London hotel refusing refund

Argo foc yourself

I am supposed to be staying in London this week. In light of Boris Johnson's announcement last night, I contacted the hotel and they refuse to offer me a refund. They have said that I can have a change of date up to end of year at a cost of £50stg.

They have said I am more than welcome to arrive and stay tonight. However, that would go against government directive and I could face a fine or jail.

Is there anything I can do? Are they legally entitled to do this?

This is it

Is it against government directive?

If it is then send them an email and advise the same. Suggest the next step is the consumer watchdog

https://www.gov.uk/consumer-protection-rights

sondagefaux

Hotels have been ordered to close, so they have to offer you a refund. Small claims court (can all be done online) if they don't.

Bikerman2019

For simplicity, could you not do a chargeback. The bank would be well aware of the UK situation. (and ours)

seagull

sondagefaux wrote: »

Hotels have been ordered to close, so they have to offer you a refund. Small claims court (can all be done online) if they don't.

What happens to people who have wound up stranded in a hotel? If someone lives in a country that no airline is currently flying to, where are they supposed to stay if all the hotels are closed?

Argo foc yourself

seagull wrote: »

What happens to people who have wound up stranded in a hotel? If someone lives in a country that no airline is currently flying to, where are they supposed to stay if all the hotels are closed?

from what i have read. People who are currently in hotels or those that live there long time are allowed to stay in the hotels

sondagefaux

seagull wrote: »

What happens to people who have wound up stranded in a hotel? If someone lives in a country that no airline is currently flying to, where are they supposed to stay if all the hotels are closed?

There are some exceptions, including for long-term residents, but most hotels won't be open. And even if a hotel is open for the exceptional cases, it's still closed to normal guests, so it should offer refunds.

Batgurl

Who did you book through?

Hotels.com are offering free cancellation (or worst case scenario a credit). Can you try with whoever you booked through?

Alternatively, travel insurance?

Fann Linn

Article in this mornings IT on about plenty in the travel industry playing loose with the rules with regard to Covid 19 crisis.

Maybe time for the EU to get involved before peak holiday time.

Argo foc yourself

Batgurl wrote: »

Who did you book through?

Hotels.com are offering free cancellation (or worst case scenario a credit). Can you try with whoever you booked through?

Alternatively, travel insurance?

booking.com. They refuse to give me a refund and they have also refused to give booking.com a refund. They are playing serious hard ball.

Argo foc yourself

Fann Linn wrote: »

Article in this mornings IT on about plenty in the travel industry playing loose with the rules with regard to Covid 19 crisis.

Maybe time for the EU to get involved before peak holiday time.

EU have no say in London anymore!

Batgurl

Argo foc yourself wrote: »

EU have no say in London anymore!

Not true. They have a say until 31 December at the earliest. Unfortunately for the OP, EU regulations only apply to hotel+flight bookings, not hotel only bookings.

OP your best bet is to put pressure on Booking.com. That’s who your contract is with. It’s pretty poor form that they’ll allow the hotel to do that to you.

endacl

sondagefaux wrote: »

Small claims court (can all be done online) if they don't.

Different jurisdiction.

Fieldsman

I booked a hotel in Dublin recently and although they have my card details they didn't put it through so I was free to cancel just two days before

Darc19

Argo foc yourself wrote: »

booking.com. They refuse to give me a refund and they have also refused to give booking.com a refund. They are playing serious hard ball.

Booking.com is simply a facilitator. Sort of like a fancy advertising site.

Listings are operated by the property itself not booking.com

Darc19

sondagefaux wrote: »

Hotels have been ordered to close, so they have to offer you a refund. Small claims court (can all be done online) if they don't.

Can you show me where that is said?

Hotels are still open in the uk.

Batgurl

Darc19 wrote: »

Booking.com is simply a facilitator. Sort of like a fancy advertising site.

Listings are operated by the property itself not booking.com

Nope. If you pre-pay on Booking.com, they are the merchant of record and therefore they are the ones holding your cash until you check in to your hotel, when they will then transfer the cash to your hotel, minus their commission. There they are who your contract is with.

If you selected pay on arrival, then the hotel is the merchant of record but normally in this instance, you can cancel right up to the hotels normal cancellation window. So I feel like OP selected pre-pay and so their contract is with Booking.com.

un5byh7sqpd2x0

Darc19 wrote: »

Can you show me where that is said?

Hotels are still open in the uk.

A lot are shutting down. A mate of mine was asked to leave one, was booked in for the rest of the week

Argo foc yourself

Darc19 wrote: »

Can you show me where that is said?

Hotels are still open in the uk.

This is a link to the official state of the nation speech from British prime minister Borris johnson. It is a link to the British government website

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-address-to-the-nation-on-coronavirus-23-march-2020

In his speech he states the following points:

From this evening I must give the British people a very simple instruction - you must stay at home.

Because the critical thing we must do is stop the disease spreading between households.

That is why people will only be allowed to leave their home for the following very limited purposes:

shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible
one form of exercise a day - for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household;
any medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person; and
travelling to and from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home.
That’s all - these are the only reasons you should leave your home.

Furthermore he went on to state: If you don’t follow the rules the police will have the powers to enforce them, including through fines and dispersing gatherings.

El Tarangu

I thought with Booking.com you weren't charged anything with the initial booking, you just pay upon arrival (and can cancel up to 48 hours before or something with no penalty)

Batgurl

El Tarangu wrote: »

I thought with Booking.com you weren't charged anything with the initial booking, you just pay upon arrival (and can cancel up to 48 hours before or something with no penalty)

That’s what their marketing spiel would have you believe.

But in reality they have pre-pay rates and free cancellation rates the same as any other online booking site. Free cancellation prices are usually are usually more expensive.

If the OP’s money is already taken, they must have opted for pre-pay rate.

sondagefaux

endacl wrote: »

Different jurisdiction.

You don't have to live in England or the UK to sue someone in an English court.