They dont always want deposit ruth but credit card details are the usual way .. they then either take a small deposit or hold them on their system as part of the cancellation T&C's (which you need to check) should you not turn up . I must confess I've never been a worrier about supplying them and touch wood never had any problems. Ive only done it occasionally for 7-14 night holidays but a fair bit for short breaks and hotels or B&Bs here .

You are always covered by your CC for any fraudulant activity and thats how I always view it .. anything untoward, they cancel it .

oh just to reassure you .. I cant ever remember a time when the last 3 digit security number has ever been asked for . I always give the mimimum info .. name .. number .. expiry date .

Hello...

Ok, made enquiries and owner has sent bank details for the apart and asked for £200 (originally asked £300, but I said too much) for deposit for the 3 weeks I want.

Any ideas on safest way to do this?

Thanks
Ruth

Hi ruth,

Didn't the hotelier offer you options of paying the deposit? I know some ask for a bank transfer or card but some even use Paypal these days.
I wouldn't worry about handing over my cc details as Lyn said because you are covered by the card company.

We have only ever been asked for a deposit once and they wanted it by bank transfer but it was going to cost about £30 to transfer £200, which we weren't prepared to pay.

In the end my husband got a friend to go to the hotel, he was going to pay the deposit for us but somehow managed to convince the owner that we shouldn't have to pay a deposit anyway.

None of the other hotels we have stayed at have ever asked for a deposit.

I think it would be safer to use a credit card to be honest at least that way you are covered.

I'm amazed that you've never been asked to pay a deposit for your hotel kedi. So are you saying they normally just take your booking based on your word that you will actually turn up? we were quite surprised this year when we were told by our hotel that they wouldn't need our balance payment until we arrived. I thought it was pretty generous of them only wanting a deposit, then nothing more until we got there.

hello.
this is the first time i have been asked for a deposit, hence, being a little nervous. he has lowever it from £300 to £200 for deposit for 3 weeks.

i may well end up going back to our normal apartments as not really sure how i feel giving money over with little/no protection

i may well end up going back to our normal apartments as not really sure how i feel giving money over with little/no protection

But if you use a credit card you get full protection

Does a credit card cover you if you are paying direct to a hotel abroad ?

I thought it was the UK consumer credit act that covered people so it is for if you pay to companies registered din the UK like booking.com, travel republic, TUI, Easyjet, thomas cook, hilton UK etc ???

I'm not 100% certain on this and may have got the wrong end of the stick, but it might be worth asking on the general, hints and tips forum, or on somewhere like money saving expert just to be sure ?? Perhaps Steve. fwh or one of the mods will know, i'm not sure if they check this forum.

Doe

My credit card covered me when I fell foul to some time share sharks in Spain - I was covered by the distance selling act but this may not be the same thing.

Will your travel insurance not cover you? Assuming your policy is active at the time of booking, it should cover most things. I'd have no problem paying a deposit via card or bank transfer. Paying a deposit is pretty much standard. I've done it in the past, it's no different than booking somewhere over here and giving card details at the time of booking.

Darren

Dazbo HT Mod wrote:

Will your travel insurance not cover you? Assuming your policy is active at the time of booking, it should cover most things. I'd have no problem paying a deposit via card or bank transfer. Paying a deposit is pretty much standard. I've done it in the past, it's no different than booking somewhere over here and giving card details at the time of booking.

Darren

Travel insurance is not a cover all. It would only apply if it included Supplier Failure Insurance which very few policies do.

To be covered using Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act the payment would have to be made direct with the hotel and not via a third party or to pay a bank transfer. There has to be a direct relationship.

Purchases made abroad are also covered by the Act provided the purchase price is between £100 and £30,000.

luci

shirley h wrote:

I'm amazed that you've never been asked to pay a deposit for your hotel kedi. So are you saying they normally just take your booking based on your word that you will actually turn up? we were quite surprised this year when we were told by our hotel that they wouldn't need our balance payment until we arrived. I thought it was pretty generous of them only wanting a deposit, then nothing more until we got there.

No, we have never paid a deposit in any of the apartments we have stayed in. We have just booked the room and paid when we got there.

Same here in the main shirley .. I havnt booked many direct .. mostly our bookings with hilton and we pay on checkout but i have done a lot of direct bookings for short breaks and normally that just want CC details as a guarantee againt their cancellation policy . Thats another good thing about booking direct as normally cancellation fees only apply 24/48 hrs before . Then again mine have mostly been hotel bookings but apartments could be different

In fact thats another area I would investigate before you part with £200 deposit . what is their cancellation policy ??? .. will you get that deposit back if you need to cancel ... I realise you would stand you lose the same type of money if you cancel a package but if their cancellation policy is 24/48 hrs you would expect that money back .

Hello all,
Thank you so much for you responses. I think there may well be too many negative things pointing to this apart before we have even got there. At the moment just considering if we should go for it or not and the whole deposit thing is helping tip my choice.

My oh is Turkish which has made it a little more complicated and in hindsight am wondering if it's better the devil we know re apart's.