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Original poster

Grey area of group holiday finances

364 replies

Lalalalala555 · 19/03/2024 09:35

Hey.
Looking to see what is considered 'fair' from external perspective.

Ive gota holiday cottage booked for three nights. Fr Sa Su.
Invited friends (two couples).
It sleeps 6.
So theres me and my partner, and then two other couples invited.

We posted in a group chat saying how much it would be each if they wanted to come.
We have done it so that its a set amount, as the cost of the cottage is fixed as booked already and non refundable.

We said it would be 110 each for them.
For my partner and i we decided we would pay a bit more (124).

After posting in the group, one of the other couples want to pay less as they dont want to stay the third night.
They want to pay 2/3 of the cost of 1/6 of the total (if that makes sense).

Its tricky for what is fair. As if they pay 80 instead each, then it means its 200+ each for my partner and I.

Its this wanting to pay for how much someone will be present at the property vs there is already a fixed cost.

Obviously it benefits them to pay less. And us if they pay more.

I don't feel its entirely fair that we would have to pay 3* the amount they pay, for choosing to stay an extra night.
They also will benefit from not having to check out at 10am on the Sunday, which would be the case should the cottage have been booked fri and sat only.

There was no clear consultation in making the booking, we did it after having had a few casual chats about the weekend but not with group consensus. As we are attending an event and the local accommodation had sold out. This one place came up months after so we just booked it.
Hence why we offered it for being cheaper for them.
We didnt know how long they would stay, but they had the option to decide what works best.

Thanks!

OP posts:
Sunnydays0101 · 19/03/2024 09:43

I’d say accept their offer. You booked the cottage without having any other couple confirmed. If this couple don’t stay with you at all, you’ll be paying more anyway.

Revelatio · 19/03/2024 09:46

If you had all discussed beforehand and agreed the dates and the cottage, then they should pay the full amount.

As you booked it yourselves with no agreement on the cottage or the dates, then you knew you were taking a risk, and therefore the risk is yours. I think you would need to pay the difference and not the other couple as you already told them how much it would be. The alternative is that the other couple don’t go at all and then you would have to foot the whole bill.

Lemonade84 · 19/03/2024 09:47

I think that if you book a holiday for the weekend, the price stands whether you stay for 1, 2 or 3 nights. It's up to them to leave early but they need to pay the total share.

crumblingschools · 19/03/2024 09:49

Are you all attending the event or just you? What would the other couples have done if you hadn’t booked the cottage?

Mrsttcno1 · 19/03/2024 09:49

Sunnydays0101 · 19/03/2024 09:43

I’d say accept their offer. You booked the cottage without having any other couple confirmed. If this couple don’t stay with you at all, you’ll be paying more anyway.

100% this.

IF it was all discussed beforehand and you all agreed on venue, booking, amount then they should still pay. But you’ve booked it and then invited others, so the fairest way is just to do it per person/couple per night they stay.

User478 · 19/03/2024 09:50

Reply:

Great, we'll leave on the Saturday afternoon too so no one's stuck doing all the cleaning alone on Sunday morning!

That's still 1/3 each couple!

3luckystars · 19/03/2024 09:51

I don’t think it’s worth falling out over a few pounds.

Any chance you would share the figures here?

MaggieFS · 19/03/2024 09:52

If you took the risk of booking it without agreement to the costs or number of nights, then I think you have to take their offer.

WhingeInTheWillows · 19/03/2024 09:53

Can you cancel the suunday so you all leave on saturday?

Changingplace · 19/03/2024 09:56

They also will benefit from not having to check out at 10am on the Sunday, which would be the case should the cottage have been booked fri and sat only

So they get to hang around on Sunday having a leisurely day before they head off, meaning whether or not they stay the Sunday night they’ve still made use of the fact you’ve paid for that night.

I’d say the price is fixed per couple unless you cancel the Sunday night and all leave 10am Sunday morning.

Although, really you should’ve got complete agreement with everyone before booking, what would you have done if they’d all said no after you’d booked?

lunchanddinner · 19/03/2024 09:57

close enough to want to spend precious holiday time together

but then this?

Thankfully so far removed from how my close friendships operate

Changingplace · 19/03/2024 09:58

WhingeInTheWillows · 19/03/2024 09:53

Can you cancel the suunday so you all leave on saturday?

Cancelling Sunday night would mean checking out 10am Sunday morning, they’d still stay Fri & Sat.

Caroparo52 · 19/03/2024 09:59

We go away every year as a group for 3 nights and pay equal amounts. If someone wants or needs to leave after 2 nights the cost remains same. But we all to agreed that beforehand.
This is a one off.
I would look at it that they are cheap skates that they are subsidising your 3 day break and smile.

whatkatydid2014 · 19/03/2024 10:03

So if I’m adding up right the cottage cost £688 for 3 nights. It would have been £229.33/couple but you’ve rounded down to £220/couple or £110 per person for them and you’ll pay £248 for your room. One couple only want to stay 2 nights and only want to pay £80/person. That leaves you and your partner paying £308 for your room. Or do both couples want to pay £80/person and you end up with them paying £160/couple and you £368 as a couple!? Whichever it is it’s cheaper than paying for the cottage alone.

If such accommodation is only bookable for 3 nights minimum then just you could say sorry it’s a split of the cottage for £220 for the weekend and if they’d prefer to leave it/book something else to let you know so you can offer 3rd room to someone else?

Riverlee · 19/03/2024 10:05

If you all originally had agreed a three night stay, they should pay all three nights.

LittleLittleRex · 19/03/2024 10:07

If they are expecting the hang about on Sunday at all, rather than leave at 10am, then they are taking the piss. Does the accommodation have a 3 night min stay?

I would say that this is what is on offer, that they agreed to in the initial msg and can they decide today, so you can offer the room to someone else and they can find their own accommodation for 2 nights. You are the one doing the legwork, let them see how booked up everything is, but don't spend hours of your time on saving them a few quid and costing yourself more.

ChateauMargaux · 19/03/2024 10:57

I think your numbers are not quite right... even if you assume that you pick up all of the additional costs from this one couple, it amounts to an additional £60 so would bring your and your partner's share to £154 each.

Is there a reason (room size / ensuite) that you choose not to split the cost equally?

Is there a reason why you would shoulder the entire additional cost and not share that with the third couple?

The offer was to share the cost of the cottage for the weekend... the cost is already fixed. They can choose to accept or decline, leaving you sharing the cost between 3 couples or between 2. What other solutions were available / suggested? How much would they have cost?

Maybe a non group message.. hey guys.. sorry you won't be able to stay Sunday night.. the cottage was a 3 night minimum stay and the next cheapest option was £100 per couple per night.. this was by far the cheapest option. This is awkward but I think the only fair way of splitting this is 3 ways.... otherwise we have to pay for your room for the third night. I hope you understand.

ChateauMargaux · 19/03/2024 10:58

It is going to make things awkward... hut I don't see that as your fault..

Iftheshoesfit · 19/03/2024 11:01

Well they should pay the full amount

But if it’s some or nothing, you’ll end up covering a higher cost in the end anyway so it depends how much you think they’ll bend

Upallnight2 · 19/03/2024 11:04

Like others have said, it depends if it was agreed before you booked it.

But of they pay less, kick them out at 10am, they shouldn't be getting the rest of the day unpaid for

Saymyname28 · 19/03/2024 11:08

"Hey sorry you can't spend the night Sunday, if we didn't pay for Sunday night then you'd have to leave at 10am Saturday, so you're still getting the full days use, if you don't pay for the room then I'll have to pay for your room for the third night, we obviously cant change the total cost for one bed not being slept in for one night, it still costs the same. I think it's alot easier to just split it three ways for the whole booking than dividing the cost over how many hours we all spend there."
I don't think they're being fair tbh. We all know how holiday cottages work, they know the cost doesn't go down by them not sleeping in the bed one of the nights.

Nevermind31 · 19/03/2024 11:11

you booked it and invited them after - they could not come at all and you would need to still pay.
however, if you can invite someone else instead I would say… sorry, this is the price for the stay (however long, plus if you leave early you won’t clean, so surcharge), if you don’t want it let me know and we’ll offer it to someone else.

Springcat · 19/03/2024 11:11

They are taking the piss
They either accept the cost you worked out
Or don't go

GasPanic · 19/03/2024 11:11

Suck it up and be grateful that the learning experience didn't cost you more.

Organising group activities with people on very limited budgets is always going to lead to financial stress.

Ellie1015 · 19/03/2024 11:55

They should be paying for the 3 nights even if they can only use two. Option was £110 pp for 3 nights. Yes please or no thank you. The 3rd night in their room wont be used by you, the other couple or anyone else.

Risk is if they dont come you will have more to cover but they are beyond cheeky to ask.