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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

University Wasteland Ski Holidays

26 replies

hellsbells99 · 26/03/2020 11:46

Is anyone else in the position where their DCs ski holidays have been understandably cancelled? DD's was booked via her university ski club using the Wastelands company. They are ABTA registered and their T&Cs state that you are entitled to a full refund of the package if the holiday is cancelled due to 'unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances' which includes 'significant risks to human health such as outbreak of a serious disease at the travel destination' amongst various other statements.
However they are telling all the students that they need to claim on their own travel insurance.
Has anyone successfully got Wasteland to agree to a refund yet?
I know this is a first world problem in the current nightmare coronavirus situation.

OP posts:
Bezalelle · 26/03/2020 22:45

That's a really weird name for a company!

cakeisalwaystheanswer · 03/04/2020 22:21

Wasteland are refunding extras and offering the holiday cost as a credit for next year. DS1 is very happy with that because he thinks that it means that he is guaranteed a place on next years uni ski trip. Those leaving uni can use it to book on to any other Wasteland ski trip in the next two years.

Original poster
hellsbells99 · 05/04/2020 00:01

DD is finishing uni this year so will not be going on a uni ski trip this year. I also wouldn’t want to have a credit as the company may not exist. I believe Sheffield Uni ski society will not be using them next year due to them refusing to give refunds.

OP posts:
cakeisalwaystheanswer · 05/04/2020 15:23

All of DS1's friends are happy with the arrangement and we have already received a credit card refund for the extras. His uni has a a very large ski trip and it is difficult to get a place so I doubt there will be many complaints from students still intending to be there next year. I think once the majority of students accept the postponement they will probably have sufficient cash flow to refund to unhappy students in your DS's situation.
I think that the refund already processed does show that the company is genuinely trying to sort this out.

Tntwalters · 08/05/2020 09:46

Did you get anywhere with a refund hellsbells99? And if so do you mind sharing how?
EW is finishing uni this year so won’t want to travel next year. Her insurance have said today they won’t pay out as it excludes pandemics. She is so upset as she worked so hard in a part time job to pay for the trip. We’ve tried consoling her that at least she is healthy and safe but the £510 base cost is so much money to her (and us!).
Also, I’m new to mumsnet so if I’m posting wrong I’m sorry Smile

Xenia · 08/05/2020 11:24

I think we need test cases on some of these holiday cases. It is not hard to go on line to moneyclaims online and sue a holiday company and that might well prompt a refund.

Tntwalters · 08/05/2020 12:20

Did you get anywhere with a refund hellsbells99? And if so do you mind sharing how?
EW is finishing uni this year so won’t want to travel next year. Her insurance have said today they won’t pay out as it excludes pandemics. She is so upset as she worked so hard in a part time job to pay for the trip. We’ve tried consoling her that at least she is healthy and safe but the £510 base cost is so much money to her (and us!).
Also, I’m new to mumsnet so if I’m posting wrong I’m sorry smile

Original poster
hellsbells99 · 09/05/2020 16:29

Hi Tntwalters. No DD has not got a refund. We are trying to claim through the insurance company now but they have just asked for more info via email (several weeks later) and I dare say we will get the same answer as you unfortunately. We paid for DD’s holiday for her Xmas, birthday and graduation present, so we would like to be able to get the money back so she can use it for another holiday at some stage in the future. I have also put a negative trustpilot review up as have others. But they say to just get in touch which we obviously already have!

OP posts:
Original poster
hellsbells99 · 09/05/2020 16:29

Xenia we will wait for the insurance company to get back to us and if they refuse a refund, go down the route you have suggested

OP posts:
Tntwalters · 09/05/2020 17:45

Thanks for this reply. We are going to consider this route and look at starting the process next week. We will keep everyone posted.

Tntwalters · 09/05/2020 17:50

Hi there.
I think we are going to take Xenia’s advice next week and take a legal route and I will keep you posted. I feel they are taking advantage of these young people. I know there are bigger worries in the world at the moment but it seems unfair if they are not following ABTA regulations.

Original poster
hellsbells99 · 09/05/2020 19:11

Yes please keep me posted. Good luck!

OP posts:
cakeisalwaystheanswer · 11/05/2020 22:24

Good luck TNT and hells, I do think that this is a completely different situation for your DCs and that you both need refunds. Do update.

Original poster
hellsbells99 · 12/05/2020 10:33

cakeisalwaystheanswer thanks!

OP posts:
Xenia · 12/05/2020 13:26

One my adult children had the classic issue - trainline saying contract not with them (their terms do make that clear) recover form Eurostar and local French rail companies. Eurostar says Trainline must pay. back and forth. Then insurance not keep to pay out nor card company. I bet loads of people are in the same boat.

After today's Gov suggestion people don't go on holiday abroad this year but of course nothing to help those who booked on 2 Jan as we did like - we will force companies to give full refunds within 14 days of cancellation - no help at all as ever by the Government -w e are certainly not all in this together....... My holiday company (package) as still not cancelled the June holiday and I have not cancelled either. I wonder how close we will go to departure date before they cancel it.

Charlotte01 · 12/06/2020 11:46

Has anyone managed to get a full refund yet? I am going through the small claims court on Monday (as advised by another parent) if I don’t hear from them today. We’ve had the extras back but nothing else - so frustrated. There’s some dreadful reviews on trustpilot xx

Tntwalters · 29/07/2020 10:29

Hi everyone.
After much to-ing and fro-ing with emails and as a result managing to get a promised refund from September 2021 to March 2021!! we decided to take legal action. We did this last week and low and behold my daughter has received a full refund this morning (minus the court cost). We are going to send an email asking for the court cost but not hopeful. It was £70 which me and her dad will write off for her. It is so frustrating that we have had to go down that route to get anything back but at least we have had a result.
Good luck everybody.

cakeisalwaystheanswer · 29/07/2020 13:04

Other than the £70 that is good to hear Tnt, well done!

Tntwalters · 29/07/2020 13:48

A further update. Our daughter has also found out this morning that her friend who started legal action the day before her got her refund back yesterday. It seems that might be the only way of getting anything back!!

Original poster
hellsbells99 · 01/08/2020 00:17

Thanks for the updates.
We are still waiting to hear from our insurance claim otherwise we will be going down the same route as you

OP posts:
Charlotte01 · 05/08/2020 14:04

My daughter (Bristol uni) has just had an email saying refund coming in 5 days!!! Hope everyone got this

Original poster
hellsbells99 · 13/10/2020 09:36

Our insurance claim has just been rejected saying we have no claim as wasteland have offered to reschedule the holiday for a later date. Not much good as DD is now working plus it’s unlikely that ski holidays will be going ahead this season without the need to quarantine etc. So we will now go down the small claims court route.

OP posts:
Original poster
hellsbells99 · 13/10/2020 13:17

@Tntwalters and @Charlotte01 any advice over claiming through small claims court? Was it quite simple? thanks

OP posts:
Charlotte01 · 13/10/2020 13:44

I didn’t go through the small
Claims court in the end. I threatened on several occasions and sent lots of emails and then they emailed my daughter offering a full refund.
I did speak to another parent via Facebook and she said the same thing - she didn’t actually have to take court action - they paid after she threatened legal action.

It’s moneyclaim.gov.uk and costs £60 apparently

Don’t give up. There are so many similar stories on Trustpilot Xx

Tntwalters · 14/10/2020 08:36

Hi.
I did go through the small claims court and it was simple. The most complicated part was pulling together all the contact dates and times I had had with Wasteland ski as you haBe to list what steps you have taken to resolve the matter yourselves, so maybe have this before you start the process, but overall the process took less than 15 minutes. I also included the £60 fee in the claim, which they didn’t pay when the settled. However, one follow up email and we got this back too.
Good luck, please keep us posted.

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