To expect a refund for refundable hostel booking?

[enkelt2]

I booked two nights' stay in a hostel, for 3/10-5/10. I booked the refundable option. It says on the booking page:

Flexible Rate - This rate is the most flexible. Bookings can be cancelled up to 72 hours before your arrival date by 2 pm (and 7 days before the arrival dates of the 29th, 30th and 31st of December), without charge. You will be charged the total price of the reservation if you cancel in the 3 days before arrival. If you don't show up, you will be charged the total price of the reservation.

I cancelled my booking 1/10 10:00am, and immediately I was charged the full amount for two nights. I called the hostel, but they wouldn't do anything about it.

I know that by the terms and conditions, they have the right to charge me (or do they? Are these terms fair?). But I think it's very harsh:
(1) for a "flexible rate" to ask for cancellation 72 hours in advance
(2) to charge for two night (the second night is technically cancelled 72 hours in advance)
(3) to charge the moment I cancelled, which was 2 days prior to my first night's stay.

Am I unreasonable to think they should at least do a partial refund? Is it legal to charge two days before my stay, because I cancelled it?

By the way, they have already found people to stay in my bed.

You cancelled less than 72 hours before your arrival date so they've done the right thing, you aren't entitled to a refund.

You knew the terms and conditions, you gave less than 72 hours notice, they are completely correct to charge you.

You've said:

You will be charged the total price of the reservation if you cancel in the 3 days before arrival

So it's really clear. I imagine they charge it straight away before you can block the payment.

They've done exactly what they said they would do when you made the booking.

While you may have hoped that they may waive it, YABU to expect something you aren't entitled to. Sorry OP

Those are the terms you signed up to so fairness doesn't come into it but fwiw I think it's fair enough. They couldn't be clearer. If you'd cancelled a day earlier, you'd have got a refund. I'd have felt cheeky ringing up but I guess it was worth a go.

You cancelled within the 72 hours so I think they have the right to charge you. It's what you agreed to when you booked.

Specifically:

1. the word "flexible" can mean anything, and they did then define it
2. it says you will be charged the "total price of the reservation"
3. I'm assuming that if you hadn't cancelled you would have paid on arrival or departure? So you had to be charged when you cancelled because that's what's the contract you had was

I don't think fair really comes into it. You agreed to it, so I'm not sure what the issue is? If you didn't like it, you should have booked somewhere else?

It's in their terms and conditions..yabu

Exactly this.

Bookings can be cancelled up to 72 hours before your arrival date by 2 pm

Your point about the 2nd night is irrelevant. It's there in black and white. Your booking must be cancelled 72 hours before your ARRIVAL date! YABU!

I understand it's in the terms and conditions, but there are some regulations that say they might not be entitled to the full amount?

e.g.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cancelling-goods-or-services-guide-for-consumers/cancelling-goods-or-services

So since they already found someone, there's no loss...

100% voting you are unreasonable, because it's bluddy obvious: you cancelled less than 72 hours before your dates of stay. Those were the T&C.

Their terms are clear , you didn't cancel in time ....of course you pay in full

You read the cancellation policy, you went ahead and booked anyway. You cancelled and you're annoyed they're doing exactly what they said they would do?

There's nothing to question here, you agreed to the T&Cs. You must've thought they were fair then, or you wouldn't have agreed to them.

They abided by the T&Cs. I can’t see why they would be unreasonable.

They’ve abided by the T&Cs - tough luck OP, they’ve done nothing wrong. I used to work in the industry.

How do you know they have already found someone?

”I know they have a right to charge me”

Thats kind of the end of it then really isn’t it

This is irrelevant. Unless the T&C's state that the cancellation fee is waived upon reselling the room, it makes no difference to the OP, the cancellation fee still stands.

You cancelled 48 hours ahead not 72. The terms entitled them to the full amount for the two nights. Had there been a third booked you might have an argument.

Unfortunately you cancelled 52 hours in advance of your booking - you'd have to have booked 20 hours earlier to not fall foul of the 72 hour cancellation period. So they are perfectly within their rights to charge you the total amount - terms which you agreed to when you made the booking.

In terms of your questions; is it fair...

(1) for a "flexible rate" to ask for cancellation 72 hours in advance - yes, because that's the level of flexibility that works for their business model, no doubt based on customer behaviours

(2) to charge for two night (the second night is technically cancelled 72 hours in advance) - yes, because it's based on the booking, not the number of nights. If you had made two separate bookings - one per night - then you wouldn't have had to pay for the second.

(3) to charge the moment I cancelled, which was 2 days prior to my first night's stay - when do you think they should have charged? They are going to do it while they still have your card details on file and likely will then delete your card details in line with data protection.

They made their terms and conditions clear and you agreed to them, this is 100% on you.

I can't see where they have gone against their T & C's. You cancelled after the 72 hr deadline so were charged.