Around the 16th of July 2005 I booked with Portland Direct for 2 adults to go to Cuba in July 2006. After reaading some quite bad reports about the hotel I had booked I decided to cancel this holiday and rebook with Thompsons (who offered a greater choice of Hotels). I was well aware that I would lose the deposit I had paid and I was also willing, if needed to pay a cancellation fee. when I phoned to tell them of the cancellation I was told that I had to pay a further £228 as I had booked the holiday on a 'Low Deposit'. To say I was shocked was an understatement. As far as I was aware I had not paid a low deposit. I paid £213 when I booked. The only invoice I recieved from Portland does not state anywhere that I paid a low deposit. It just says when the balance of the holiday is due and the amount. My argument with them is.... If it was a low deposit then why was'nt I asked for the balance before now, 10 weeks after I booked. They said that the balance of the deposit is due 6 weeks after booking. They have said that I must pay the balance first, then they will look into my complaint, by recalling the original phone booking and listening to it to hear if I was told that I was booking with a low deposit. I am 100% sure this was never mentioned. I really do not know what to do for the best. I am writing to the head office but apart from that where do I go from here.
Can I also add that I have booked my new holiday, also to Cuba, with Thompsons, on a low deposit, which is stated on the invoice and the date which the balance of the deposit is due.
hi brett have you tried ringing ross fernihough on 01922 621114 its a name of a travell solicitor who gives free advice and maybe able to help you
If your invoice tells you what the balance is and when it is due then they have proved in black and white that they did not except any more money from you before that.
Also £213 +£228 makes a very large deposit for two adults. I have just paid a deposit for 4 adults to go to america 2006 and that was only £480. The low start deposit i was offered if i wanted it was just £25.00 per head.
Last year the deposit i paid for 6 adults to egypt was £780. So yours seems way over the odds. Not low start deposit at all.
Half of £441.00 would mean you had to pay £220.50 each. I have always paid deposits in a round number never in pence.
Also £213 +£228 makes a very large deposit for two adults. I have just paid a deposit for 4 adults to go to america 2006 and that was only £480. The low start deposit i was offered if i wanted it was just £25.00 per head.
Last year the deposit i paid for 6 adults to egypt was £780. So yours seems way over the odds. Not low start deposit at all.
Half of £441.00 would mean you had to pay £220.50 each. I have always paid deposits in a round number never in pence.
Thanks MarkWebster I will give her a ring on Monday. Also, I was told that the money I paid was 2 adults insurance and low deposit. But again, nothing on the invoice to state that, just amount paid and balance due.
Thanks for your replies.
Thanks for your replies.
As Portland and Thomsons are actually part of the same company, theoretically you should have been able to just 'change' your booking and pay a nominal administration fee without losing any deposit.
CSK...exactly what I was going to suggest......Portland Direct is a derogative of Thomson.........
Plus, when I booked with PD to go to Magaluf last year, I ASKED them for a low deposit when I booked, and it was made aware to me then that if we cancelled we would have to pay the full whack........if this wasnt made aware to you then they are at fault...........
Oh and the low deposit we paid was £20 each, which makes yours sound extortionate!!!
Plus, when I booked with PD to go to Magaluf last year, I ASKED them for a low deposit when I booked, and it was made aware to me then that if we cancelled we would have to pay the full whack........if this wasnt made aware to you then they are at fault...........
Oh and the low deposit we paid was £20 each, which makes yours sound extortionate!!!
£218 pounds does sound steep for a low deposit for 2 but in his later post Brett confirms that Portland are saying that this included the insurance premium. Buying your insurance through the TO is nearly always the most expensive way of doing it and given that insurance for the Caribbean is always more expensive than for holidays in Europe then perhaps £218 is not such a high 'low' deposit after all. Without knowing how much the insurance component was it's had to comment on whether the deposit was reasonable or not.
SM
SM
Brett, someone with a similar problem to yours posted here in March, they had a satisfactory outcome eventually, it may help to read through their thread (be warned its 4 pages but I think should be useful). Here is a link to ithttp://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=27037&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=low+deposit&start=0
Shorty
Thank you all so much for your replies. I did originally ask Portland about changing hotels and they said I could not change to any from the Thompsons brochure as all the reference numbers etc are different. I will be reading the post mentioned by Shorty. My main argument is, and always will be, if I was told it was a low deposit, then why have'nt I been asked for the balance before now ?. I have written to Portland and will keep you informed. Once again thanks to you all.
Brett..I have just had a look at my Portland invoice. I paid on a low deposit and was told the date to pay the remainder of the deposit i.e tomorrow. I was also told that no reminder would be sent and that I had to pay it on that date. My invoice only states the deposit paid to date, the balance due and the final date for the balance payment. It does not mention the low deposit or when it should be paid by. I don't know if someone will ring tomorrow to remind me but it does seem a bit odd that the onus is on the passenger to remember.Let's face it, it's easy to forget. I 'm sure that I read in the T&C's that if you cancel and have only paid the low deposit you are liable for the balance of the full deposit.Hope you get some satisfaction from Portland.
If you paid the deposit by credit card put the matter in the card issuer's hands whilst it's resolved legally. The deposit paid to date will be frozen by the card issuer. Consider letting PD take you to court for the additional deposit due. They will need to support that stance with documentary evidence that you were clearly informed at the time you booked that a low deposit was involved and cancellation would require additional payments. Without that proof (phone call transcripts or invoice clearly showing that) I'd say they haven't a hope in hell of getting further money from you via a court.
Included insurance??
We also took out silver insurance with PD when we were going - something like £30, knowing no better..... this was taken out along with the rest of the deposit afterwards. 2 of our party later cancelled - they had to pay the rest of the deposit and the insurance premium. We didnt have to pay it with the Low Deposit. I think they wanted it after 4-6 weeks ish dont remember exactly.....we booked mid-Jan and they deffo wanted it before March...
Apparently they 'record' all phone conversations, so ask if you can have a transcript of this to see if someone did explain that this was in fact a low deposit and the remainder would be due...as someone explained this clearly to me, and it would definately show up if it did - which obviously they didnt do in your case. If they dont have this, they dont have a leg to stand on. Plus you did not sign anything agreeing to a low deposit.
We also took out silver insurance with PD when we were going - something like £30, knowing no better..... this was taken out along with the rest of the deposit afterwards. 2 of our party later cancelled - they had to pay the rest of the deposit and the insurance premium. We didnt have to pay it with the Low Deposit. I think they wanted it after 4-6 weeks ish dont remember exactly.....we booked mid-Jan and they deffo wanted it before March...
Apparently they 'record' all phone conversations, so ask if you can have a transcript of this to see if someone did explain that this was in fact a low deposit and the remainder would be due...as someone explained this clearly to me, and it would definately show up if it did - which obviously they didnt do in your case. If they dont have this, they dont have a leg to stand on. Plus you did not sign anything agreeing to a low deposit.
Thanks to you all once again, some very helpful comments. I will wait until I hear back from Portland, hopefully sooner rather than later, before I decide what to do next. I really do not have any memory of a low deposit. I always book my holiday well in advance to give us time to pay for it, so I am pretty sure I would remember if I had to pay more deposit. I have a feeling it's going to be my word against theirs !.
If they dont put the terms and conditions down in writing whats to stop them making it up as they go along 
Oh yes sir we have a low start deposit, then two weeks later the little bit on the side deposit. Then one month after that the one for the road deposit, and dont forget fund the staff christmas party deposit.
They should write it down for you or perhaps they rely on your having ESP.
Oh yes sir we have a low start deposit, then two weeks later the little bit on the side deposit. Then one month after that the one for the road deposit, and dont forget fund the staff christmas party deposit.
They should write it down for you or perhaps they rely on your having ESP.
I booked 2 holidays this year with Portland Direct
First one was to Bulgaria in June on checking on the hotel i found out it was not going to be complete by our holiday so phoned Portland Direct and was changed to a Thomson Holiday at no extra charge after a lot of haggling. (Originally we booked 4* AI and hotel we changed to was 4* H/B and they Thomson wanted an extra £ 440.00) and i was not the only person that week in June that had changed from Portland to a Thonmson Holiday at no extra charge.
2nd Holiday booked with Portland - Booked january 2005 to go to GOA in December again had 3 letters from Portland changing the flight times but only a total of 6hrs so not able to cancel . I know 6 hrs isnt a long time but it realy mucked up our return to work in New Year. Phoned Portland again and said i relly didnt want to go on this holiday and could I change it to June next year to go to Cyprus again i picked a holiday out of the Thomson brouchure with no amendment fee.
Every time i phoned the Portland number you are basically talking to both companies.
And as you have booked so far in advance the most they should only charge you an ammendment fee which i think is about £ 35.00.
First one was to Bulgaria in June on checking on the hotel i found out it was not going to be complete by our holiday so phoned Portland Direct and was changed to a Thomson Holiday at no extra charge after a lot of haggling. (Originally we booked 4* AI and hotel we changed to was 4* H/B and they Thomson wanted an extra £ 440.00) and i was not the only person that week in June that had changed from Portland to a Thonmson Holiday at no extra charge.
2nd Holiday booked with Portland - Booked january 2005 to go to GOA in December again had 3 letters from Portland changing the flight times but only a total of 6hrs so not able to cancel . I know 6 hrs isnt a long time but it realy mucked up our return to work in New Year. Phoned Portland again and said i relly didnt want to go on this holiday and could I change it to June next year to go to Cyprus again i picked a holiday out of the Thomson brouchure with no amendment fee.
Every time i phoned the Portland number you are basically talking to both companies.
And as you have booked so far in advance the most they should only charge you an ammendment fee which i think is about £ 35.00.
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