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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To lie about my location to the holiday accommodation?

409 replies

Rae34 · 21/09/2020 23:45

I am single and live alone so this period has been very difficult. I have also worked from home since March and have been very careful with who I see and where I go. Just took my temperature there & normal. About 99% sure I am virus free.

Anyway I had booked 3 days in a cottage by the seaside, about 2 hours drive. I am an artist and have been so looking forward to finishing my project and getting some breathing space before what lies before us in the next season.

The booking.com accommodation has just been in touch asking where I am coming from because I am in a restricted area they will not accommodate me any longer. Well sadly I am in such an area. AIBU to tell a white lie and say I'm coming from the next city over (which is not affected)?

I have been so, so careful and was so looking forward to a short break. Also doubt I'd get a refund and it wasn't cheap.

OP posts:
MyWitzEnd · 24/09/2020 06:46

Yes. Theres a global pandemic. Stuff your woe is me - i need a holiday

frumpety · 24/09/2020 07:27

Good news OP, enjoy your break Smile

frumpety · 24/09/2020 07:31

I do wonder if it was just a badly worded question ? Obviously they cannot accomodate people who are coming from areas where there are travel restrictions, so people are not allowed to leave the area, but asking if you are coming from a restricted area, well that includes the whole of the UK doesn't it ?

thenovice · 24/09/2020 07:55

Right is still right, even if nobody is doing it and wrong is still wrong, even if everybody is doing it.
Even if they didn't find out, YOU would know what you had done.

LAMPS1 · 24/09/2020 08:12

Holiday cottage owners have a right to expect guests not to lie about their details. They are obliged to take address details for track and trace and purposes.
Of course the majority of guests are wonderful but some guests do lie. They lie about smoking indoors when they shouldn't, they lie about bringing small pets in when they shouldn’t, they lie about havIng extra people to stay when they shouldn’t.
And now it seems they want to give false addresses when they shouldn’t.
This spoils it for guests who come afterwards.

The OP isn’t asking whether she is unreasonable to go or not. She is asking whether she unreasonable to lie or not.
Whether she can go or not is up to Scotland’s advice on travel restrictions, booking.com’s contract with her and the property owner’s wishes.
Is she being unreasonable to lie ?
Yes she is. Doubly unreasonable in this instance because of covid if she comes from a lockdown area.
It’s unfortunate that the rules apply to her the same as they do to everybody else but that’s the way it is.
If she has to lie to be able to go, then it’s very unreasonable for her to do so.

Motherof2Dragons · 24/09/2020 08:12

Very glad you’re able to go. Also glad that honestly paid off and they were able to make a sensible decision. Enjoy!

LittleMissMe99 · 24/09/2020 08:15

Read it all now. Absolute selfishness of some people

BrazenlyDefying · 24/09/2020 08:19

Read it all now. Absolute selfishness of some people

Says someone who quite clearly has not read all of the thread. Hmm

mby81 · 24/09/2020 08:53

I think anyone, travelling from a Restricted Area, that knows they shouldnt be travelling, and do it anyway, are horrible, selfish people! This virus is going nowhere because of people like you, and i'm not sorry saying that because i'm sick and sore living by the rules, in the hope that some day soon will be able to spend time with my family etc and then people like you come along and try to change the rules to suit you!

myrtleWilson · 24/09/2020 09:30

@mby81are you suggesting everyone in an affected area should go beyond the guidance and self isolate for the foreseeable future? The OP is within guidance rules.

frumpety · 24/09/2020 09:37

@mby81 but surely the whole of the UK is a restricted area in that there are restrictions, do you mean areas where there are restrictions on travelling, like certain areas in Wales ?

Hoppinggreen · 24/09/2020 09:45

Yes anyone travelling from a restricted area WHO KNOWS THEY SHOULDNT BE TRAVELLING May be horrible selfish people but OP isn’t
She IS allowed to travel and this is now all sorted.

I am in a restricted area and all being well we are going away for a week in half term, unless the rules change and can’t

mby81 · 24/09/2020 09:46

@frumpety @myrtleWilson i'm suggesting that anyone, who is living in a Restricted Area, that is restricted for reasons being that the area in itself has had alot of cases or for whatever reason, should do as they are asked to do, for the time they're asked to, til we try and get rid of this virus, i'm just finding people are so selfish with this virus, and i do believe that if the poster didnt actually think she was doing anything wrong, then she wouldnt of posted in the first place looking validation

mylifestory · 24/09/2020 09:51

I totally sympathise but u shdnt go. U cant say u don't have the virus. I have a friend working in the nhs who just tested positive for antibodies and was unaware they ever had it! I'd explain to booking.com and hopefully get a credit for another time at least. I know its non refundable bt they shd be lenient in the circumstances. if u are so careful I wdnt be going away anywhere anyway ....

PurpleDaisies · 24/09/2020 09:51

The op wasn’t ever doing anything wrong (except considering lying).

The website was in the wrong wanting to cancel all bookings from restricted areas when only those in Wales mean you’re not allowed to leave the area.

Pobblebonk · 24/09/2020 09:53

@MyWitzEnd

Yes. Theres a global pandemic. Stuff your woe is me - i need a holiday
So how come the guidance doesn't prohibit this and the holiday company is fine with OP going?
Pobblebonk · 24/09/2020 09:54

@mby81

I think anyone, travelling from a Restricted Area, that knows they shouldnt be travelling, and do it anyway, are horrible, selfish people! This virus is going nowhere because of people like you, and i'm not sorry saying that because i'm sick and sore living by the rules, in the hope that some day soon will be able to spend time with my family etc and then people like you come along and try to change the rules to suit you!
But she isn't trying to change the rules. The rules permit her to go.
HenleyMay · 24/09/2020 11:07

I'm sure you are capable of taking the precautions needed to protect yourself and others. You don't sound like the sort person who would feel comfortable about putting others at risk. Go for the sake of your mental well being and take extra care.

bemusedmoose · 24/09/2020 11:17

absolutely do not lie!!

Everyone is suffering during this time - i have severe depression, long before lockdown so what people feel know is how many feel every day of their lives and we are always told to suck it up and get on with it (i'm not suggesting that at all - it's useless advise but it is how many of us have to live every day). But there are times in life we just have to hang on til the end of the ride whether we like it or not. My neighbour is on his own and working from home since feb he has taken up new hobbies to occupy him.

Not having a fever doesnt mean anything. I had it badly i was at work all day then in the evening went from fine to 39.5 fever in less than 5 mins - i would have been contagious in that time without knowing it, my daughter was not well for a long time and my son poorly just a few days. It hits everyone differently. My friends had to be tested because their youngest was sent home from home with a horrible cough and because they are key workers they all got tested. Well child with cough and fever was clear but both adults were positive. Completely asymptomatic, no fever or cough but were contagious and out spreading it without knowing, they have zero idea when they got it. They are now all isolating.

Being from a bad area and trying to get round the rules is really crappy too - because why should other people try hard to stick to the rules when other bend to get round them?

We are all in this crockpot of crap together - if we all swim together we can get out of this a lot faster than if we all pull in different directions.

Anyone who is insane enough to book a holiday (and yes everyone needs one - just not during a pandemic!) risks loosing it.

frumpety · 24/09/2020 11:48

@mby81 she isn't changing any rules or breaking any laws, travel for holiday purposes is not restricted where OP lives or where she is travelling to.

mby81 · 24/09/2020 12:07

@frumpety i dont think i said that anyone was breaking the law? i said i was sick of people changing the rules to suit them, and i am

lyralalala · 24/09/2020 12:43

[quote mby81]**@frumpety* @myrtleWilson* i'm suggesting that anyone, who is living in a Restricted Area, that is restricted for reasons being that the area in itself has had alot of cases or for whatever reason, should do as they are asked to do, for the time they're asked to, til we try and get rid of this virus, i'm just finding people are so selfish with this virus, and i do believe that if the poster didnt actually think she was doing anything wrong, then she wouldnt of posted in the first place looking validation[/quote]
The OP wasn't doing anything wrong.

Booking.com were the ones in the wrong. Businesses can't take bookings from people then announce that people from certain areas can't go, despite no legal restrictions, AND state that they are not refunding them.

That's why the OP was considering lying. Had they said "sorry, we're cancelling" and refunded her then she could have booked something else. They were wanting to cancel and keep her money even though her travel would have been fully permitted in the rules.

Thankfully they obviously realised they were out of order and seen sense.

PinkkLady · 24/09/2020 16:32

[quote mby81]@frumpety i dont think i said that anyone was breaking the law? i said i was sick of people changing the rules to suit them, and i am[/quote]
But, she hasn’t changed any rules. @mby81

msgreen · 24/09/2020 19:18

Suck it up , we are all struggling.
No no no do the right thing , if everybody stuck to the rules we wouldn’t be so fucked

Sh05 · 24/09/2020 19:48

If you look at the bottom of the op there's a small section that says SEE ALL. please everyone who hasn't rtft atleast read the op's posts and you'll see it's all sorted!

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