Holiday cancellation

[Seabubbles]

I booked a holiday park in Cornwall and paid an extra deposit on top to cover cancellation. The full balance is due end of March and the holiday is end of May but I've had to cancel, I had a nasty car accident which resulted in a lot of lost wages whilst I recovered and we are up the creek financially at the moment so I had to cancel the holiday. They have told me I can't have the deposit back because it doesn't meet their T&C's and my only option is to to rebook the holiday at a later date which I can't. I've explained I can't rebook the holiday as I am no position to be booking holidays in my financial position and not keen on a long drive after a car accident and been told unfortunately there is nothing they can do. AIBU to be cross about this? I know they are a business and need to make money but if they rebook our chalet they will be quids in and I'm the loser with my money sat in their account that I could really use back right now and it's frustrating to have paid a higher deposit to cover cancellation and have lost it all. They have had over 3 months notice from me. I'm just so frustrated it's disappointing enough cancelling our holiday and now this. I would never be rude and I'm not confrontational but I paid cancellation cover in good faith and feel they have moved the goalposts.

What did the cancellation cover say? Are you within their timings? Did it say you'd get your money back or that you'd be able to rebook?

If you are cancelling due to finances that may well not be covered under the terms and conditions. It is usually only in case of redundancy or due to ill health preventing travel. The offer to reschedule is probably a goodwill gesture. Can you sell the holiday on?

Unless they have gone against their terms, I would guess you don't have a leg to stand on. Deposits are often non-refundable. Your cancellation cover is brilliant as it stops you having to pay the rest. Surely that's a good thing?

Always read the small print. It feels unfair but if your reason for cancelling isn’t one that is covered then there’s not much you can do. They haven’t moved the goalposts if they’re enforcing the t&cs that you agreed to.

Sorry to hear about your accident.
It is frustrating but I don’t think there’s much you can do. What do the T&C’s say? I’ve been annoyed by being unable to claim on cancellation insurance before as often the criteria for eligibility are so specific I tend not to bother with it now.
It is frustrating, could you book it for next year maybe?

Your insurance might cover it? I assume you have holiday insurance.

Check the criteria, it's unlikely you would get a refund.

Cancellation cover wouldn't normally inability to travel due to financial issues, you need income protection insurance of some sort for that.

You say you feel that they have 'moved the goal posts'. What does it say in the cancellation cover T&Cs about the situations where the cover would apply?

How much of your deposit would you lose if you cancelled now? As it's still a few months until the holiday, you might not lose it all.

Or is the holiday transferrable? You could try and sell the booking to a third party, but you will need to check the T&Cs as to whether this is allowed and if there is any name change fee.

Go and look at your T&C's

Thanks all. You are right it's just incredibly frustrating. I shall just suck it up this time but probably won't bother with cancellation cover again as it hasn't helped the specific situation I was in so it's still a gamble.

Why doesn't the cancellation cover work? You haven't explained

I've recently looked into the cancellation cover I took out for a small UK caravan break, due to the fact my DH has been diagnosed with cancer.

The only criteria I could see that covered financial reasons for cancelling was redundancy.

If you pay a deposit you rarely get that money back when cancelling? That’s what a deposit it imo.

I am really sorry to hear about your accident and that sounds so hard, but they haven’t done anything wrong.

But it has if it means you can cancel the break without paying the full balance or use the deposit to reschedule . Part of your deposit was for the insurance policy so that would not be refundable if you claimed.

Have you got travel.insurance on your credit card? It sounds like it's not from I'll health that you can't go though.

Coukd you get the train if you don't want to drive?

If you can rebook to next year without losing deposit or paying more now would you do that?

Why would you assume that?
Plenty don't have insurance for UK breaks

Is it a chain? Could they change it to a closer holiday park, and make it at a cheaper time so you have less to pay and less travel?

Well they should...it's not like it's cheap to holiday in the UK. Sorry but there's way too much now of people not looking into things properly and then blaming other people. Its never been easier to research and book cover.

But unless the OP was sufficiently injured in the car crash that she has medical certification that she can't travel, then it wouldn't cover her anyway.

No longer being able to afford the holiday probably isn't insurable, outside loss of income cover, which is often expensive and has limitations.

Unless cancellation due to financial difficulties meaning you’re no longer able to afford the balance is covered and return of deposit is explicitly stated in the cancellation cover t’s&c’s then, yes, you’re being unreasonable to be cross that the cover doesn’t meet your expectations.

It depends what cover you get of course. But in the ops case she actually has helped herself, by paying the cancellation cover she's only out the deposit, not the whole thing. At some point, business is business and fairness doesn't really come into it.

But they wouldn't cover not being able to afford it
I normally book my accommodation through booking com and choose the free cancellation option. You pay a bit more but not much and can often cancel until a day or so before

Exactly this, not being liable for the outstanding balance is a win.

Can you not move the holiday to later in the year / next year, when your financial position may have improved and you might be feeling more confident about the drive?