While holidays are characterized by exciting and wonderful times, not all vacations are like this. Things can go wrong, including your accommodation.
Sometimes, you might end up in a hotel from hell. The room isn’t what you expected, room service is a joke, and the amenities mentioned on a website are not what they are in person. In some cases, problems like these might be so severe, you’ve put making a claim as a possible route of action to take.
If you are to claim holiday accommodation, here’s what you need to know to give yourself the highest chance of success.
1. Claiming on Vacation
Go to the receptionist and ask for a complaint form. Make sure that it is signed by the right people (staff or tour representative) to prove that the form is genuine.
Make sure that all evidence is captured using a camera. Don’t forget to write down the dates and any other relevant information that you can refer to later on just in case you forget. If you have any receipts, keep them safe with you, including the receipt of the new hotel you’ve changed to. Finally, ask anyone around, such as travellers, if they are willing to act as your witness to support your claim.
In the case that you’re offered compensation, make sure that it is adequate for your losses. If it is enough, you’re good to go. Otherwise, let it be made clear that you will claim more compensation later on when you get home.
2. Claiming From Home
Once hell is all over, and you’ve made your way home, you might decide right then to claim the accommodation. If you’re in this situation, make sure that you write the complaint as soon as possible.
Send a letter to the customer service of the party involved, whether it’s the service provider who organized the accommodation for you or the hotel chain (whichever company owns the hotel). Make sure that the letter contains all relevant information, such as your booking references, along with what complaints you have. Don’t forget to include the actions you want to happen to compensate for your loss.
Evidence-wise, make sure that you have a photo of them all and include them in the mail. Keep the physical evidence, such as receipts, safe as well so that you can refer to it later should a need come to be.
If you’ve paid for the accommodation using a credit card, you might even be able to claim the credit card company.
In summary, by making it clear what your problem is and backing up your complaint with plenty of evidence, you give yourself the highest chance of success. In the case that they deny your claim or ignore you completely, don’t forget that you can still bring your complaints to a trade body. If you’re in the UK, the ABTA is the organization in mind. You can complain to them using an online hub, but remember that the company you’re complaining against can see the claim as well.
If you’re looking to claim compensation on mis-sold holiday accommodation in the UK, get in touch with Consumer Reclaim today to see how we can help you.