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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Overpaid for holiday

109 replies

doreman · 21/04/2025 21:50

I booked a group holiday and the price unexpectedly doubled in the last two minutes between the final check and the payment going through. It might have been because everyone was clicking on the link and the algorithm sent the demand pricing higher - I don’t know. I didn’t realise this at time of paying and only noticed when it came to totting up how much each family owed. The booking platform and the vendor have both said I saw the price before I paid and they will not reduce it or partially refund. This is technically true but I would never have purchased it if I’d noticed. Others on the trip don’t want to pay double what we’d agreed, but I also can’t afford to pay double my own family’s share and the rest of theirs. What’s the fairest way of paying me back or do I have to suck up this very expensive mistake?

OP posts:
BadSkiingMum · 22/04/2025 22:27

@Icantsleep3am
Which booking platform was that please? That definitely sounds less than transparent!

PullTheBricksDown · 22/04/2025 22:39

OK, I'm baffled by how this can have happened. I've never booked accommodation - or paid for anything - where the price to be paid could change while you're IN the booking process. Once you click buy or book or whatever, the price can't then change while you're putting your payment details in. The only time something like that has happened is for tickets (train and concert) where the last tickets at that price have just been bought, and in that case it doesn't increase the price, it tells you there's a problem and you can't now complete your transaction, and then you have to start again. I'd like to know what this company was so I can avoid ever dealing with them. They sound dodgy.

Icantsleep3am · 22/04/2025 23:17

BadSkiingMum · 22/04/2025 22:27

@Icantsleep3am
Which booking platform was that please? That definitely sounds less than transparent!

Booking.com on 2 occasions and hotel’s own website another time.

Icantsleep3am · 23/04/2025 00:03

tachetastic · 22/04/2025 22:07

How long was it between you booking/paying for the holiday and going on the holiday?

And why on earth didn't you all pay each other before the actual holiday?

You can't eat a meal and then say it was too expensive and expect a discount. You can't wear a dress and then say it was too expensive and expect a discount. I'm afraid you can't enjoy the holiday and then say it was too expensive and expect a discount.

Edited
Show quote history

Unfortunately, even some of the well-known platforms use not very transparent or fair practices. It’s different from retail or restaurant business. If you were quoted one price for a dress or meal, the price would be shown on the price tag or menu so there isn’t much space for ambiguity. But holidays are something completely different, and they protect themselves well by covering every eventuality in their T&C’s.

CannotWaitForSummervibes · 23/04/2025 05:46

doreman · 21/04/2025 22:04

I had a work trip and one DC birthday in the month it was booked so didn’t really raise an eyebrow at the huge credit card bill. It comes out by DD and I never go through it line by line.

Sorry op, you sound a bit scatter brained financially. You should have checked the price breakdown just before doing the final click to book it. Just like you need to carefully check you entered the correct date and correct names. This is a lesson to be more meticulous when booking things and yes you really should go through your cc payments line by line.

Original poster
doreman · 23/04/2025 06:33

Thanks everyone. Of course I know it was a stupid mistake. I really can’t afford to cover double my family’s share and the same for all the other families. I am going to ask if they will meet me in the middle perhaps.

OP posts:
0ohLarLar · 23/04/2025 07:25

Sorry OP but its 100% on you. You can expect others to pay because you a) didn't check the price before you hit pay and b) let them go on the trip without checking, and didn't tell them it had cost so much.

Did you really not realise until after you'd been? If i was one of the friends I'd be a bit suspicious that you knew the price had been high and had waited till we'd been on the trip to mention so that we would feel we had to pay because it couldn't be cancelled.

0ohLarLar · 23/04/2025 07:27

And you really, really should check your payments and bills more carefully or you'll end up the victim of a much bigger fraud.

theresbeautyinwindysun · 23/04/2025 07:30

I feel really sorry for you. What a total nightmare.

CannotWaitForSummervibes · 23/04/2025 07:35

doreman · 23/04/2025 06:33

Thanks everyone. Of course I know it was a stupid mistake. I really can’t afford to cover double my family’s share and the same for all the other families. I am going to ask if they will meet me in the middle perhaps.

I really think it’s too late to ask them now, that you’ve all been away. They joined you based on the knowledge it was £x,not £xx. It’s not their fault you were too scatter brained to double check when booking and too scatter brained to check your credit card statement till after the trip was done. I understand this is a lot of money but it IS your fault. I would be fuming if my friend booked a holiday at double the cost we agreed and never mentioned it till after the trip. That means she hadn’t given me a chance to decide if I’m ok with paying xx instead of x, or see if I can cancel it or get it reimbursed somehow. I would never trust her to book anything for me again. I would also be suspicious the friend knew all along and on purpose didn’t tell me until it was too late.

EdithBond · 23/04/2025 07:35

I’d go through the company’s complaints procedure (to the end) if the price is so unreasonable. Then complain on their social media feed to say you want to warn others and take it to ABTA.

If the price doubled during the booking process it sounds like a scam and it may have happened to others.

You’ve nothing to lose by taking it as far as you can. You may receive a goodwill payment if you’re persistent.

mewkins · 23/04/2025 08:58

Happyinarcon · 22/04/2025 09:30

I would be annoyed. Once i decide to put something in the online basket it’s because I have agreed with the amount. I don’t think the firm should be able to adjust the price after this point because it’s pretty obvious the price negotiation part of the deal is over.

I agree. It's like ticketmaster and their dynamic pricing. Where's the consumer protection? Imagine going into a shop and getting to the till and they've suddenly doubled the price. OP, can you write a letter of complaint to the platform and to the owner as well. You may just write this off and never use the platform again.

Livelaughlurgy · 23/04/2025 09:03

You have done the same thing to your friends though. You've paid double and then didn't tell them until it was too late, they couldn't cancel the holiday. You didn't communicate the price change. I cannot understand how you didnt notice. It's a very expensive lesson to learn.

bittertwisted · 23/04/2025 09:06

Fullofquestions1 · 22/04/2025 07:31

I would be tempted to contact your bank if it’s on credit card you might have some protection if you can show original price and what you paid. Not sure if will work but worth a go.

This
Having worked in this area you definitely have grounds for a dispute with the merchant. Not saying you would win but it is worth a try

bittertwisted · 23/04/2025 09:08

Everyone saying she has no redress have clearly never worked in credit card fraud and disputes. She absolutely has a pretty strong case

timetochangethering · 23/04/2025 09:50

Just a suggestion as I nearly got caught out like this on a group holiday - the room price quoted was "per person, assuming 2 sharing" which was not at all clear and in very very small print, and it was only by chance I realised - you saying it was exactly double does make me wonder if the hotel is pulling the same trick....

Spareducedpriceoffer · 23/04/2025 10:13

What booking platform did you use ?

Example

I booked a holiday about 6 weeks ago.
I checked the price of the holiday, 1 o 2 days before departure & it was exactly the same price.
No last minute booking discount

Welshmonster · 23/04/2025 12:29

Always check any confirmation emails that come through and get people’s money in advance.

thevassal · 23/04/2025 15:01

Livelaughlurgy · 23/04/2025 09:03

You have done the same thing to your friends though. You've paid double and then didn't tell them until it was too late, they couldn't cancel the holiday. You didn't communicate the price change. I cannot understand how you didnt notice. It's a very expensive lesson to learn.

This! except at least you had multiple chances to query the cost before going away, which are opportunities you aren't giving your friends!

If I was your friend and you messaged in a panic immediately after making the booking saying "help! It all went through at the price we agreed but I've just looked at my account/the confirmation email and it says twice the price, I don't know what happened!" then (after obviously trying to help get the money back) I probably would have felt bad and contributed if there was nothing else we could do.

However if you messaged me now with the, frankly, incoherent account you've given on here, saying 'yes, "technically" I did see the higher amount before clicking pay, and, yes, the higher amount (not just the overall total but the daily amount) was listed on the "invoice" (and would have been on all confirmation emails), and, yes, the higher amount was also listed on my credit card statements, issued before the holiday....but I somehow didn't realise any of this and it's only now we've been on the holiday and there's no plausible way of claiming the money back I want you to pay twice (or even 1.5x) what we agreed and you budgeted for....'
then haha, no chance, sorry!

Theyreeatingthedogs · 23/04/2025 17:59

doreman · 21/04/2025 22:04

I had a work trip and one DC birthday in the month it was booked so didn’t really raise an eyebrow at the huge credit card bill. It comes out by DD and I never go through it line by line.

What? You don't check your credit card bill? No wonder you get into a mess like this.

commonsense61 · 23/04/2025 18:27

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

rookiemere · 23/04/2025 18:34

doreman · 23/04/2025 06:33

Thanks everyone. Of course I know it was a stupid mistake. I really can’t afford to cover double my family’s share and the same for all the other families. I am going to ask if they will meet me in the middle perhaps.

I really feel for you and can sort of see how it happened, but if I was one of the other families I might pay you some of it, but if I did I would never, ever go on holiday with you again or be in any sort of situation where finances were involved. So I guess you need to decide if it’s more important to get some money back or keep your friends.

NB I would keep pursuing it though through your CC and any other means you can, because it does sound like a system error.

Riaanna · 23/04/2025 18:49

doreman · 23/04/2025 06:33

Thanks everyone. Of course I know it was a stupid mistake. I really can’t afford to cover double my family’s share and the same for all the other families. I am going to ask if they will meet me in the middle perhaps.

It’s your mistake though.

Energe · 23/04/2025 18:55

Have you only just realised this? You really can not ask people to pay more. It’s over

Laura95167 · 23/04/2025 19:45

I think its on you.

You booked it, you did have a chance to see the price. You didn't tell your relatives until after they'd been, when had you said prior cancelling would have been an option