Friends asking for their money back

[Nicolasaa9]

Hi, I am not even sure if this is the right place to post this, but I really need to vent.

My two closest friends and I planned to go to an event together. I live in London, one friend is in Hertfordshire and the other lives up north. We agreed to book it in Leeds, get a hotel, and make a proper girls weekend of it, especially as the friend up north is usually the one travelling south.

Both friends have now said they are too unwell to go. They asked me to put their tickets up for resale, which I have done, and have also asked me to pay them back for their share of the hotel even though I am still going.

The hotel is non refundable, and I used around £200 of my own points to book it. There was an extra £60 to pay, which I asked them to split between them at £30 each, which felt fair given the points I used.

They are now asking for that £30 back. I am still going because I have wanted to see this event for ages, but it means driving four hours to something I could have reached in ten minutes on the tube, and spending the weekend alone.

Am I being unreasonable in feeling this is unfair

I agree that they still owe money for the hotel.

If the tickets sell I'd keep that to pay what they owe plus comp for the pissing about & having to travel!

say hotel is non refundable but if they want you to lose financially through no fault of your own, then you will know what kind of fiends they are

If they don’t cough up what they owe you for the hotel I would take the money from the ticket money, if they resell.

I would tell them the hotel is none refundable and that also goes for the points you used, as the points were £200 in value they also owe you an additional £65 each to cover the cost of that.

The absolute cheek. They’ve got a bargain on a hotel room and you’ve been massively inconvenienced. Can’t believe they wouldn’t write off the £30. I’m also dubious about this last minute sickness. Flaky, dishonest and entitled - what a combination!

This is bewilderingly ridiculous.

Certainly don't think you are unreasonable to not give the money back. You spent a lot more in actual value on the hotel, for £30 each they got a great deal. However, ultimately whether you choose to give their money back I would say is more related to if you want to maintain the friendship moving forwards. I suspect they would take it poorly for you not to 'pay them back'. So the friendship may not last or be the same. It also depends if you want to keep them as friends though, as they seem to have been flaky and cheap over this trip.

I would say definitely reasonable to keep the money, but if you do may cost you the friendships.

Just tell them it's non refundable then stand your ground. Best of luck 🤞

Can you signpost me to them please?

Maybe I am a pushover because I’d never think of this and it makes sense x

Why be kind at this point to these piss takers? They owe you more than £36.50 each!

Is it a Holiday Inn? I think you can cancel and although you can't get a monetary refund, get the points you used added back to your account.

If it was me I’d have offered you use the ticket and go with someone else if I couldn’t make it. Would no one local with you?

Thanks for all your replies. In a nutshell they think that the points meant it was free for me and now they’re paying for me? I’m going to write a reply tonight when I’m home and basically say if I don’t go I’m down almost £300 for ticket and hotel so they can shut up about the £30 each! I was prob too honest when I booked it and said I’m happy to use my points if you both pay the remaining as I wanted to make the whole trip as affordable as possible for everyone.

If the hotel is non refundable then they are not entitled to their money back.

This x2
Also, what happens if the tickets don't sell? Will they still be expecting you to reimburse them because they told you to sell them and you couldn't didn't? (Obvs that's a huge fuck off no!)

These friends sound awful! I think they owe you money.

I'd say you used your points to get it cheap for them and would not have used the points or needed a hotel for that matter if it wasnt for going with them. They actually owe you £130 each, do they not realise this? I wouldn't be sending them a penny, cheeky fuckers.

I'd say, I'm really sorry you can't make it but it's non-refundable at this short notice and I am seriously out of pocket myself on this, and leave it at that.

Oh bless you OP, no good deed goes unpunished!!!

I think they are a pair of cheeky buggers, and I'd just send back a what tge absolute fuck type text to them.

I know everyone keeps saying but it’s non refundable. I’m still going though so the point is they want me to pay them back for the hotel as I’m still going. snd they prob see it as I’m enjoying their share of the hotel ?? Seriously tempted to say I didn’t go but still go 😈

They’ve really let you down. I’d message to say nothing is refundable and do they want to reconsider their minor injury and very minor ailment and join you on the outing?

If you're the one reselling the tickets, just tell your 'friends' they haven't sold and keep the money if they do. They don't deserve reimbursement at your expense.

Sorry, I see I'm not the first to suggest this!

You will be enjoying their share of the hotel but that’s on them. Off you’d been going on your own I assume you would have booked a room for 1, not 3. They are being really cheeky and I expect they might get cheekier if their tickets don’t sell.