I've paid for next week's group holiday but no one has paid their contribution!

[Waferbiscuit]

Weird situation. Going on UK holiday with a friend, her two friends and our 5 children. I agreed to pay for the whole thing on a spare credit card on the basis that they'd BACS me their contribution but I've not received a dime. I paid 5 weeks ago and we leave next Monday.

What's the standard protocol on this? I don't want to get into a situation where I have to chase them for money after the holiday, when they'd obviously be less inclined to pay or where I may get dribs and drabs over an extended period. Given the number of people coming it's obviously cost quite a bit.

They're a disgrace , who does that ?

Reinforcing the ‘do not threaten to cancel’ advice.

investigate your cancellation options ASAP

set a payment deadline for tomorrow

cancel (if you can) if you aren’t paid by deadline

If cancellation is not an option then come back to us for further advice. Good luck op.

Their silence might be because they are struggling to pay and are hoping to wriggle out of it by leaving you to pay or take responsibility for cancelling....but without being willing to shoulder their share of costs of cancelling.

At this stage, cancelling will incur costs. Given they haven't paid yet, chances are these costs will all fall on you. That's why you mustn't ask if they plan to come or offer a chance of cancellation - all you can do is point. Out that they committed and you paid, so they now need to pay the money......and that's regardless of whether they plan to come or not.

Do not open up any discussion about it all. There is simply the fact to be stated that you have paid and need their share of money for the non-refundable holiday.

“hi friend, got my credit card bill in the post last week and it’s due to be paid. Could you send me over the money for holiday? Thanks”

Any luck OP? What CFers they are.
Hope you get some cash.

Why have you got yourself in this position? What happens if they don’t pay?

Well, presumably she thought they'd pay. I've done this dozens of times with friends and they have always paid me within 24 hours.

Popping back on for a CF update!

I hope you get your money OP but that’s only part of the problem.

At the moment government guidelines do not allow for you to have this holiday. I assume you’re sharing accommodation, in which case only 2 households would be allowed to do this. Even without sharing accommodation you have too many people in your group to be able to meet up outdoors. The guidelines are 6 people from different households.

Please cancel this holiday and follow government guidelines. They’re there to protect us all from this awful virus. People thinking the rules don’t apply to them will only end up with it spreading like wildfire again. 😞

@ArticFreeze OP is not in the UK so her govt guidelines may be different

Sorry, just seen OP is holidaying in the UK. In which case I presume her accommodation is compliant with govt guidelines

They are really rude!
I would cancel without telling them and go away on my own to a spar.

CF's of the highest order! Be upfront, say payment is needed today.

Your 'friends' sound like jerks to me. I really hope you get your money back. I don't think it's a good idea to threaten to cancel unless you can get your money back.

I'm quite well organised so have often been the one to pay upfront. Some people reimburse instantly as I always do. I organised something for friends of a friend and despite them knowing it was £x each, they didn't make a move to pay. I mentioned it to my friend and he said they'd probably just presumed as I paying it all as they often take turns. Fine if I'm a regular part of that friendship group and those are the ground rules but I wasn't. He reminded them and they paid.

OP is not originally from the UK but everything seems to indicate she is living here/holidaying here.
Something like self-contained cottages, a hotel, or separate static caravans would easily fit the bill for a socially distanced holiday in, say, two groups with one single parent being in another's bubble anyway.

Some people.

It sounds like they’d be quite happy not to go if they haven’t paid by this point, or they’ve been quite happy to leave it to the last minute knowing they’re not out of pocket.

Find out your cancellation options as a back up, but I would be sending a very direct message as previous posters have already said with no mention of ‘if you’re still planning to come’ as that just gives them space to say ‘actually we’ve had second thoughts’. They were happy for you to book, if they wanted to pull out they should have had the courtesy to let you know in the 5 weeks before now.

Just say the money is (over)due, here are my bank details, please pay today. Good luck, it’s a hard lesson to learn OP.

I'm guessing at least one will say they can't pay for the trip now AND have spending money on the trip, so OP should of course float them until they can pay. Which will have to be chased.

Don't let this happen, OP.

Can you take someone else with you instead of them? I agree not to threaten cancellation until you confirm the booking terms and conditions.

I’d cancel it and go to a spa.

Definitely cancel if they don't pay up. Don't let them have a jolly at your expense. That'd be taking the piss.

Do you know what the cancellation policy is, is it free cancellation? Any news from them yet. Whereabouts were you all planning to go?

That is really rude if them. Yanbu to be annoyed!

Have you actually spoken to your friend to see what's happening? Surely that should be the first step.. maybe they think they can pay you when there but obviously this needs to be agreed by you.

Any answer yet OP?
I would message them today- you need an answer by 4pm if they are still planning on coming or not, but either way, unless you can cancel and get the money back, they need to pay you by Friday.