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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Family Left stranded in France. Refund?

145 replies

sezzer87 · 02/09/2023 14:37

So last week booked a stop over on our way to Spain in France via booking.
The property owner sent the standard please confirm check in time. We confirmed and received message saying key code would be sent before the day of our check in.
We arrived at 1am (approved by property owner) and the key code hadn't been sent.
In hindsight I should have checked they'd sent the code before we set off, but as I'd be reassured several times it would be sent and I had her number, it felt safe to assume I would logon and just get the code and enter. Not to mention we'd be on the road for several hours, very little signal.

Upon arrival it was very hot about 38c, dark and scary and code hadn't been sent. Our daughter was very distressed and was literally throwing up. She has learning difficulties so doesn't respond well to challenging situations.

I tried to call owner..number not recognised. Messaged her on email and via the booking .com app. Pleaded for the code.
45 minutes passed and no response.
My daughter was crying loudly at this point so we had to move on in search of a hotel.
We finally got space in one so worry over at that point.

The property owner finally responded with a code at 3am. Then 45 minutes later resent it as the first one she'd sent was incorrect.

She is now refusing a refund and booking.com say she sent the code so no refund due.
We've also confirmed it wasn't a scam.

AIBU to expect the code on the day of check in and not to have to beg for it in the early hours?
Of course I made a big mistake not pulling over and checking earlier on it had been sent but I felt reassured by the good communication prior to this. That I just assumed it would have been sent to us before she went to bed at the very latest.

OP posts:
Original poster
sezzer87 · 02/09/2023 14:40

Also to add to this one of the major reasons for us not hanging around for over an hour in hopes the owner would send us the code was that when we arrived we had several men surround our vehicle on motorbikes revving their gears which was quite worrying.

OP posts:
MadCatandBirdLady · 02/09/2023 14:40

In my experience the code they gave us was wrong and we had to call someone late at night to get help. It’s a pain. I think they should refund you if you couldn’t get in

TheLongGloriesOfTheWinterMoon · 02/09/2023 14:45

Doubtful. You got into the property, just later than you had hoped because of the confusion over the key code.

You'd have a hard time proving it wasn't sent, though you do have proof that for an hour or so you had the wrong one.

What refund would you expect? Pro rata? You didn't get in but only for a couple of hours. Inconvenient, sure, but refund worthy? Really?

A lesson learned- make sure everything is confirmed before you leave. You were expecting the code the day before. You should have checked the day before not on arrival.

Riverlee · 02/09/2023 14:46

I think you deserve a refund, it wasn’t sent to you as agreed, and you couldn’t access the property.

AuntieEsther · 02/09/2023 14:48

You should have a refund for the first night. 3.30 am is too late for you to have been able to use the first night stay. Otherwise no refund.

AppleKatie · 02/09/2023 14:48

The code was not sent til 3am!? For a one night stay?

Yes you absolutely deserve a refund.

IhaveanewTVnow · 02/09/2023 14:51

Of course you deserve a refund. The code was not sent (entirely their responsibility as property owners to do this), when it was sent it was wrong. You ended up staying in a hotel so I assume never used the property. It’s not your responsibility to check the sending of the code. Bloody cheek I think of them. I would email the owner and say that you will be putting a review on trip adviser unless they refund you.

BiscuitsandPuffin · 02/09/2023 14:53

The thing is, as inconvenient as it was, YABU to expect them to be awake and on call 24 hours a day. It's a wonder they got back to you at all that night, I would have taken my medication and been asleep until 7am and if you weren't checking in before midnight, 99% of establishments would assume you were a no-show and they don't usually bother chasing up no-shows.

Really when you noticed you didn't have the keycode before getting on the ferry or when you got off the ferry you should have contacted them. It was probably an oversight on their part and you should have alerted them since it did occur to you beforehand and you still decided not to contact them until 1am when most normal humans would be asleep.

Additionally, did the phone number perhaps not work because you didn't use the international dialling code correctly?

Original poster
sezzer87 · 02/09/2023 15:42

TheLongGloriesOfTheWinterMoon · 02/09/2023 14:45

Doubtful. You got into the property, just later than you had hoped because of the confusion over the key code.

You'd have a hard time proving it wasn't sent, though you do have proof that for an hour or so you had the wrong one.

What refund would you expect? Pro rata? You didn't get in but only for a couple of hours. Inconvenient, sure, but refund worthy? Really?

A lesson learned- make sure everything is confirmed before you leave. You were expecting the code the day before. You should have checked the day before not on arrival.

We had to make other reservations elsewhere. I think a full refund as she failed to send us the code when she said she would and we had to plead for it.

OP posts:
Original poster
sezzer87 · 02/09/2023 15:44

BiscuitsandPuffin · 02/09/2023 14:53

The thing is, as inconvenient as it was, YABU to expect them to be awake and on call 24 hours a day. It's a wonder they got back to you at all that night, I would have taken my medication and been asleep until 7am and if you weren't checking in before midnight, 99% of establishments would assume you were a no-show and they don't usually bother chasing up no-shows.

Really when you noticed you didn't have the keycode before getting on the ferry or when you got off the ferry you should have contacted them. It was probably an oversight on their part and you should have alerted them since it did occur to you beforehand and you still decided not to contact them until 1am when most normal humans would be asleep.

Additionally, did the phone number perhaps not work because you didn't use the international dialling code correctly?

We confirmed and had 12-1am check in approved and she said we would receive key code before check in.
Would you go to bed knowing you hadn't sent it?

OP posts:
Original poster
sezzer87 · 02/09/2023 15:44

BiscuitsandPuffin · 02/09/2023 14:53

The thing is, as inconvenient as it was, YABU to expect them to be awake and on call 24 hours a day. It's a wonder they got back to you at all that night, I would have taken my medication and been asleep until 7am and if you weren't checking in before midnight, 99% of establishments would assume you were a no-show and they don't usually bother chasing up no-shows.

Really when you noticed you didn't have the keycode before getting on the ferry or when you got off the ferry you should have contacted them. It was probably an oversight on their part and you should have alerted them since it did occur to you beforehand and you still decided not to contact them until 1am when most normal humans would be asleep.

Additionally, did the phone number perhaps not work because you didn't use the international dialling code correctly?

The number didn't work because it was an incorrect number. We used the right international dialling code.

OP posts:
SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress · 02/09/2023 15:48

Blimey. It's not just a bit of inconvenience is it? If it was just an overnight stop, you didn't have access for the precious few hrs you needed it!
I'd want a refund and I would choose this as a hill to die on!

Whataretheodds · 02/09/2023 15:49

AuntieEsther · 02/09/2023 14:48

You should have a refund for the first night. 3.30 am is too late for you to have been able to use the first night stay. Otherwise no refund.

But noone else could book the property that night. If you want to check in before the check in time you pay for the previous night - that's standard.

Whataretheodds · 02/09/2023 15:51

sezzer87 · 02/09/2023 15:44

We confirmed and had 12-1am check in approved and she said we would receive key code before check in.
Would you go to bed knowing you hadn't sent it?

Show quote history

Your best 'in' here is the fact that the first code you received didn't work. If she'd genuinely already messaged you it would have been an easy forward/copy + paste of the correct code

AuntieEsther · 02/09/2023 15:52

Whataretheodds · 02/09/2023 15:49

But noone else could book the property that night. If you want to check in before the check in time you pay for the previous night - that's standard.

Show quote history

Eh?
they paid for that night. The host didn't allow them access until 3.30am. That's too late for them to be able to use the night that they paid for. So they should have a refund. Nobody was trying to check in early, they were trying to check in at the correct time but the host failed to facilitate check in until 3.30am.

zurala · 02/09/2023 15:52

Absolutely I'd want a full refund, a fulsome apology, refund of any money you had to spend additionally on the hotel, and if I didn't get all of that then she would be getting honest reviews everywhere I could put them.

She should have sent you the code the day you were due to arrive, and got confirmation from you that you had it. It's absolutely her responsibility and not yours.

Fightyouforthatpie · 02/09/2023 15:52

revving their gears which was quite worrying.
From an engineering perspective presumably.

doroda · 02/09/2023 15:52

Of course you should get a refund. If you'd hung around waiting for the code you would've finally got the correct one at 03:45, is that right? Obviously not acceptable for a one night stay! I would keep pursuing this.

Original poster
sezzer87 · 02/09/2023 15:56

doroda · 02/09/2023 15:52

Of course you should get a refund. If you'd hung around waiting for the code you would've finally got the correct one at 03:45, is that right? Obviously not acceptable for a one night stay! I would keep pursuing this.

That's correct and I have the messages to prove this.

OP posts:
andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 02/09/2023 15:56

Of course you should be entitled to a refund.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 02/09/2023 15:57

Of course you should get a refund, OP. I can't believe that anyone is trying to argue that you shouldn't get one. You paid for the night's accommodation and you confirmed your likely arrival time. She promised to send the code but failed to do this until 3.45am the next morning! In the meantime, you were forced to find and pay for alternative accommodation. Obviously you should get your money back.

The people who are saying that you shouldn't, what do they think you should have done. Sat in your car all night waiting just in case she sent the code through? Bonkers!!

Original poster
sezzer87 · 02/09/2023 15:58

@Whataretheodds

Our booking was from 23rd-24th august. We were finally sent the key code at about 3:40am.
Check in was from 2pm until 10am.

OP posts:
WhatFlavourIsIt · 02/09/2023 15:58

You absolutely should get a refund, but if it's not already been offered, I would be thinking trying to get one is going to be drawn out and stressful. I would take the loss and put it in the fuck it bucket. I hope the rest of your holiday went as planned.

Whataretheodds · 02/09/2023 16:01

AuntieEsther · 02/09/2023 15:52

Eh?
they paid for that night. The host didn't allow them access until 3.30am. That's too late for them to be able to use the night that they paid for. So they should have a refund. Nobody was trying to check in early, they were trying to check in at the correct time but the host failed to facilitate check in until 3.30am.

Show quote history

We agree that they should be refunded.

You said 3.30 was too late to use the property. It was only 2h30 later than they'd expected to check in.

If you want to arrive at a hotel at 3.30am (or 1am) you don't get that night for free)

Original poster
sezzer87 · 02/09/2023 16:01

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 02/09/2023 15:57

Of course you should get a refund, OP. I can't believe that anyone is trying to argue that you shouldn't get one. You paid for the night's accommodation and you confirmed your likely arrival time. She promised to send the code but failed to do this until 3.45am the next morning! In the meantime, you were forced to find and pay for alternative accommodation. Obviously you should get your money back.

The people who are saying that you shouldn't, what do they think you should have done. Sat in your car all night waiting just in case she sent the code through? Bonkers!!

Exactly. If were just my husband and I we would have parked up somewhere and slept in our car. But after waiting for ages already, our car was covered in our daughters vomit, she was screaming, the area seemed dodgy and with the men on motorbikes we were quite frankly worried our car was going to be stolen.
The owner knew we had 3 children with us too.

OP posts: