CHOICE BOOKINGS LTD

Company refused to offer a full refund due to personal situation changing which is out of our control. My mother has been diagnosed with life ending cancer and unable to travel, which is also what healthcare professionals have advised, yet company only have a refund of £1512. I want a full refund

Phone call and emails - no response

30/06/2023

This filed complaint has no legal validity with Choice Bookings LTD. Doug Spendlove is not a registered client of Choice Bookings LTD thus this is the wrong person targeting the wrong company. Choice Bookings LTD is an independent company which earns a booking fee for making the booking. This was actioned and completed accordingly. The fee earned by by Choice Bookings LTD for making the booking by Mr Spendlove was GBP151.20 The legal contract is between a Mr Keith Spendlove and the proprietor of the holiday cottage and not with Choice Bookings LTD Mr Spendlove was refunded GBP 1,512.00 (circa 50%) by the owner. CHOICE acts on behalf of the owner. The contract is facilitated between the guest and the owner and CHOICE has no jurisdiction over the the funds exchanged between guest and owner. CHOICE is the agent and does not have the authority to enforce refunds other than according to the legal compensations as entitled by the guest and determined and authorised by the owner. See correspondence with Mr Spendlove according to the email records. Dear Mr Spendlove We are very sorry to hear of your difficult circumstances. As instructed, we will try and resell the period on your behalf and have released availability straight away. Please can you contact your insurance provider for a refund. Herewith an excerpt from our terms and conditions in respect of cancellations. 10 Cancellation Plan / Insurance 10.1 You will need to arrange a Cancellation Plan / Travel Insurance in order that all persons are covered under a Master Plan/ Policy in respect of death of a party member listed in the booking, serious illness or accident and summons for jury duty. Please note: Most Cancellation Insurance Policies will not cover you against deciding you do not want the holiday, or cannot afford it, or divorce, or move house, or cancellation due to a pre-existing illness from which you knew you were suffering when making the booking. 10.2 In the event of a cancellation for reasons not covered under Our Terms and Conditions and where you have not taken out a Cancellation Plan / Travel Insurance, we will make reasonable efforts to re-let the property (as we do with all cancellations) and if we succeed you will receive a refund. The refund will be the sum recovered by us through re-letting, less the Booking Deposit which will be assumed to be one third of the full letting tariff of the given days booked, plus other nominal fees such as credit card transaction fees and a £50 administration fee. (Note: If the holiday home is re-let for a discounted amount, your refund will be for the discounted rate at which the property was re-let minus the aforementioned costs.) 10.3 However, if we are unsuccessful in re-letting, you will be liable for the full cost of the letting. In any event, the balance of any monies due must be paid to us ten weeks before the start of the holiday in the usual way, unless you have already been informed that your claim has been accepted by Insurers or the property is re-let. If not, the balance will pursued through legal channels. 10.4 Cancellation should be notified by telephone as soon as possible and confirmed in writing or by email within seven days of the event leading to a cancellation. All cancellations will need to be done through your elected policy provider and Choice Cottages will charge a £50 administration fee plus VAT, which you will need to submit to your Insurance as part of your claim.