aprox 6 weeks ago, I booked a late holiday by phone with first choice.
At the end of the booking proceedure, I was asked if I needed a carpark space. Yes, I replied, give me your price. First choice quickly gave me a price, which turned out to be identical to a quote I had just had direct with the carpark in question. I responded, Your price is the same as me booking direct, so go ahead and book my space.
First Problem.. a few days later on checking my Credit Card bill, I noticed that first choice had charged me £10 more that the price quoted. on contacting customer sevice, they say, that is correct, its the booking fee, all as in our terms and conditions....
Second Problem.. I have since tried many times to get first choice to give me a booking reference and a voucher for when I get to the car park. Each time I am told , it will be with you in a few days. As you may have guessed, nothing arrived, and as I leave in a week, have given up wasting my time with phonecalls.
Lesson learned... do not book your car park via first choice, book direct with the carpark, it will be quicker, less hassel and ...£10 cheaper....I keep on letting my guard down, and keep getting caught, you would think I would have learned my lesson by now...
Hi Gingerdennis.
Have you got anything at all in writing about this holiday, such as an itemised invoice?
Also, have you been sent a copy of the 'terms and conditions'?
Are you sure this is a 'booking fee' for just the car park and not the whole holiday?
Sorry to appear to bombard you with questions, but I'm trying to work out what is going on here.
You may well be right on the first of your lessons!
Peter
Have you got anything at all in writing about this holiday, such as an itemised invoice?
Also, have you been sent a copy of the 'terms and conditions'?
Are you sure this is a 'booking fee' for just the car park and not the whole holiday?
Sorry to appear to bombard you with questions, but I'm trying to work out what is going on here.
You may well be right on the first of your lessons!
Peter
Peter of York
only invoice sent was for the holiday itself. no invoice for the carpark portion. but my credit card bill shows the payment separately as having been paid, and first choice acknowledge that I have booked with them. yes , am sure they charged me £10 extra, its again on my credit card bill .
and of course first choice customer service acknowledge that they have charged this amount as a booking fee. no terms and conditions sent, they state they are freely available on website and in back of all brochures. thanks for interest.. further note... the holiday booking was done first separately , and they charged me £10 per person to book this, yes they did tell me beforehand, so my total booking fees came to £30.
only invoice sent was for the holiday itself. no invoice for the carpark portion. but my credit card bill shows the payment separately as having been paid, and first choice acknowledge that I have booked with them. yes , am sure they charged me £10 extra, its again on my credit card bill .
and of course first choice customer service acknowledge that they have charged this amount as a booking fee. no terms and conditions sent, they state they are freely available on website and in back of all brochures. thanks for interest.. further note... the holiday booking was done first separately , and they charged me £10 per person to book this, yes they did tell me beforehand, so my total booking fees came to £30.
Thank you for the additional information GD,
I doubt if you can do anything about the £10 booking fee for the car parking, but they should have sent you an invoice to produce. Hopefully the car park staff will be aware.
However what does attract my attention is this -
I don't think this at all acceptable, see THE PACKAGE HOLIDAY REGULATIONS - Regulation 9 (1) (c)
You must be supplied with a written copy of the terms of the contact. Once again First Choice are failing to comply with the law, and giving a customer the run around when they ask for a document they are legally entitled to, see THIS complaint about the airline of the same name and part of the First Choice group.
I would have a word with my local Trading Standards about such a blatant breach of the Regulations, they may well decide to prosecute.
Hope after all this you have a great holiday.
Peter
I doubt if you can do anything about the £10 booking fee for the car parking, but they should have sent you an invoice to produce. Hopefully the car park staff will be aware.
However what does attract my attention is this -
no terms and conditions sent, they state they are freely available on website and in back of all brochures. thanks for interest..
I don't think this at all acceptable, see THE PACKAGE HOLIDAY REGULATIONS - Regulation 9 (1) (c)
You must be supplied with a written copy of the terms of the contact. Once again First Choice are failing to comply with the law, and giving a customer the run around when they ask for a document they are legally entitled to, see THIS complaint about the airline of the same name and part of the First Choice group.
I would have a word with my local Trading Standards about such a blatant breach of the Regulations, they may well decide to prosecute.
Hope after all this you have a great holiday.
Peter
You will find their terms and conditions here.
https://www.firstchoice.co.uk/holiday/popup.cfm?view=pop_termsandcondition&type=booking&season=S08
https://www.firstchoice.co.uk/holiday/popup.cfm?view=pop_termsandcondition&type=booking&season=S08
On the other hand, Crown copyright acknowledged -
My underline and bold for emphasis. (Now removed!)
Peter
Statutory Instrument 1992 No. 3288
The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992
© Crown Copyright 1992
The legislation contained on this web site is subject to Crown Copyright protection. It may be reproduced free of charge provided that it is reproduced accurately and that the source and copyright status of the material is made evident to users.
Contents and form of contract
9.-(1) The other party to the contract shall ensure that-
(a) depending on the nature of the package being purchased, the contract contains at least the elements specified in Schedule 2 to these Regulations;
(b) subject to paragraph (2) below, all the terms of the contract are set out in writing or such other form as is comprehensible and accessible to the consumer and are communicated to the consumer before the contract is made; and
(c) a written copy of these terms is supplied to the consumer.
My underline and bold for emphasis. (Now removed!)
Peter
-
Edited by
Peter of York
2007-06-05 17:10:06
You have breached the copyright by not reproducing it accurately.
No bold in the original.
No bold in the original.
Well that's OK can't beak the copyright law, assuming I have of course.
Therefore in this bit -
I have removed the underline under 'and', and the bold from '(c) a written copy of these terms is supplied to the consumer.'
That's more compliance with the law than some travel companies practice when they think they can get away with it.
Peter
Therefore in this bit -
and
(c) a written copy of these terms is supplied to the consumer.
I have removed the underline under 'and', and the bold from '(c) a written copy of these terms is supplied to the consumer.'
That's more compliance with the law than some travel companies practice when they think they can get away with it.
Peter
Update on my Car Park Booking saga... have today received a response from first choice regarding my car park booking via them.
We thank you for contacting first choice, however, we are no longer able to assist you with this matter, you should contact BCP direct on....... if you require further information.
Now, seeing as how first choice have not provided a booking reference, this might be a little difficult. But I find it really weird that they are wiping their hands of me, and telling me to chase up my Voucher myself. What on earth did they charge me the £10 booking fee for? This is quite honestly the biggest rip off that I have got hooked into yet
We thank you for contacting first choice, however, we are no longer able to assist you with this matter, you should contact BCP direct on....... if you require further information.
Now, seeing as how first choice have not provided a booking reference, this might be a little difficult. But I find it really weird that they are wiping their hands of me, and telling me to chase up my Voucher myself. What on earth did they charge me the £10 booking fee for? This is quite honestly the biggest rip off that I have got hooked into yet
I think you'll find your car is booked in, but in case it isn't keep a log of phone calls, card statements and any other documentation, so you are able to kick up a real fuss if required.
It's appalling customer service and quite in keeping with other reports on the Complaints Forum.
Peter
It's appalling customer service and quite in keeping with other reports on the Complaints Forum.
Peter
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