wrong holiday price displayed

help2010

i booked accommodation last night on a website for a hotel in spain. the price quoted was 300 euro. i checked it quite a lot that day to make sure it was genuine. i booked this accommodation and then booked my flights. i received an email confirmation and an accommodation voucher to present on arrival at the hotel. today 17 hours later i got an email from the website i booked the accommodation on. they stated it was a system error and im now obliged to pay the 1200 extra that was ommited from the price. surely as i was a system error and i got my confirmation email, that they are obliged to sell me the holiday at this price. i hope u can help as im furious at the extra amount they require

3DataModem

help2010 wrote: »

i booked accommodation last night on a website for a hotel in spain. the price quoted was 300 euro. i checked it quite a lot that day to make sure it was genuine. i booked this accommodation and then booked my flights. i received an email confirmation and an accommodation voucher to present on arrival at the hotel. today 17 hours later i got an email from the website i booked the accommodation on. they stated it was a system error and im now obliged to pay the 1200 extra that was ommited from the price. surely as i was a system error and i got my confirmation email, that they are obliged to sell me the holiday at this price. i hope u can help as im furious at the extra amount they require

Do you think it was a system error?

Brimmy

I'm sure in their terms and conditions they're covered for mistakes etc. You're probably entitled to your money back but you shouldn't be under any obligation to pay the remaining charges.

help2010

to be honest i dont think it was. if it was a system error why did the other hotels on that page not display incorrect prices. it said it was a may special offer so i jumped at it. as u would. i think if it was a system error than many hotels on that page would have displayed incorrect prices and not just that one

help2010

ya they said i could have a refund but i have already flights booked. so i stil need accommodation. i just dont think that its very fair that they quoted a may special and then said it was a system error.

Nody

Clearly seeing how there appear to be a huge discrepancy (1500 vs. 300 EUR cost) you should have been suspicious of such a price.

Cabaal

Unless they already completed the contract by charging you the 300e prior to seeing the error you don't have a leg to stand on, you can cancel the booking though

But even if they did charge you I'm sure there T&C's cover them

P. Breathnach

Cabaal wrote: »

Unless they already completed the contract by charging you the 300e prior to seeing the error you don't have a leg to stand on...

Not so. Vendor offers, purchaser says "I accept", and an enforceable contract exists. Performance can come later. In any event, it looks as if there was some performance, because OP received an accommodation voucher.

If a vendor describes something as a "special offer", it is a bit more difficult to back out of a contract citing T&Cs. Not impossible, though.

The problems OP might face are more practical than legal. The main one is jurisdiction. In what country was the contract made, and if it comes to legal proceedings, where would you go to court? If the agent with whom you booked is Irish, it might be worth rattling the sabre with talk of litigation; if the agency is outside Ireland, the trouble and expense of pursuing the matter is disproportionate to the possible benefit.

jor el

Tricky situation. Since payment has been accepted (I assume so anyway) and you have your ticket (voucher), then it would appear the transaction is complete and valid. However, since you booked through an intermediary, you can fairly safely assume that your accommodation will not be booked by them, so your voucher is worthless. Making the intermediary honour the deal will be difficult, especially if the website is based outside of Ireland. If it's in the EU, then you should contact the European Consumer Centre, and see if they can advise you.

P. Breathnach

jor el wrote: »

Tricky situation. Since payment has been accepted (I assume so anyway)

Even if money has not changed hands, a clear agreement on payment is sufficient.

and you have your ticket (voucher), then it would appear the transaction is complete and valid. However, since you booked through an intermediary, you can fairly safely assume that your accommodation will not be booked by them, so your voucher is worthless...

That depends on the status of the intermediary. Under Irish law, the intermediary might be regarded as the agent of the vendor, and that would make the voucher valid.

It's far more complicated both in law and in practical procedure when the parties are in different jurisdictions.

slowmoe

op something very similar happened to me a few years ago with a shower called bestattravel.co.uk they advertised a special offer price, i booked then was contacted for a massive amount as their website had an error apparently. The person who emailed me said ah sure if it was really that price we offered you i'd be going myself anyhow i pushed it with them and ended up really wishing i'd walked away.

When i got to the place there was no room, then there was a crap room, when my booking was for a studio with sea view and kitchenette etc, this was just an en suite room with a view of another room! I kept contacting them to rectify it and they ignored my emails, when i got in touch with manager over the phone he was extremely rude, started going nuts at me that all his staff had warned him against dealing with us but in the interest of customer care he wanted to 'help' us and now wished he hadn't as we were nightmare customers :eek: all we wanted was what we paid for and trying to get it and that company absolutely ruined the holiday.

If i were you i would look for alternative accomodation and then accept the refund, just from experience i wouldn't want to get my holiday ruined again

jor el

P. Breathnach wrote: »

That depends on the status of the intermediary. Under Irish law, the intermediary might be regarded as the agent of the vendor, and that would make the voucher valid.

I agree, it should be valid under law, but unless the intermediary actually books with the end supplier, the voucher is worthless. Turning up to the hotel with that will get you nowhere.

slowmoe's warning should be headed. There's no telling what kind of room or service you could expect on arrival.

TheDriver

I find booking through intermediateries can be a nightmare as hotel puts you in the worst rooms,depending on how busy they are.........