd be utterly livid with them, OP, not 'meh, you'll get it back'.

tillytrotter1 · 10/12/2018 15:41

Something similar happened to me in the US, I settled up on a different card than the one I'd checked in with, it wasn't until I got a terse message from the check-in card that I'd not paid a bill that I realised they'd charged me twice. I contacted the hotel, they apologised and quickly refunded the money and the fees I'd incurred. The next time we stayed there we got a lovely upgrade too.
Good luck with sorting it out, hope you get your money back soon.

Original poster
interrogate2018 · 10/12/2018 15:44

Basically what happened was this.

we arrived at the hotel around 11am, I had been travelling on a flight around 7.30am but am a notoriously nervous flyer so had not slept the night before with worry. When we arrived my friend produced the booking reference and confirmed the room rate as Euro300. The receptionist asked for a debit card and said that this was for a security deposit for Eur150 which was something that all travellers paid at their hotel - I imagine it is for people who run off without payment.

Off we went about our business, sight seeing etc and on leaving yesterday the receptionist (same lady who had taken my debit card) asked us to pay Euro500. We quickly told her that we had agreed £300 and she went off to get the manager. We explained to him and she said sorry that English was not her first language.

we paid went off and its only today that I have realised what they have done. Im so annoyed with them as they are literally shrugging it off, ie prove it!. I can though as I have a printed receipt showing Euro300 paid in cash and I also have the authorisation codes the bank gave me. I have asked 3 times now both in email and verbally to the hotel to explain to me how this happened. It is a very exact amount, 401.10 to be exact x 2 taken out on Friday night. Basically when I handed my card over for the security deposit!

I don't have a credit car - I couldn't afford to pay the money back and its too tempting to have it accessible.

I really want to complain to some sort of ombudsman in the country - I was in and I have asked the hotel for their complaints procedure and ombudsmen address both of which they have ignored.

I am not begging nor would I - Im not starving, I have my parents to help me out if Im really stuck. Hate being accused of it though, Im not the one behaving dishonestly here.

I came on here for help and idiotic people saying hurtful things when Im worried and upset its helping.

Thanks to you of you who have been helpful.

Im wondering if it is fraud but how would the hotel think they could get away with it?

OP posts:
Original poster
interrogate2018 · 10/12/2018 15:45

I keyed in my pin - the lady keyed in the rest though!

OP posts:
DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 10/12/2018 15:47

OP - get a fax or email address from your bank and ask the hotel to send a fax/email on letterhead approving the removal of the pending transaction.

They can do that for you, then it won’t take 21 days to drop off.

Original poster
interrogate2018 · 10/12/2018 15:48

It was a debit card transaction. I only authorised once though and I thought it was for Euro150. I definitely only keyed my pin in once.

OP posts:
MorningCuppa · 10/12/2018 15:49

There is definitely something strange with this, if they have done 2 separate transactions but you only put your pin in once, how have they done that?
Did you check the amount for the transaction you did key your pin in for?

youwouldthink · 10/12/2018 15:51

It seems they have pre authorised security on your card as a deposit against damage and or room bed ons. Normally this is released by hotels after check out and back to your card to cancel out the pending charges.
Pending charges should not go through as they are only pre authorised. It sounds like she put them through twice. And by the figures if you put to Euro I'd say it was the room cost plus the deposit!
Address an email to the head of reservations. Also to the parent hotel . . Most hotels are in a hotel group. If that doesn't work take to Twitter and Google and Trip Advisor reviews and kick up a stink!

AdoraBell · 10/12/2018 15:52

Definitely take it up with the fraud department if your bank. And don’t worry about judgment comments on here, it’s no ones business why you went on a trip.

AntMoon · 10/12/2018 15:53

If the amount is Pending then most likely it will not continue to be debited - I had this at lots of hotels in the USA.

Call/email the hotel and they should confirm that the amount WONT be debited.

It's a sort of deposit-thing.

But yeah, if it's pending then it's usually released back to you.

The bank won't be able to do anything, only the hotel can release it. It'll automatically be released within a week or so.

Teabag37 · 10/12/2018 15:59

If it was Italy i could help !! I could translate an E.mail or even ruddy call them !