£200 is quite a good initial offer, usually its a very offensive £50 or even worse vouchers with some holiday companies. Part of me wants to say snatch their hands off another makes me think if they've given you this much do they genuinely think your entitled to more?

You say they will only refund you a % of the hotel cost rather than the whole holiday cost, did the flight/transfer also not meet reasonable expectations?

You will find most solicitors do not do no win no fee for holidays (Ros being an exception) as it is very difficult to make alot of money from these type of claims . Try contacting your local court as many provide In court advice on matters like these for free and will even do some paper work and letters for you free of charge.

Hi

Many thanks for the replies.

I am not too happy with the offer because it was a 5* holiday we paid top money for - £1200 for 2 of us all inclusive and not informed before getting on the plane. Flights/transfer/hotel were all booked/paid through Hays Travel.

The hotel changed name/ownership during our stay, at various times day/night and in various areas throughout the hotel complex there were maintenance/renovations/building work going on - got lots of photos to prove this - which Hays have received.

I wrote Hays an initial letter of complaint categorically asking them not to insult me with a poor offer and for it to please be a "speedy" process rather than drag on over months as we've had a lot of good holiday from them before and used the same salesperson at Hays.

The 1st offer was 10%, after a stern diplomatic phone call and a letter I now have a 2nd offer of 20% (Hays themselves are contributing 10% themselves as goodwill).

Therefore I still think 20% is way short of a £1200 ruined holiday - bottom line u wouldn't fly out somewhere knowingly to a "building site" would you? - flights/transfers were ok.

Legally were do I stand with taking them to court - they said they would refund us on return to the uk as they couldn't offer us another 5* hotel as everywhere else was full?

Many thanks in reply for any help.

Mike

Did Hays book you a package with a tour operator eg thomsons, Thomas cook, or did they book you a 'Hays Travel package' which is therefore not actually a package or covered by the Package regulations?

Hays Travel package - we did not go with Thomsons/First Choice etc.

What am I best likely to get back - only a % cost of the hotel?

ABTA's code of conduct can be viewed here:- http://www.abta.com/about/industry_standards Building work is covered on page 4

Hi

Many thanks for the replies, not very clear where I go from here, so if someone could clarify the following that would be greatfully appreciated

1.) Are Hays Travel at fault for not informing me prior (they are blaming the hotel in Egypt for not informing them) to departure and being ABTA registered they have broken code of conduct?

2.) Am I only likely to get back the cost of the Hotel only ? / or more as Hays Travel couldn't find us
another 5* hotel and said compensation would be fixed when back in the UK

3.) Are Travel solicitors cost effective in getting suitable levels of compensation agreed sooner rather than later? If so can someone recommend a travel solicitor as I believe this maybe the best course
of action - do Travel Agencies usually pay up when a legal letter comes through the post?

Again many thanks for the replies just need to know the best/fastest way to get this resolved, I hate
red tape/buck being passed/ and fibs being told !

Whilst the rules state you should have been informed it is quite possible that the hotel did not inform them. Many years ago in Malta we suffered for two days when demolition started on a site without the hotels in the area being informed. It only stopped when they complained to the authorities.

I don't think you will get 100%. Yes your holiday was spoilt but you did have a holiday. Without the aid of a solicitor then it really is a case of what you can negotiate with Hays.

Solicitors only indicate that you are serious in your claim. There is no guarantee you are going to win your case. Defendants can be just as determined in their refusal to settle as those who are trying to get compensation.

fwh

About 10 years ago I had a holiday from hell (not building work just really scruffy apartment that resulted in us being moved twice). As I didn't know of Holidaytruths at the time I felt I was out there on my own. First Choice initially offered me £50. I refused and kept on with my claim with them. Eventually I received nearly 50% of the total holiday cost in compensation.

I've had a snoop on the net and there's a solicitor here who does no win no fee according to the site:- http://www.pannone.com/people_dtl.asp?peopleid=12

A hays package is all supplied seperately. Think of Hays like an advanced search engine if that makes things easier. Your flight and transfers were all fine so it is only your hotel that is the problem. Your hotel is a seperate booking so that will be all you can seek to recover compensation for. If indeed it is a dynamic package.

The thing is with finding a travel lawyer is by the time you pay their fees you will be out of pocket and lawyers don't do this no win no fee much anymore as the money you get back will not cover their overheads. One meeting and one letter can be around £500. I would call round local, smaller lawyers and see if you can find someone willing to take it on as experience. Or contact your local university and law school as many students close to qualification, will take on cases for you for free.

I'm fairly sure I've read on here of people using the" legal cover " they pay for alongside their household insurance .

Certainly an avenue to explore .

Yeah thats a great idea looking at legal cover

I've just Googled "No win no fee Travel solicitor" and have found a number, including this one http://www.holidayclaims.com/.

Peter

Hi

Quick update.

Bad News:
No win no fee travel complaint solicitors = don't exist.
Ross Fern. = will never be replaced and no one likely to pick up her sterling work.
Abta = waste of time.

Good News:

After stern/frank calls & sheer persistance I managed to get £500 back out of £1200 from Hays travel without solicitor/abta involved - that was their 3rd and final offer.

Not entirely happy but that's the best I was going to get under the circumstances.

I know it's not the outcome you'd have liked but you did well considering they only offered you £200 initially - well done