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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To want some money back?

24 replies

Holidaywarning · 08/09/2024 09:50

This is long, sorry. TLDR - black mould in bedroom, thick dust, bathroom in disrepair. Owner wouldn't refund anything, left a week early. Please see images.

We stayed in Portugal- booked through Booking.com. Hotel was not as described and was dirty - Booking.com have refunded the commission but said they can't do anything else. They haven't published photos on my review despite publishing photos on my other (good) reviews, and they have not made the venue change the things that are factually incorrect in the listing so others can be misled.

The listing states that the room has a terrace and hot tub but there is no hot tub on the premises. They claim hot tub refers to the spa bath but that is also listed separately. The 'suite' is listed as private access but is just normal access through the main building.

More important issues were that there was work going on every day to put plastic decking around the pool which we were not told about in advance, and they were using electrical power tools right next to the pool while guests were in it. Extension leads were run across the lawn / footpath to facilitate.

Lastly it was dirty and had black mould all across the bedroom wall. Bare wiring on the vanity unit in the bathroom, stained bed linen, broken floor tiles and broken tiling around the stained bath - it's extensive. I have photographs to support all complaints.
we tried to ask for money back to leave, the owner refused. Booking.com were no help. We checked out a week early and paid to stay elsewhere. I feel the accommodation fell way below standard and we should at the very least be refunded the nights we didn't stay - the owner has admitted he sold the room so has had double money. I've tried to keep this to main points so may have missed some relevant info, and can only upload some images but they show the condition of the room.

To want some money back?
To want some money back?
To want some money back?
To want some money back?
To want some money back?
OP posts:
InactionIsAWeaponOfMassDestruction · 08/09/2024 09:52

OMG that is MINGING!!!

Holidaywarning · 08/09/2024 11:00

It is indeed minging. I am pissed off at the lack of support from booking.com too.

OP posts:
TwinklyAmberOrca · 08/09/2024 11:26

That's minging!

How did you pay Booking.com? Credit or debit card?

Holidaywarning · 08/09/2024 11:52

TwinklyAmberOrca · 08/09/2024 11:26

That's minging!

How did you pay Booking.com? Credit or debit card?

Monzo. They've declined a chargeback. I feel like there's nowhere to turn. It's so wrong

OP posts:
caringcarer · 08/09/2024 14:15

That look disgusting. Not sure what you can do except leave a bad review. Next time pay by credit card. That gives you more protection.

DoYouReally · 08/09/2024 14:38

Those pictures are disgusting. It's filthy, unhygienic, not as described and the wires near the pool is frightening.

I used booking.com alot and only one had an issue in about 20 years.

I didn't find online correspondence great but I rang them and spoke to a supervisor and they resolved the issue with 24 hours. Have you spoke to someone senior over the phone?

This would put me off using them again and I'm sure it would be the same for others. If a call can't resolve it, I would take to twitter and tag the company and every consumer watchdog going. The pictures confirm your issue and I cannot see how they can defend it.

kiwiane · 08/09/2024 14:45

Booking claimed I was a no show when I couldn’t access my accommodation - there is no redress it seems.

Holidaywarning · 08/09/2024 15:10

@DoYouReally I tried everything with booking.com they say it's between us and the owner. The owner is appalling to deal with. Final email from booking . Com in image below. The 'compensation' referred to was €150 when the cost was almost €1000, which is a joke.
I won't use booking .com in future, but really reluctant to let the property keep all the money.

To want some money back?
OP posts:
DoYouReally · 08/09/2024 15:16

@Holidaywarning have you rang them and spoken to someone with authority to do more?

I got silly emails like that too until I escalated it on a call.

Kangarude · 08/09/2024 15:16

That is seriously grim. I wouldn’t have spent one night there.
I hope you find a way to get your money back

TwinklyAmberOrca · 08/09/2024 15:18

Holidaywarning · 08/09/2024 11:52

Monzo. They've declined a chargeback. I feel like there's nowhere to turn. It's so wrong

On what grounds did they decline?

Monzo is a regulated UK bank. Was it a bank transfer rather than funded by a card transaction?

I'd be going back to Monzo if it was a card payment as you have not received what you paid for.

Holidaywarning · 08/09/2024 15:22

@TwinklyAmberOrca it was a card payment. Very strangely, I've gone back to check what they said and can't see the message any more but it says still deciding the dispute. Will phone monzo tomorrow.

OP posts:
TwinklyAmberOrca · 08/09/2024 15:29

Holidaywarning · 08/09/2024 15:22

@TwinklyAmberOrca it was a card payment. Very strangely, I've gone back to check what they said and can't see the message any more but it says still deciding the dispute. Will phone monzo tomorrow.

Absolutely. Phone them again and challenge it. You did not get what you paid for and even have evidence you had to pay for alternative accommodation so should be able to claim at least half the cost back! Do you have written evidence the owner re-let it for the week you didn't use it?

There's a forum for Monzo bank so might be worth looking through the Q&As on there or googling to see other people's experience of chargebacks.

Holidaywarning · 08/09/2024 15:33

Thank you @TwinklyAmberOrca. They owner sent us a message calling us evil for our very factual review and copied in what he said was the review from the next guest for the night after we left so states himself that someone else was in there.

OP posts:
coldcallerbaiter · 08/09/2024 15:33

You used booking.com and they’ll be all sympathy talk but are generally useless as they are just the platform.

Monzo, idk anything about them but if it is a real credit card then you have rights and should go to the ombudsman.

Whydontclothesfitanymore · 08/09/2024 15:38

What has your holiday insurer said?

Holidaywarning · 08/09/2024 16:20

Whydontclothesfitanymore · 08/09/2024 15:38

What has your holiday insurer said?

They said they wouldn't cover this. I tried them straight away.

OP posts:
HauntedbyMagpies · 08/09/2024 18:08

Chargeback is performed by Visa. The bank (by the sounds of it) haven't investigated it so they've no grounds to decline it yet.

This will be the third thread I've recommended this on just today but I'd be calling Dean Dunham tonight on LBC at 9pm. He's a Barrister and takes calls & gives advice on consumer law for free for an hour. Though I expect he too would send you back to Monzo to fight their decline of the chargeback.

If all else fails, small claims court. Your accommodation was not as described.

Holidaywarning · 08/09/2024 18:11

@HauntedbyMagpies I don't think small claims applies as the hotel is in Portugal? Or do you mean file against booking.com?

OP posts:
Spenditlikebeckham · 08/09/2024 18:11

Report them to environmental health... And is there a local fb there? Post your health worries there.. And pics..

FinallyYouSaid · 08/09/2024 18:13

It certainly looks awful. However, I can't help but wonder why you were pulling furniture away from the walls to photograph behind them? Do you usually do that?

Holidaywarning · 08/09/2024 18:34

FinallyYouSaid · 08/09/2024 18:13

It certainly looks awful. However, I can't help but wonder why you were pulling furniture away from the walls to photograph behind them? Do you usually do that?

Literally just saw the thick dust at the side of the chest of drawers and along with the many other issues in the rooms it pointed to the cleanliness being very poor, so looked behind it out of curiosity, discovered the mould.

OP posts:
HauntedbyMagpies · 08/09/2024 20:41

@Holidaywarning I meant Booking.com

Igmum · 09/09/2024 10:28

So sorry you've been through this. Booking.com seems to be getting a rotten reputation for this recently. I've stopped using them for this reason.

Was it a credit card or a debit card with Monzo? If a credit card you should be fine. A debit card not so much, though some banks do help.

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