Stupidly booked a holiday for June

[idiot766]

I feel sick. I truly thought everything was looking so positive with the roadmap and that we would be having a great summer. Stupidly I therefore went ahead and booked a week’s holiday for late June through Airbnb with a host who has a strict cancellation policy (only allows cancellations within 48 hours of booking).

It’s two weeks since I made the booking so there’s no chance of getting my money back (though I think I may be entitled to a 50% refund if I cancel now - I need to double check).

I’m now really worried that we will be going back into lockdown due to the Indian variant and I won’t be able to go on holiday and will lose lots of money.

The reason I booked this place is because it was one of the very few still available in my chosen area - now I see that the cancellation policy is probably the reason why!

What would you do - cancel now to get half your money back or keep the booking in the hope that things will be okay by June?

I’m absolutely kicking myself for being such a complete and utter idiot

You're worrying too much and overreacting. The vaccination programme is still going well. The lockdowns were to prevent the NHS being overwhelmed and that's simply not going to happen again - 60% of us are at least partially vaccinated.
The self catering market opened from 12 April. Even if the June relaxation gets delayed (and personally I doubt it will) that has no impact at all on your holiday.
Your UK break in June will almost certainly go ahead.

Whilst it is possible that the restrictions in place after May 17th may last beyond June 21st, I don't think your accommodation will end up being cancelled or not able to use. Possible some of the things you planned to do whilst away may be limited, but that is all.

You’d be allowed into a U.K. self catering BnB now.

I went to one mid April.

You’ll likely be fine. The government is not talking about going back into full lockdown just slowing the June stage which is not remotely relevant to your holiday.

We have U.K. holidays booked. I haven’t given them a second thought.

I think you’ll be fine to go OP. We’re going on holiday at the end of next week (UK break in a caravan park), they have been open since 12th April with no issues. Fingers crossed for you.

I was going to book a trip south in July. The reason I didn’t was because the cancellation policy on most places I was looking at were still really crap. Glad I didn’t book it but if I had followed the government’s advice, I’d be out of pocket now.

They really have done badly with this.

Possible some of the things you planned to do whilst away may be limited, but that is all.

This was actually the reason we chose not to book. All the cancellations were linked to the government banning travel. If travel was still allowed but nothing was open, we weren’t keen to travel 600 miles to just swap one sofa for another.

Op you may just scrape through, we are also UK holiday in June half term and praying we can go.
We may just get lucky it takes about three weeks for this doesn't it!
Finger crossed.

If we are locked down you will get your money back from Air BnB no matter what the hosts policy is.

It is a frustrated contract if they have to close by law.

Air BnB currently say they won't give Covid refunds, but in practice they do.

Strict cancellation policy is very common. Any other policy and as a host you open yourself up to people cancelling for spurious reasons.

Thanks everyone. I’m not actually planning to do much while I’m there, other than country walks and a few pub lunches maybe. I’m just absolutely desperate for a change of scenery!

To all those saying Airbnb would have to refund me if we’re not able to travel - I’m really not sure they do! I can’t find anything on their website to that effect.

I don't think there will be more lockdowns given all the progress with jabs

Just look at our numbers, nothing is actually increasing or straining the NHS

I know there are no robust numbers yet on if the jabs work against the Indian variant, but looking at the mutations being so similar to what's already out there (Kent variant, Brazil, South Africa etc) I really don't think it's going to upset the applecart.

forgot source of graph www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk/

Cases are extremely low. Deaths & hospitalisation extremely low. Why would Boris lock us down? I’ve got U.K. holidays booked in end May, June & July. I’m expecting to go on them .. people are getting their knickers in a major twist! You’ve been able to stay in AirBnB’s since April 🤷🏼‍♀️

@BlackLambAndGreyFalcon

I went away in April and I have UK breaks booked for May, July and August and an overseas trip booked for August. I fully expect the UK breaks to happen!

The UK trips are happening through the same months. It hasn’t occurred to me that they won’t happen.

I was speaking to someone who booked a holiday to Portugal the moment the Government announced it was on the Green List.

He held his nerve while the Portugese mumbled about not allowing us in, knowing that, even if it involved a fight, the operature would be liable to refund/move his holiday if they couldn't fulfill their contract.

He has now saved a fortune over the price of the same holiday if he'd waited to book once Portugal confirmed they'd take us. There is a price to pay for caution/peace of mind.

Fortune favours the brave.

We run a holiday lets business in Montenegro and pre covid had a strict cancellation policy (alternative is or used to be cancellation 24 hours before arrival fee free and could take out 2 weeks peak season). If you're really worried contact your host and see, it's not like a different part of the UK is going to require hotel quarantine

@Puttingouthefirewithgasoline

Op you may just scrape through, we are also UK holiday in June half term and praying we can go. We may just get lucky it takes about three weeks for this doesn't it! Finger crossed.

Scrape through? I’m so confused. What is there to scrape through?

Where is it ? Can you def not go!?

Can someone explain to me why we are letting people in that have been to India? And if so aren't they supposed to be quarantining? I just don't get it!! Why are there flights in if we can't go anywhere ??

Unless you’re going to Bolton or Glasgow I’d crack on op

@idiot766

Thanks everyone. I’m not actually planning to do much while I’m there, other than country walks and a few pub lunches maybe. I’m just absolutely desperate for a change of scenery!

To all those saying Airbnb would have to refund me if we’re not able to travel - I’m really not sure they do! I can’t find anything on their website to that effect.

Air Bnb won’t advertise it, and to be fair, Frustration of Contract is almost never invoked so few people are even aware of its existence.

If a law is passed, between the time of your booking and the actual dates of your trip, that makes it illegal for you to go, the contract is said to have been frustrated by way of supervening illegality (I.e. that it is now illegal for the contract to be carried out)

The remedy in law is for the contract to be treated as if it never existed, and all parties are put back in the position they would have been if it (the contract) had never existed.

It’s important to note that this is not a cancellation, so any cancellation policies are nul and void.

You are definitely entitled to your money back.

It's in the UK, relax!

I am an Air BnB host and they have been refunding. Every single person who has cancelled, even after the Air BnB policy change, has been fully refunded.

It is a frustrated contract as above.

If we are locked down you just need to phone or email Air BnB and provide written proof of the lockdown. That is what has happened to hundreds of my guests and they have all had their money back.