That being charged damage deposit 8 weeks in advance is ridiculous?

[leasedaudi]

I have booked a holiday villa on booking.com and was surprised to learn that I'd have to pay a refundable damage deposit two weeks prior to arrival. Fair enough, just never had that from this website.

However I am astonished to find that they've charged me the damage deposit eight weeks before arrival. So they've effectively removed hundreds of pounds of credit from my credit card for 8 weeks, plus the week of the holiday, and an extra week for the refund to be processed.

Has anyone had to fight this problem before? I will now need to find space in my budget to pay off this amount on the credit card to avoid interest. I'm really unhappy about this.

I would be fuming!!! Call them & get them to cancel it and re-charge in 6 weeks as expected! 🤬🤬🤬

It should be a hold not a charge. Same as hotels they hold the collateral against potential damage but you're not actuallly paying.

Outrageous. They are basically sitting on your money to receive whatever tiny amount of interest in will earn for them.

I would be FUMING and on the phone right now. Demand the money back - all of it - then cancel the booking.

Yes clarify whether it's a charge or if they've just ring-fenced the money as a PP said, like a deposit for car hire.

Unfortunately to complicate matters I found fraud on my card and so it's been cancelled and I can't see the transactions until my new card arrived. But it was charged as a separate payment to my booking fee. I'm so furious!

I'm also worried that when they eventually refund it they will refund it to my cancelled credit card argh

I'll be calling these idiots later but for now I've emailed them