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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to panic that I’ve just lost us £700 plus on a holiday booking

108 replies

Sleepsoon7 · 06/03/2020 00:13

I am a complete idiot. I always book flights and hotel rooms separately. I am used to price being per room as normally book direct with hotels or through third party websites that charge per room. Saw what I thought was a bargain on a major holiday company website and booked a number of nights in a hotel we’ve been to before for DH, DD and me as a treat. I realised afterwards as soon as I looked on my account on the website that the price was per person and not per room. I can’t afford £2000 plus pounds and if I cancel the website says they keep the deposit which was the £700 plus which I can’t afford to lose either. Office is shut when I tried to ring (not surprising) and MasterCard say they can’t do anything about it. I can’t believe I’ve been so stupid. DH is being very calm but has gone to bed as I’m pacing about panicking like crazy and he has to work tomorrow. I am not working tomorrow so will ring Office when they open but am so worried they won’t let me cancel without keeping the £700. Anyone any experience of similar situations and how did you deal with it / what happened. Am I totally screwed?! I am in Uk in case that makes any difference.
(No consent for any newspapers to use this in case any were interested)

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 06/03/2020 00:16

(No consent for any newspapers to use this in case any were interested)

This is totally meaningless. If you’re worried, you should get this pulled.

You probably need to wait until the morning and hope for the best. Is there another holiday on the same site you could “exchange” it for?

Notimeforaname · 06/03/2020 00:31

I feel for you OP.
I have no experience with this but you really can't do anything until morning.

I know its not somthing you can just forget for the night but don't work yourself up into a panic any more than you already have.
It'll do no good.

PurpleDaises has a good suggestion there about possibly changing it for a different holiday.
Call first thing in the morning and see what they can do for you.
Best of luck

jurgenkloppisoursaviour · 06/03/2020 00:33

Do distance selling rules apply to holidays?

EskiSummerleaze · 06/03/2020 00:34

I think the major holiday company we use has a 48 hour cooling off period
I'm sure it'll be fine, fingers crossed for you Thanks

TheTeenageYears · 06/03/2020 00:38

Email to say you would like to cancel. There should be some level of cooling off period under distance selling regulations. Not sure what they might be but if you quote cooling off period and distance selling regulations in an email they shouldn’t completely dismiss. You can still call once the office opens but at least you will have logged how quickly you realised the error and wanted to rectify.

Notimeforaname · 06/03/2020 00:40

Oh but I do know somebody who had made a booking for a cheap hotel... Then went on to book flights separately, only to find flights had gone up significantly (hundreds) from a day or two before so no longer wanted the hotel but was unable to cancel without losing the deposit.

Called company and lied, saying it was one of their children that had made the booking in the middle of the night and pleaded with them to cancel and return the money.

It did take him quite a while being transferred back and forward to more senior members of staff but eventually got a refund.

I wouldn't normally condone lying but in this instance it worked Blush

flyingspaghettimonster · 06/03/2020 00:40

I lost 150 on a deposit for an Air bnb that we decided we couldn't justify the holiday after all... there was nothing I could do, it was in the website terms and conditions. Hopefully you can persuade this company to move your money to a cheaper holiday... good luck.

Original poster
Sleepsoon7 · 06/03/2020 00:44

Thanks for replies - I just feel so stupid and we really can’t afford to lose the money. I will ring in the morning when the office opens. I really hope as it’s within 48 hours they might be sympathetic.......

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 06/03/2020 00:46

It depends on the site. Which one is it? I had no luck with booking.com when I accidentally selected a wrong date on a non refundable booking.

AutumnRose1 · 06/03/2020 00:46

“ I wouldn't normally condone lying but in this instance it worked ”

So you only condone effective lying? 😂

PurpleDaisies · 06/03/2020 00:46

Good luck though. Flowers

Notimeforaname · 06/03/2020 00:47

We all have those 'stupid' moments. It happens.
Don't be too hard on yourself.
Fingers crossed for you 🤞

Notimeforaname · 06/03/2020 00:53

AutumnRose1

I guess I do 🤣
It's gut wrenching to lose hard earned money though.
If it happened to me, I think I'd be prepared to lie through my teeth to get it back

BlackCatSleeping · 06/03/2020 01:29

How utterly gut wrenching. I really hope you can get your money back.

Original poster
Sleepsoon7 · 06/03/2020 02:01

Thank you for good wishes - can’t sleep worrying about it. Bloody website down so can’t even look at other options there if they won’t give money back but will allow a swap. MasterCard said on phone money will not actually be taken for 48 hours after payment but doesn’t mean they won’t take it. Looks like distance selling regs don’t apply to holidays from what I’ve been able to find on internet unless anyone can point me to something that helps...

OP posts:
heartsonacake · 06/03/2020 02:09

(No consent for any newspapers to use this in case any were interested)

You posted on a public forum; newspapers don’t need your consent to take your story.

As for the holiday, if they won’t let you cancel without losing the deposit I would suggest trying to exchange it for another holiday.

fedupandlookingforchange · 06/03/2020 02:13

If the website is uk based I believe the distance selling regulations apply and you have 7 days to cancel. ( online shopping rights.com )
I hope you get it sorted in the morning

BlackCatSleeping · 06/03/2020 02:27

Can you just cancel your credit card? Report it as stolen and get it blocked. I know it's shitty, but 700 pounds is just so much money to lose.

expat101 · 06/03/2020 02:41

Is the price excessively more than what you paid last visit? Is there any reason to justify the additional cost by the agent? Is it including something you didn't have before (ie food package thrown in on top of accommodation charges) that would account for it?

My tactic once you clarified that, is if there is no tangible extras to justify the added fee, I would explain that you have been to the property before, certainly would like to go again but are confused by the price difference, and that going by your earlier stay with them, that is how you read the listing.

In the very least there should be some reasonable explanation as to such a differing rate.

Good luck.

Pilot12 · 06/03/2020 02:46

Have you read the small print? These must legally be displayed somewhere on the website...... TUI have a 24 hour cooling off period in which you can cancel your booking. Have a look on the holiday company's website.......

Derbee · 06/03/2020 02:59

What website have you booked through?

SleepingStandingUp · 06/03/2020 03:16

Op what would happen if the payment bounced? As in if you canceled your card (report as lost)

Marnie76 · 06/03/2020 03:58

She can’t cancel the card as she’s already spoken to the credit card company who know it’s a valid transaction. Plus that would be fraud.

I would phone and beg OP.

FlowerArranger · 06/03/2020 04:02

Bloody website down so can’t even look at other options

This sounds odd. What website did you use?

BusterGonad · 06/03/2020 04:39

The websites down and no ones answering the phone. Sounds dodgy to me.