Isn't cancelling your holiday a little drastic?
Drastic? Would you use the same high street shop if they swindled your account? Same thing..
Well, I do hope you got all the money back from your original holiday too micky. I would have asked the same questions too, why on earth was it not put right immediately. If the lady on the phone knew she had made a mistake with your upgrades, surely it was a very simple thing to just do an immediate refund, and then redo the amount????
As I read it a mistake was made and an apology given. Just seemed to be drastic action to me to cancel a special anniversary holiday which way due to be taken on 7 May. Won't you know have the extra trouble of re arranging something?
Yes they made a big mistake but cancelling this close does seem a bit drastic. I would be expecting FC to be paying any bank charges incurred though.
I hope you manage to get another holiday that suits you needs.
I hope you manage to get another holiday that suits you needs.
Well what has gotton to me the most is the fact that no apology has been offered, I was refused a manager to talk to when I asked, and it was down to me to correct their "error" when they already knew about it. Their attitude was simply they couldnt care less. They could have rang me when they see the error, apologised and put it right. I would have been a little annoyed but not half as annoyed as I am with their attitude. Now as it stands its my family that suffers with not a penny till their error gets put right. Now its the weekend nothing will be done for ages. It could have been sorted by now.
The reason there are so many holiday complaints is because as a nation we let travel firms walk all over us because we want our holiday. If everyone said "No we're not accepting the poor level of service" then there wouldnt be so many complaints becuase the travel firms would have to get it right.
People go mad when a restaurant over charges them a few pounds and vow never to return, I cant see the difference.
The reason there are so many holiday complaints is because as a nation we let travel firms walk all over us because we want our holiday. If everyone said "No we're not accepting the poor level of service" then there wouldnt be so many complaints becuase the travel firms would have to get it right.
People go mad when a restaurant over charges them a few pounds and vow never to return, I cant see the difference.
So, micky, did you get the money back in total for the holiday you cancelled?
Well they have said they will refund it in full (which in itself is an admission of guilt), but Ill believe it when I see it.
They've said they'll pay it back and I can see no reason why they won't so why would you think they won't pay?
I think you need to put into writing along with copies of any letters from bank to say what bank costs have been incurred as a result of their mistake. As for admission of guilt - they can hardly argue that can they?
Unfortunately mistakes do happen and altho' it was an error they don't have someone sat at a computer looking at everyone's bookings to see if there's a glaringly obvious mistake there so the mistake with your booking was never going to be spotted. It's not like they have deliberately set out to fleece you - someone pressed a wrong button or two. Transferring money into an account can take 3-5 working days - pain in the butt but a fact of life!
Don't get me wrong I would be very angry too in your position but I wouldn't have cancelled the holiday and I think I would be more thinking about recovering any bank charges applied as a result of their mistake.
I think you need to put into writing along with copies of any letters from bank to say what bank costs have been incurred as a result of their mistake. As for admission of guilt - they can hardly argue that can they?
Unfortunately mistakes do happen and altho' it was an error they don't have someone sat at a computer looking at everyone's bookings to see if there's a glaringly obvious mistake there so the mistake with your booking was never going to be spotted. It's not like they have deliberately set out to fleece you - someone pressed a wrong button or two. Transferring money into an account can take 3-5 working days - pain in the butt but a fact of life!
Don't get me wrong I would be very angry too in your position but I wouldn't have cancelled the holiday and I think I would be more thinking about recovering any bank charges applied as a result of their mistake.
This was an awful thing to happen. I'd be furious too. We're not even talking about a couple of hundred pound here but 7 thousand 
I know mistakes are made but I hope whoever carried out the transaction is taken to task about it. Surely she should have spotted the mistake and corrected it immediately or had the manager call you to explain what would happen now. They should definitely be liable for the bank charges incurred as a result of their mistake.
I know mistakes are made but I hope whoever carried out the transaction is taken to task about it. Surely she should have spotted the mistake and corrected it immediately or had the manager call you to explain what would happen now. They should definitely be liable for the bank charges incurred as a result of their mistake.
Hi micky
I think it's such a shame that you decided to cancel your holiday (which I guess you've all been looking forward to) because of this error by First Choice.
I'm assuming that the £600 you expected to pay for the upgraded seats wouldn't have taken you overdrawn.
You say
Do you mean they are going to refund everything you've paid for the holiday - not just the £7000 that they took in error?
If you're travelling on 5th May you'll have paid the full balance by now and most companies don't repay the full amount paid in cases of cancellation at this late stage (your case may be different as the T/O has made an error).
I think once you have received all the money that you've paid to First Choice, you should contact them with details of bank charges you've incurred as a result of this error and request they refund this amount to you too.
Just a point about this - I can't see why a refund would take so long.
A BACS transfer should only take 3 to 4 days and there is something called CHAPS (Clearing House Automated Payment System) which is an electronic transfer system for the same day transfer of money from one financial institution to another.
I don't know if it is possible for First Choice to use this method to refund but I'd certainly ask why the refund is taking so long.
Good luck
Polly
I think it's such a shame that you decided to cancel your holiday (which I guess you've all been looking forward to) because of this error by First Choice.
I'm assuming that the £600 you expected to pay for the upgraded seats wouldn't have taken you overdrawn.
You say
The have refunded all the money but I may get it in my account by the end of next week.
Do you mean they are going to refund everything you've paid for the holiday - not just the £7000 that they took in error?
If you're travelling on 5th May you'll have paid the full balance by now and most companies don't repay the full amount paid in cases of cancellation at this late stage (your case may be different as the T/O has made an error).
I think once you have received all the money that you've paid to First Choice, you should contact them with details of bank charges you've incurred as a result of this error and request they refund this amount to you too.
but I may get it in my account by the end of next week.
Just a point about this - I can't see why a refund would take so long.
A BACS transfer should only take 3 to 4 days and there is something called CHAPS (Clearing House Automated Payment System) which is an electronic transfer system for the same day transfer of money from one financial institution to another.
I don't know if it is possible for First Choice to use this method to refund but I'd certainly ask why the refund is taking so long.
Good luck
Polly
They have taken an unauthorised amount from your bank. What is your bank saying about this as you should get them to chase it up. I do think cancelling your holiday is a bit drastic but then I haven't just had £7000 taken out of my account "in error" so I've no idea how I would have reacted in your position.
Well I have just spoken with first choice this morning to make sure that my card has been refunded....well guess what?! It hasnt. The refund has been sent to their account dept and depending on how busy they are as to when I get a full refund, holiday cost included (an admission of guilt on its own!). And you wonder why I cancelled the holiday.. I would never deal with a firm that leaves me and my family in such dire circumstances. As for not seeing the error on the screen, well she must have as this was an addition after full payment and she must have seen what she typed on the screen.
that is shocking. I think it is time to give Ros a phone.
We have teamed up with Ros Fernihough, Travel Law Solicitor, to provide the best information available.
Ros has offered our members free impartial legal advice. Please note that Ros does not read or post on this board any contact to her must be made via :-
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I've just had another thought on this. How come your bank allowed such an amount to be debited from your account when you clearly didn't have this amount in there? If you'd have written a cheque for this amount surely it would have "bounced" and FC wouldn't have received the money. Isn't there a similar safeguard in place with the banks that would stop the type of thing that happened to you taking place? I've also heard of banks that phone up their customers when they notice an unusual transaction for a large sum of money taking place.
I know this is a bit like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted but why not have an overdraft limit on your account? If one had been in place (providing of course it was lower than the amount taken) then this might have triggered something before it got so bad. I am right in assuming this is a normal current account rather than credit card?
We have a fairly low overdraft limit on our current acount, thankfully as just recently someone, somehow managed to get my husbands card details and subsequently used it online. The bank repaid the money.
I do feel you need to get the bank to chase this up and most certainly put them in the picture as to your immediate financial situation.
My husband worked for a bank for 35 years so does have experience.
Like others I feel it was a little drastic to cancel your holiday.
Pippa
We have a fairly low overdraft limit on our current acount, thankfully as just recently someone, somehow managed to get my husbands card details and subsequently used it online. The bank repaid the money.
I do feel you need to get the bank to chase this up and most certainly put them in the picture as to your immediate financial situation.
My husband worked for a bank for 35 years so does have experience.
Like others I feel it was a little drastic to cancel your holiday.
Pippa
micky
I wouldn't accept this.
That may be an acceptable way to deal with refunds if the holidaymaker has decided to cancel BUT we're talking here of First Choice taking money incorrectly from your account - without your authorisation.
In addition, I would keep a record of how much it has cost you to contact them about this error. Add the cost of phone calls onto the bank charges.
Polly
The refund has been sent to their account dept and depending on how busy they are as to when I get a full refund, holiday cost included (an admission of guilt on its own!).
I wouldn't accept this.
That may be an acceptable way to deal with refunds if the holidaymaker has decided to cancel BUT we're talking here of First Choice taking money incorrectly from your account - without your authorisation.
In addition, I would keep a record of how much it has cost you to contact them about this error. Add the cost of phone calls onto the bank charges.
Polly
Hi,
I had a similar thing happen to me. Nowhere near the same amount but enough over concecutive months to put make me go badly overdrawn. It was Sky TV taking a subscription when I had cancelled my account.
I turned it over to a department at my bank that deals with unauthorised debits and I got all my money back plus some extra for the charges I incurred.
As well as pushing FC and taking advice from Ros I'd say a call to your bank is in order. Do not take any **** over this. Its a disgrace.
Best of luck.
Louise
I had a similar thing happen to me. Nowhere near the same amount but enough over concecutive months to put make me go badly overdrawn. It was Sky TV taking a subscription when I had cancelled my account.
I turned it over to a department at my bank that deals with unauthorised debits and I got all my money back plus some extra for the charges I incurred.
As well as pushing FC and taking advice from Ros I'd say a call to your bank is in order. Do not take any **** over this. Its a disgrace.
Best of luck.
Louise
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