Holiday from hell? How to claim compensation
What a shame it is when you arrive at your hotel to find the pool’s out of action for the next two weeks, or that there’s a building site next door with drilling starts at 7 each morning – just hours after the nearby nightclub stops pounding.
Miles Brignall told what we can - and can't - claim for if our summer break went seriously wrong.
1. Loss of value - This should represent the difference in price between the holiday you paid for and what you got. For example, if you were moved to a cheaper hotel because of overbooking, you should claim the difference in price between the two hotels.
2. Out-of-pocket-expenses - If the hotel food provided as part of a package was inedible, or the room inhabitable – and you were forced to buy alternatives – claim back the cost.
3. Loss of enjoyment This is money to compensate you for the disappointment and distress caused by things going wrong (for example, the pool was out of action or the promised children club was cancelled).
It is greatly help claims if you will show your diary of how the problems affected you with photos, videos, adresses and names.
You should complain to the trader in writing within 28 days, and send the claim by recorded delivery – with copies (not the originals) of all supporting evidence. Also it's necessary to keep a log of the claims process.
But if the claim is rejected you should appeal to an independent arbitration service or to the small claims court.
I think that it's awfull when it turns out that scheduled vacations do not correspond to the reality for which you have paid. Because you've worked hard, you've carefully selected and planned your holidays! It's not fair! So I think each person having occured in such situation should not be lazy! He (She) should definetly claim compensation! But still... holidays would be spoiled and it means you don't have a rest well. I am glad that it hasn't ever occured to me, but also I find this article quite useful, at least now i know my rights.
Questions for groupmates:
1. How do you plan your holidays? (maybe you use travel agency services)
2. Have you ever had such holiday from hell?
3. If you were in such situation, what would you do?
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ОтветитьУдалитьUsually my brother or parents plan our holiday but once I was entrusted with the task and it was a hell - I had to look through different hotels and prices and finally when I burst up my brother had to do it again. When I travel with my parents it's always a kind of adventure because they never book something beforehand and we have to take a decision where to stay right after arrival ( sure it wasn't far foreign countries, only Russia and the Ukraine). And once I had a holiday from hell but, thanks God, the cause wasn't a bad service or wrong hotel. It was my neighbour. I had to live next to my best friend and it was a real nightmare. We had daily quarrels because of her caprices.
ОтветитьУдалитьIf I had problems during my holidays connected with the article I think, unfortunately, I wouldn't take any steps. There two reasons of such behaviour. The first and the main one is my character - I'm too coward to require about some compensations. The second reason is rest. I mean when you have rest you really don't want any doing with papers or taking photos of damages. But I hope that if I confront such problems I will at least try to solve them
As a rule my boyfried plans our holidays, because he's a travel agent. Recently we've had such situation. We were going to Spain. When we arrived at the airport, we found out that our laggage had been lost and nobody knew where it was. It was terrible, because we were given no garanties, that our clothes would be returned at all. That was the arline's fault we were flying by. In three days it was found to our happiness. We became really surprised, when we noticed the sticker from Antalia/Turkey on our bags. I think, of course, we should know our right and fight for them. It can help to reduce the amount of such situations.
ОтветитьУдалитьUsually, if I have holiday with my parents they plan all by themselves so I am not worried about things which have to be planned and done. Recently the situation was changed and two previous times I spent holiday with my friends, therefore we planned all together. In both cases we used travel agency service. We just asked travel agents to choose us a good and youth hotel which would be situated in place (perhaps, near the center of the city) where we could go for a walk in the evenings.
ОтветитьУдалитьFortunately, I haven’t had such awful experience as Nastya or Sveta (and I wouldn't like). But if I had I wouldn’t ask compensation, my reasons are absolutely the same as Sveta’s. Although if holiday was really from hell…I suppose I would try to claim compensation
P.S. Nastya, thank you for article. It is very useful and informative.
Usually, I don't travel somewhere far away so it's difficult for me to had such holidays. All my trips I plan by myself or my mother helps me. I tried to be sure in everything. In future I want to travel somewhere and I also will plan everything by myself. And if something happen it will be up to me (except delaying flight).
ОтветитьУдалитьIf I had such situation I wouldn't ask compensation because I'm too shy and it's my problem. Probably, somebody who would travel with me could ask compensation I hope, but of course I don't want to have such holiday from hell.
I don't usually plan things like that. For me it's always a spontaneous decision. And in most cases I regret later,mostly because of all paper work and packing. I hate packing and unpacking. It's so...annoying and hard. Anyway, I've never really had "a holiday from hell", but If I was in this kind of situation I'd probably say smth like "It's not worth fighting".Because I'm just like that, a lazy piece of poop.
ОтветитьУдалитьI love planning my holidays.I think it's very important to keep things under control. I've never experienced this kind of holiday. If I had one,I'd sue all the hotel for ruining my deserved holiday!
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ОтветитьУдалитьAlmost all the trips I had were planned by me and my boyfriend without any help of the agencies and all of them becаme an exciting adventure and priceless experience .. But my first trip abroad without parents was organised by the agency because I had neither the strength nor the time. I can't say I these holidays in Italy were from hell but there were some obvious disadvantages such as unbelievably long transfers, tiny and narrow hotel rooms, lack of organization during the excursions. In general there was no need for claiming any compensations but the best time I spent in Rome making my 3 days on my own!
ОтветитьУдалитьIf I faced any real problems I would definitely fight for my rights.. There's not enough people in our country knowing and defending their rights. Unfortunately, I don't know them perfectly but my first step after any situations as Nastya described would be googling the way of solving the problem. I'm sure that compensation helps not to feel so unfortunate after spoilt holidays and provides you with an intention to go on the next ones as soon as you can..
Thanks a lot for such article.. All of us want to travel but in our age we can't have necessary experience of doing it right so I believe your report is extremely helpful and of current interest.