Is the letter from the apartments direct demanding payment or from Thomas Cook?

I would put everything in writing to them and send it recorded delivery. I would
also not pay anything extra.

on arrival at Rhodes we were informed by Thomas Cook, Matina was over booked & we would be going to Blue Sky, Lindos (1.2km from beach & no pool)

I note the "on arrival". Did they seem shocked that you did not know ?

Kath

Why would they need to inform you at all - if supposedly, you had already been notified?

Something certainly doesn't sound right....

Check your tour op's T & C's for major changes and the scales laid out in the brochure.

CwB

The invoice is from Direct Holidays.
It's a bit of a long one, we booked a 1 bedroom apartment (Matina) they put us in two studios (1 at each end of the building) At Bule Sky.
On arrival at Rhodes we had a case missing, my wife & girls when through & told reps. this is when they told us of the change!( she was given a 20cl bottle of ouzo & a jar of olives) I followed through later & was told then.
Reps. in Lindos (3 of them) all said this was always happening, Blue Sky only finished in May so it looks like they are over booking & shipping people there.

From experience working in tour ops, I'm aware that as a rule - it isn't the tour operator that overbooks guests...

Most operators have a policy that they have an allocation of a certain number of rooms at the units they contract. If, within a certain number of weeks or days even - the tour op hasn't filled all their allocation, the hotelier can take the rooms back from the contract and sell them direct to the public.

What usually happens, is the hotelier sells the rooms from the allocations earlier than the agreed time period. He sells them at a higher price than he gets from the tour operator, so of course - he is very happy! He does this for 2 reasons
1) Because there is usually a cancellation of a booking or two before the guests arrival
2) Because he makes more money this way

The problem arises, when the rooming lists are sent out by the tour operator to the hotel (usually within 2 weeks of the guests arrival) and the hotelier suddenly realises he doesn't have enough rooms available.

The tour operator then has to start looking for alternatives to fit the requirements and hopefully, same standard as that already booked by the guests.

In your circumstances, it does sound like this may be what has happened and the only option to sleep the number in your party with self catering facilities was to provide 2 studio rooms in another unit (probably one they already contract). This is always the better/cheaper option for the tour operator as they will have to pay more for a room if it's in a hotel/unit they don't have a contractual agreement with.

However, if the tour operator has taken a "guaranteed" contract, which means they agree to take every room in the unit - they will always try to fill those rooms first. Usually, these are the hotels that generally appear in the very 1st edition brochure that goes on sale for each season. Late savers and allocation on arrival holidays will generally be put into these units before any others as the tour operator gets the best deal from the hotel on this type of contract. Once the rooms are fully booked then they move onto whatever is available in their contracted units.

It's almost impossible for a tour operator to overbook guests on their own reservations system. The only way this can happen is if the resort office does manual allocations or if the tour operator has loaded their room capacities incorrectly.

If the hotel unit has sold the rooms out of the allocation, the tour operator will usually claim all or part of any compensation paid out to their guests (you) for the inconvenience.

Sorry, a bit long!

CwB

I would sue T C plain and simple, they are in breach of contract, loss of facilities, ie pool, holiday enjoyment spoiled with being moved so far from the beach, the list can go on and on.

You are legally intitled to refuse a move if doesn't come upto the standard and offer the same facilities, you can demand the tour op flies you home and gives a full refund. Altenatively you can book into accommodation of the same standard and same facilities and charge the tour op ther cost on your return, just keep all receipts. I would of got evidence of other travellers all of you have only just be told of the change on arrival at rhodes airport.

Tour ops know people will not kick up a stink and accept the move. If it was me they would of found out differently.