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Imagine Ireland Disaster!!

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  • 18-04-2015 7:54pm
    #1
    lemon48
    Registered Users Posts: 27 ✭


    Myself and 5 of my friends recently booked a cottage through the company Imagine Ireland.
    We had fully paid the deposit of 125Euro to the company. We received a confirmation email
    which also enclosed the balance due. 2 days before we were due to pay the balance, we received an email saying that our booking had been cancelled. According to Imagine Ireland, the owner took issue to the fact we were a young group, and so our booking was cancelled. We were then told that Imagine Ireland were not going to refund the deposit, as cancellation means the deposit is non refundable. However, we were not the ones who cancelled it, it was the owner! Surely as the cancellation was out of our control, we are entitled to the 125euro deposit back?

    Has anyone else ever had this sort of problem with Imagine Ireland?


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    #2
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 68,910 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Did you pay the deposit by card? Request a chargeback as the service paid for was not provided.

    If not it'd be small claims court time.


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    #3
    Piriz
    Registered Users Posts: 1,269 ✭✭✭Piriz


    age discrimination case against the owner / company, threaten to take them both to the small claims court...


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    #4
    lemon48
    Registered Users Posts: 27 ✭lemon48


    L1011 wrote: »
    Did you pay the deposit by card? Request a chargeback as the service paid for was not provided.

    If not it'd be small claims court time.


    Thank you very much for your reply! We paid through an O2 store card which is essentially like a debit card. Do you know if we are legally entitled to a chargeback? The service was clearly not provided as booking has been cancelled


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    #5
    lemon48
    Registered Users Posts: 27 ✭lemon48


    Piriz wrote: »
    age discrimination case against the owner / company, threaten to take them both to the small claims court...

    Yes that's our next step, if we do not get a chargeback.....


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    #6
    hopgog
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭hopgog


    lemon48 wrote: »
    Yes that's our next step, if we do not get a chargeback.....

    How young are ye, what's the age range of the group having to use an 02 card seems odd did none of you have a debt or credit card.


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    #7
    lemon48
    Registered Users Posts: 27 ✭lemon48


    hopgog wrote: »
    How young are ye, what's the age range of the group having to use an 02 card seems odd did none of you have a debt or credit card.

    Our group ranges from 17-19 years of age and we did have a debit card, however an O2 card was more practical for us at the time


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    #8
    hopgog
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭hopgog


    lemon48 wrote: »
    Our group ranges from 17-19 years of age and we did have a debit card, however an O2 card was more practical for us at the time

    How many beds in the house, did you break any terms like 5 people for a 4 person house. I can understand why the owner would be worried, so many students book places this time of year for an end of year party and wreak the place.

    Also I can't see minors being allowed to stay without a parent so you might have broken term and conditions so would not be due a refund if so.

    How was a 02 card more practical, they are hassle and only good when you want to pay anonymous so it cannot be traced back. It's never easier to pay with an o2 card when you have your own debt or laser card.


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    #9
    lemon48
    Registered Users Posts: 27 ✭lemon48


    hopgog wrote: »
    How many beds in the house, did you break any terms like 5 people for a 4 person house. I can understand why the owner would be worried, so many students book places this time of year for an end of year party and wreak the place.

    Also I can't see minors being allowed to stay without a parent so you might have broken term and conditions so would not be due a refund if so.

    How was a 02 card more practical, they are hassle and only good when you want to pay anonymous so it cannot be traced back. It's never easier to pay with an o2 card when you have your own debt or laser card.

    We didn't break any of the terms, we had 5 people staying in a 5 bed house, the company were fine as the 19 year old in our group agreed to cover the insurance if anything was damaged and the company said this was fine as the 19 year old was an adult and therefore was considered the party leader.
    I understand why the owner was worried, but we had no intention to wreck the place and you cannot tar all students with the same brush, not every young person has intentions to wreck houses, we were simply going for a relaxing break.
    It was more practical as we physically handed the money to our party leader who was able to put that money on his O2 money card as an O2 store was located right beside the area and therefore was more practical from a safety point of view


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    #10
    hopgog
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭hopgog


    lemon48 wrote: »
    We didn't break any of the terms, we had 5 people staying in a 5 bed house, the company were fine as the 19 year old in our group agreed to cover the insurance if anything was damaged and the company said this was fine as the 19 year old was an adult and therefore was considered the party leader.
    I understand why the owner was worried, but we had no intention to wreck the place and you cannot tar all students with the same brush, not every young person has intentions to wreck houses, we were simply going for a relaxing break.
    It was more practical as we physically handed the money to our party leader who was able to put that money on his O2 money card as an O2 store was located right beside the area and therefore was more practical from a safety point of view

    You really should have got a parent to pay with a real credit card especially when there is minors in the group so the owner would have a traceable person to go after. No one plans to trash a place just youth and drink lead to It happening.

    Now it's up to to ask for a refund and hope you didn't break any small print in the contract. But I would be surprised there was not something about minors needing to be accompanied by a adult relative as the owners insurance probably wouldn't cover them if they allowed a minor without an adult relative.


    Maybe ask the company to put you in contact with the owner and get your parnets to go on the contract and pay a bigger deposit incase of damage. The reason hotels and the likes take real cards is so they can charge for any damage done using the prepay untraceable to get around it looks bad.


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    #11
    lemon48
    Registered Users Posts: 27 ✭lemon48


    hopgog wrote: »
    You really should have got a parent to pay with a real credit card especially when there is minors in the group so the owner would have a traceable person to go after. No one plans to trash a place just youth and drink lead to It happening.

    Now it's up to to ask for a refund and hope you didn't break any small print in the contract. But I would be surprised there was not something about minors needing to be accompanied by a adult relative as the owners insurance probably wouldn't cover them if they allowed a minor without an adult relative.


    Maybe ask the company to put you in contact with the owner and get your parnets to go on the contract and pay a bigger deposit incase of damage. The reason hotels and the likes take real cards is so they can charge for any damage done using the prepay untraceable to get around it looks bad.

    We are minors, but we were accompanied by an adult (over 18) as our party leader was 19 years of age, so he is an adult. Also he is a relative of one of the members of our group. We genuinely are not the type of people to trash houses even after a few drinks, and we have stayed in houses before and nothing like that has happened . Obviously I totally understand why the owner was concerned , but if he was concerned surely he shouldn't have accepting the booking in the first place when he knew we were a young group?


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    #12
    lemon48
    Registered Users Posts: 27 ✭lemon48


    hopgog wrote: »
    You really should have got a parent to pay with a real credit card especially when there is minors in the group so the owner would have a traceable person to go after. No one plans to trash a place just youth and drink lead to It happening.

    Now it's up to to ask for a refund and hope you didn't break any small print in the contract. But I would be surprised there was not something about minors needing to be accompanied by a adult relative as the owners insurance probably wouldn't cover them if they allowed a minor without an adult relative.


    Maybe ask the company to put you in contact with the owner and get your parnets to go on the contract and pay a bigger deposit incase of damage. The reason hotels and the likes take real cards is so they can charge for any damage done using the prepay untraceable to get around it looks bad.

    We are minors, but we were accompanied by an adult (over 18) as our party leader was 19 years of age, so he is an adult. Also he is a relative of one of the members of our group. We genuinely are not the type of people to trash houses even after a few drinks, and we have stayed in houses before and nothing like that has happened . Obviously I totally understand why the owner was concerned , but if he was concerned surely he shouldn't have accepting the booking in the first place when he knew we were a young group?


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    #13
    hopgog
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭hopgog


    lemon48 wrote: »
    We are minors, but we were accompanied by an adult (over 18) as our party leader was 19 years of age, so he is an adult. Also he is a relative of one of the members of our group. We genuinely are not the type of people to trash houses even after a few drinks, and we have stayed in houses before and nothing like that has happened . Obviously I totally understand why the owner was concerned , but if he was concerned surely he shouldn't have accepting the booking in the first place when he knew we were a young group?

    Offer to pay a lager deposit on a real credit card to ease his worries.


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    #14
    lulu1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,815 ✭✭✭lulu1


    hopgog wrote: »
    You really should have got a parent to pay with a real credit card especially when there is minors in the group so the owner would have a traceable person to go after. No one plans to trash a place just youth and drink lead to It happening.

    Now it's up to to ask for a refund and hope you didn't break any small print in the contract. But I would be surprised there was not something about minors needing to be accompanied by a adult relative as the owners insurance probably wouldn't cover them if they allowed a minor without an adult relative.


    Maybe ask the company to put you in contact with the owner and get your parnets to go on the contract and pay a bigger deposit incase of damage. The reason hotels and the likes take real cards is so they can charge for any damage done using the prepay untraceable to get around it looks bad.

    OP The poster asked a simple question about their booking being cancelled at the last moment and what they should do. The way your're going on any one would think they were going to destroy the place. As for the o2 card a lot of young people have them my own teenagers do The poster said that the 02 card was handier for them at the time again you disputed this. OP I dont know if you have family but teenagers are not all bad in fact my own and their friends have never given their parents a days bother


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    #15
    lemon48
    Registered Users Posts: 27 ✭lemon48


    hopgog wrote: »
    Offer to pay a lager deposit on a real credit card to ease his worries.

    We'll do that, thanks for your help!


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    #16
    hopgog
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭hopgog


    lulu1 wrote: »
    OP The poster asked a simple question about their booking being cancelled at the last moment and what they should do. The way your're going on any one would think they were going to destroy the place. As for the o2 card a lot of young people have them my own teenagers do The poster said that the 02 card was handier for them at the time again you disputed this. OP I dont know if you have family but teenagers are not all bad in fact my own and their friends have never given their parents a days bother

    Hotels and holiday resort take cc so any damages can be added on later, using a 02 card when they had a real card is a way to avoid if damages happen. Pleanty of places have been damaged for end of year parties so obviously the landlord would be worried by a group of minors.

    They probably broke terms when only one minor was accompanied by a relative the others where not accompanied so insurance would not cover them.

    Only time I have ever seen someone use a prepaid card when they have a real card is when they don't want to be traceable


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    #17
    hopgog
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭hopgog


    boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057367830

    Here is a thread where even people with good intentions lead to damages at a youth party getaway


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    #18
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    6. AMENDMENTS OR CANCELLATION BY THE PROPERTY OWNER/ SERVICE

    PROVIDER




    Changes outside the control of the Property Owner/Service Provider occasionally

    occur and bookings have to be changed or cancelled or errors in brochure or other

    details corrected. The Property Owner/Service Provider will therefore reserve the right

    to do so. We are not liable for any changes, cancellations or errors made by a Property

    Owner/Service Provider (including the effect of any change or cancellation on any

    other services). Where a Property Owner cancels a booking or the property becomes

    unavailable for any reason, the Property Owner will, where reasonably possible,

    endeavour to offer you an alternative property or may ask us to suggest an alternative

    from those featured in our brochure or on our website in our capacity as agent. You

    will be responsible for meeting the cost of the alternative property but any amounts

    paid towards the cost of the cancelled booking may be credited by the Property

    Owner to the new booking.




    This is all it say in their booking conditions http://www.imagineireland.com/pdf/2015_booking-conditions.pdf when an owner cancels. nothing about getting the money back but the owner should pay it back imo.


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    #19
    jack1000
    Registered Users Posts: 66 ✭✭jack1000


    Go straight to the small claims court against imagine Ireland. They are the ones that sold you something not the landlord. It's a disgrace that they would try and hold on to your deposit.


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    #20
    MouseTail
    Registered Users Posts: 1,663 ✭✭✭MouseTail


    lemon48 wrote: »
    Yes that's our next step, if we do not get a chargeback.....
    People under the age of 18 are not covered under the Equal Status Act. I do think that if you disclosed your ages to Imagine Ireland and they accepted your booking, they should refund your deposit.
    However, the under 18s cannot enter a contract, so any case would need to be taken by the 19 year old and/or parents of the minors.


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    #21
    evolving_doors
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭evolving_doors


    MouseTail wrote: »
    People under the age of 18 are not covered under the Equal Status Act. I do think that if you disclosed your ages to Imagine Ireland and they accepted your booking, they should refund your deposit.
    However, the under 18s cannot enter a contract, so any case would need to be taken by the 19 year old and/or parents of the minors.

    How did the owner find out the ages if but for the fact that the OP declared them from the outset (or else the payment by O2 card was flagged). Either way OP the ownice is on the company as they took yer money and you werent deceiving in any way , this could easily be sorted by a email followed by a phonecall from a third party (a parent!).

    But offering to up the deposit and use credit card is a good idea too.


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    #22
    zagmund
    Registered Users Posts: 2,501 ✭✭✭zagmund


    Regardless of the age thing and the O2 card thing, it seems crazy that Joe Public can enter in a contract with Company Ltd, pay over money and then even though Joe did *nothing* the company cancels and refuses to refund the deposit. That's just pure nonsense on the part of the company. If they want to retain money from anyone retain it from the property owner that cancelled.

    For sure, things have to be cancelled on occasion, but there should never be a question of not refunding monies paid over in good faith.

    z


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    #23
    Marianne2
    Registered Users Posts: 32 ✭Marianne2


    All Imagine Ireland seem to say in their Terms & Conditions is that the lead member of the party must be over 18 years of age...which does appear to be the case here. I definitely feel you are entitled to deposit back here ...the only thing I would question..you say in your opening post that you and five friends etc etc (i.e. 6 people). Then later you say there would have been 5 of us in a 5 bed house...discrepancy here??


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    #24
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Deleted User wrote: »
    6. AMENDMENTS OR CANCELLATION BY THE PROPERTY OWNER/ SERVICE

    PROVIDER




    Changes outside the control of the Property Owner/Service Provider occasionally

    occur and bookings have to be changed or cancelled or errors in brochure or other

    details corrected. The Property Owner/Service Provider will therefore reserve the right

    to do so. We are not liable for any changes, cancellations or errors made by a Property

    Owner/Service Provider (including the effect of any change or cancellation on any

    other services). Where a Property Owner cancels a booking or the property becomes

    unavailable for any reason, the Property Owner will, where reasonably possible,

    endeavour to offer you an alternative property or may ask us to suggest an alternative

    from those featured in our brochure or on our website in our capacity as agent. You

    will be responsible for meeting the cost of the alternative property but any amounts

    paid towards the cost of the cancelled booking may be credited by the Property

    Owner to the new booking.




    This is all it say in their booking conditions http://www.imagineireland.com/pdf/2015_booking-conditions.pdf when an owner cancels. nothing about getting the money back but the owner should pay it back imo.

    They can say whatever they like in the small print but nothing they say can can remove any rights you have under Irish consumer law.

    I really doubt that will stand up in the Small Claims Court.


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    #25
    hopgog
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭hopgog


    my3cents wrote: »
    They can say whatever they like in the small print but nothing they say can can remove any rights you have under Irish consumer law.

    I really doubt that will stand up in the Small Claims Court.

    They over ocuippied 6 people to a 5 person place, only one minor had a adult relative coming, they boke terms the landlord is allowed to cancel and keep the deposit.


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    #26
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    hopgog wrote: »
    They over ocuippied 6 people to a 5 person place, only one minor had a adult relative coming, they boke terms the landlord is allowed to cancel and keep the deposit.

    The booking was accepted on the information supplied. There really is no way around not giving the money back.

    We don't know if it was 5 or 6 people for sure. I was out last night with 4 friends but I could describe the party as 5 friends.


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    #27
    hopgog
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭hopgog


    my3cents wrote: »
    The booking was accepted on the information supplied. There really is no way around not giving the money back.

    We don't know if it was 5 or 6 people for sure. I was out last night with 4 friends but I could describe the party as 5 friends.


    "Myself and 5 of my friends"

    Right there is the op that make 6 people, doesn't matter if they supplied info they broke terms and should of rang before bookin with minors and over occupying LL insurance would not cover the place with them.

    They made the error booking so the deposit is forfit


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    #28
    lemon48
    Registered Users Posts: 27 ✭lemon48


    hopgog wrote: »
    Hotels and holiday resort take cc so any damages can be added on later, using a 02 card when they had a real card is a way to avoid if damages happen. Pleanty of places have been damaged for end of year parties so obviously the landlord would be worried by a group of minors.

    They probably broke terms when only one minor was accompanied by a relative the others where not accompanied so insurance would not cover them.

    Only time I have ever seen someone use a prepaid card when they have a real card is when they don't want to be traceable

    We used a prepaid O2 card because as we explained, it was more practical from a safety point of view, we didn't even know that it wasn't traceable? It made more sense to go to the O2 shop than to take a 15 minute walk to the nearest bank with a lot of money in our procession. Also the terms and conditions said that 'the party leader must be an adult' which our party leader is? it does not say that all must be accompanied by a relative, only the party leader is responsible for the group and they must be an adult, which they are! we haven't broken the terms and conditions we read them carefully before booking


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    #29
    lemon48
    Registered Users Posts: 27 ✭lemon48


    lulu1 wrote: »
    OP The poster asked a simple question about their booking being cancelled at the last moment and what they should do. The way your're going on any one would think they were going to destroy the place. As for the o2 card a lot of young people have them my own teenagers do The poster said that the 02 card was handier for them at the time again you disputed this. OP I dont know if you have family but teenagers are not all bad in fact my own and their friends have never given their parents a days bother

    Thank you!! As you rightly pointed out, all teenagers are not the same and we are genuinely a responsible group, with good intentions. Obviously teenagers have a reputation, but its simply unfair to assume we all wreck houses because that's not the case. As for the O2 card, that's very true lots of young people have them and it was more practical from a safety point of view rather than walking to a bank 15mins away with a lot of money in our procession, in a busy area.


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    #30
    hopgog
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭hopgog


    lemon48 wrote: »
    Thank you!! As you rightly pointed out, all teenagers are not the same and we are genuinely a responsible group, with good intentions. Obviously teenagers have a reputation, but its simply unfair to assume we all wreck houses because that's not the case. As for the O2 card, that's very true lots of young people have them and it was more practical from a safety point of view rather than walking to a bank 15mins away with a lot of money in our procession, in a busy area.

    If you live a such a bad area you can't walk safely for 15 mins, you are not the type of group of underage kids I would want overcrowding my holiday home. Lot's of young people have 02 card cause they can't get a real card not cause they are handy, I pnly ever see friends use them to buy drugs online when it was to much hassle to get some bitcoin.


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    #31
    lemon48
    Registered Users Posts: 27 ✭lemon48


    hopgog wrote: »
    They over ocuippied 6 people to a 5 person place, only one minor had a adult relative coming, they boke terms the landlord is allowed to cancel and keep the deposit.

    Sorry, it was a 6 person place and we had 6 people coming? And the terms and conditions clearly said that only one adult was needed and there was more than one adult in our group


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