To advise people

[AnneKipanki]

Do not pay a LARGE deposit to a hotel even if suits booking site that says FREE CANCELLATION.

I have just been offered a voucher, have a year to use it , if after that I have not used it , the hotel says I can get a refund then.

I booked the hotel in December 2019. The terms and conditions were free cancellations until 8/8 at 11 pm .
The hotel will not budge . The booking agency has been unsuccessful in getting a refund.

And that is why it's always a good idea to use a credit card, as the protection under Consumer Credit Regulations is better than the bog standard consumer protection rules.

Fortunately, I did use a credit card .

@AnneKipanki then get a refund via your credit card provider. They can only enforce voucher via cc refund rules if voucher was in your terms at time of booking, which it highly likely was not as booked pre-Covid.

It just adds to the disappointment of your holiday being cancelled, doesn't it? Cos you need extra hassle like a kick in the teeth.

Some good news ...I am getting a refund from the booking agency.