Holiday Gone Wrong...

[kate120]

Hello,

My friend and I booked holiday together but she stood me up. We managed to sort out the flights but an issue with accommodation we booked together has arisen. I paid for the accommodation (she contributed 50% of the cost) but after having changed the booking from 2 people to 1 person the difference is only of £56. She is demanding the original amount which is £212. What are her and my rights in this situation? Thank you in advance.
Kate

[CrapAtCryptics]

give her the difference she was the one who dropped out - why should you pay more.

[Bazile]

I think what you eventually decide to do , will depend on how much you value your continuing friendship

[EDDIE51]

Cost of 2 people booking holiday £424
Cost of same holiday for one person £368
Reduction due to cancelling one persons holiday £ 56
£56 is what you owe her. She asked you to cancel her holiday , it is not your fault that the cost of 2 people is only £56 more than the cost of 1 person.
Another way would be for her or you to find someone else to go with you, then she could have her £212 back.

[Quizproquo]

She agreed to the room at the price given. She then backed out of her own accord. You don't give the notice period she gave you a mention. How close to the actual date of the holiday did she say she wasn't going?
If you want to be fair, you give her back the amount left over from the actual cost of the room minus what you actually paid for it.
If this is £56.00, that's all she is entitled to. You should not be out of pocket for what was essentially her decision.

[Peter Pedant]

damn I did a long answer last night
that didnt get posted ( tenuous internet link )

first of all - good luck in the show down today !

second - tell the party that you are taking into account the loss you suffered in her rebate ( which I think we agree is £156 ). The legal ground is that the other party made a statement ( I will go on hollies with you ) on which your relied and as a result of which you (K) suffered loss.

eddie - I found the figures ambiguous but JTH did not:

holiday is £424 and paid for by Kate
that means £212 for each
cancellation
total cost of single accommodation is £268 which means that the difference is £56 ( 268-212 = 56 )
Kates loss is therefore £56
and this should be knocked off ( offset in a technical term ) the rebate which means (today!) that Kate should pay £156 to her friend ( 212-56 = 156 )

and if she wants the extra £56 she should sue ( court cost £80 - you have to be crazy to do go down that route )

as for the relationship - I think that is on the rocks anyway

[ surprisingly enough, if K would be willing ( she aint) to forego the £56 it means that she values the relationship at £56. Actually if they are quarrelling then the reln is over]

oh and the parents would be liable as well ( not both - one or the other ) as they have induced someone to break a contract ....

sorry it has turned out like this Kate
you now know who your frenz are ( or arent )

[Ellipsis]

Peter Pedant> total cost of single accommodation is £268

The way I read "having changed the booking from 2 people to 1 person the difference is only of £56", the total cost of single accommodation is (£424-£56=) £368 and therefore it's £56 that's owed to the friend.

[Peter Pedant]

yeah or no Ellipsis
I found it ambiguous and JTH didnt

I did do a general calculation using 'x' and Kate said "yeah but no but how much does it actually mean ?"

anyway I think we are near show-down hour !
will I see the nuclear confrontation from my front window ?

[mallyh]

perhaps she will change her mind when you tell her she is entitled to £56 .why have her parents told her not to go ?

[kate120]

Her parents - please do not ask me how old she is as you would not believe it! told her it was going to be too expensive for her to go.
She backed out 5-6 weeks after we booked flights and the accommodation but months before the actual holidays which is in 3 months, so she has given enough notice but according to the cancellation policy (strict) of that particular place it does not matter how soon the notice is given - if someone cancels, they are only entitled to 50% back, so that is why I have not searched for a new place to stay in as it would be too expensive and I would lose money. I am so stressed!!!

[kate120]

Peter Pedant - you make me laugh!

[Cloverjo]

Kate doesn't owe her friend anything, IMHO. The friend chose to back out after it had all been booked. Her loss. Why should Kate pay £56 to let her friend out of the agreement, and spend a holiday on her own when she'd planned to spend it with a friend?

[kate120]

Bazile - I wish it was that simple which perhaps it is but I am going far away and was hoping to have a good companion - luckily I love travelling solo n matter what! I will never make that mistake again - travelling with a flaky friend.

[kate120]

I also suggested she'd talk to the accommodation/airbnb owner directly which she ignored by responding and requesting half of the cost (212).

[Cloverjo]

No way, she's out of order there. She backed out. Tough!
I don't know how much you value this friendship though? If you value it and you can afford it perhaps just pay up, but to reiterate, I don't think you should have to.

[EDDIE51]

You say there is a strict company policy that a cancellation only gets 50% back, so if she paid £212 that is only £106 due anyway. But every holiday company I have ever heard of also charges an administration fee for a cancellation. I think there is a £50 cancellation fee in addition to the refund of only 1/2 what was paid. That would explain why the difference between a holiday for two and the same holiday for 1 is only £56. I am still certain that you only owe her £56. She has to stand the loss of 50% and an administration fee, it is not your problem it is hers for cancelling!

[Peter Pedant]

i agree ed

if it a matter of clawing back whatever the company will grant you - that is X after cancellation fee, late fee, withdrawal surcharge, telephone postage and packing - then just give the gal 'X'

Loss of company and companionship is worth zilch
and I think your frenship has gone down the drain as well

[Peter Pedant]

If she has cancelled and had the reduced rebate herself from the company
and is going after you for the difference - then tell her to stuff off

she bears the loss herself