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hippo

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Any body else affected by this ?

Been informed by my hotel that my accommodation vouchers are no longer valid - so not only do I have to pay again - I have to pay £2100 -Rather than the £1400 i had orignally paid - they have said I now need to take 2 rooms - as I can't have a family room with 3 adults  and that Low Cost Holidays shouldn't have made such a booking.

Insurance won't cover it 

People have said I make a claim on my credit card under section 75 - but reading the small print not sure if they can wriggle out - as I don't have a direct contract with the Hotel 

Any advice folks - especially on the likelihood of a section 75 claim be successful 

 

 

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30 minutes ago, hippo said:

 

People have said I make a claim on my credit card under section 75 - but reading the small print not sure if they can wriggle out - as I don't have a direct contract with the Hotel 

 

 

I'm not sure why you think this matters.

You paid for a service, and the company that you do have a contract with to provide this service has gone bust. You'll get every penny back, and this is why it's always best to make big purchases on a credit card.

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2 minutes ago, TrentVilla said:

 

Hmm then CC is your only real hope I'd say.

Yes thats my conclusion. I just wanted to know the probability of me getting my money back.

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I've used Low Cost Holidays 4 times in the past 3 years, and always paid by debit card rather than credit card. 

I was about to book my Christmas holiday though them as well, but i left it a couple of weeks to see what the fallout of Brexit was. A very close escape!

I think the credit card should cover the refund for you.

Why doesn't the travel insurance cover it? Whilst they won't pay for the new room, they should give you back your full original cost that you paid out. Then you would need to find a new holiday to book.

 

Edited by ender4
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Just now, Davkaus said:

I'm not sure why you think this matters.

You paid for a service, and the company that you do have a contract with to provide this service has gone bust. You'll get every penny back, and this is why it's always best to make big purchases on a credit card.

Is that your opinion - or do you speak from experience ?  

do I get the £1400 I originally paid - or £2100 to make the holiday good ?

If I pay £2100 - could the cc company say its no like for like or the booking was never valid in the first place ?  (originally i booked 1 room - but when rebooking I need 2)

 

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1 hour ago, hippo said:

People have said I make a claim on my credit card under section 75 - but reading the small print not sure if they can wriggle out - as I don't have a direct contract with the Hotel 

Any advice folks - especially on the likelihood of a section 75 claim be successful 

Here's the link to the MSE page on Section 75 stuff:

Quote

Your secret financial super-hero: Section 75 laws mean your credit card must protect purchases over £100 for free, so if there's a problem you could get your money back.

This full detailed Q&A guide shows you how to maximise your protection, when Section 75 covers you and when it doesn't and includes free template letters for making Section 75 claims to your credit provider.

 

Edited by snowychap
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6 minutes ago, snowychap said:

Here's the link to the MSE page on Section 75 stuff:

 

Some of that is wrong though. Its already been updated this morning

"Section 75 for travel agents is more complicated however" 

Martin Lewis doesn't run that site any more - and the 'Check here for updates'  smacks of click bait to be honest

 

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Just now, hippo said:

Some of that is wrong though. Its already been updated this morning

What part of it is wrong?

If you know more about section 75 than that site then why are yuo asking people on VT about it?

1 minute ago, hippo said:

"Section 75 for travel agents is more complicated however"

Sounds like they reckon that section 75 is more complicated for travel agents. Are they wrong?

2 minutes ago, hippo said:

Martin Lewis doesn't run that site any more

He no longer owns it. He is still the 'founder and chair' of MSE as it says on the header of each page of the website.

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26 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

Obviously you're not going to get £2,100. Why would you?

Why obviously ? - don't you mean IMO.

I have flights which cost £1000 - they are still valid. Somefolks are saying though that they are useless without the hotel - and putting a section 75 claim in for the whole lot.

I don't think anybody knows - and I would disagree that anything at this stage is Obvious. 

It will probably come down to financial ombudsman - but these regulatory bodies don't have the power they once did. a couple of years back..One ABTA bonded travel agent sold me a 'Family' holiday - for a hotel that was being used by clubbers and couples. ABTA wouldn't do anything. Thankfully a direct email to the hotel got the booking changed 

 

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Here's the MSE article on this collapse, assuming it's not 'wrong' and isn't clickbait :rolleyes::

Quote

Lowcostholidays collapses – your rights as 140,000 hit by travel chaos

The travel plans of almost 140,000 holidaymakers have been thrown into total chaos by the collapse of online travel agency Lowcostholidays on the eve of the peak holiday season.

Those hit include 27,000 people already abroad, and a further 110,000 who have booked but not travelled yet, according to administrator Smith and Williamson. Many flight bookings should still be honoured - it's those with hotel bookings that will be hardest hit as many bookings have been cancelled.

The failure also means those due to travel may have to rebook at inflated last-minute prices to continue with their holiday.

...more on link

 

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2 minutes ago, snowychap said:

What part of it is wrong?

If you know more about section 75 than that site then why are yuo asking people on VT about it?

Sounds like they reckon that section 75 is more complicated for travel agents. Are they wrong?

He no longer owns it. He is still the 'founder and chair' of MSE as it says on the header of each page of the website.

OK My bad - Im not a rich bloke and £2k is a hell lot of money to me.

My point was the site is saying youre covered under section 75 .......then the disclaimer - its more complicated when dealing with a travel agent.

My feeling is section 75 isn't bombproof. 

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A credit card company isn't going to give you money you aren't, in essence, contracted with them for. You used the card for £1400, assuming the law sides with you on a full refund (I've no idea the ins and outs), you'll get £1400 back and no more. 

That what you paid £1400 for is now 'worth' £2100 isn't the credit card company's problem.

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Couple of weeks ago I booked a weekend away for me and some friends in Spain at the end of the year.

Luckily I 1) paid on a credit card and 2) only paid the minimum now with the balance to pay in September.

It was about £600 for the 5 of us and the initial payment was minimum £450ish. Looking at the CC bill, £370 has gone directly to Ryaniar for the flights so I guess that should be fine as it was payment in full. The other £75 is to lowcostholidays so I guess I need to claw that back from my CC supplier (and re-book the hotel).

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49 minutes ago, Genie said:

Couple of weeks ago I booked a weekend away for me and some friends in Spain at the end of the year.

Luckily I 1) paid on a credit card and 2) only paid the minimum now with the balance to pay in September.

It was about £600 for the 5 of us and the initial payment was minimum £450ish. Looking at the CC bill, £370 has gone directly to Ryaniar for the flights so I guess that should be fine as it was payment in full. The other £75 is to lowcostholidays so I guess I need to claw that back from my CC supplier (and re-book the hotel).

So long as you have confirmation from Ryan Air. and log into manage my flight - if you can't ryan air are making surcharges.

 

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20 minutes ago, hippo said:

So long as you have confirmation from Ryan Air. and log into manage my flight - if you can't ryan air are making surcharges.

 

Yes, the flight is showing as 'confirmed so I guess that's sorted. I can see the same hotel on booking.com for the same price so I'll ebook tonight.

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As someone said earlier this is good reason to book holidays on credit cards... and post Brexit vote, with people keeping their powder dry regarding booking anything, this could be the first of a number of travel agents to go to the wall.

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