Always set out what you want in your letter. If you want an apology ask for it, if you want compensation state how much.

They need to reply within 28 days of receipt of your letter - no point in giving this deadline to them as they should be aware of it.

My thoughts:

-No greet at door-rude staff ignored us.

Was this in the brochure description? If not, nothing you can do about

-Room not ready at 5pm, check in is 3pm. Left for 45mins

Valid point

-Anniversary package not given to us, had to ask for it, then had a whole world of problems with it

What kind of problems? Be specific and make it relevant

-refused anniversary breakfast on our anniversary, then when we did get it they forgot the champagne and was 35 mins late

Nothing you can do about. You did get it at the end and you can expect slow service in the Caribbean

-head other couples giving 'back handers' for better location rooms that cost the same as ours then we were refused one as we did not give them any money

Nothing you can do about

-Air ???? broke on arrival, told not to unpack

Was it fixed in a timely manner? If it was nothing you can do about. If it persisted for days on end a valid point

- first choice rep never turned up to welcome meeting. Rang and was uninterested. never met her.

Valid point as I presume you wasted time going to this "meeting" when you could have done other stuff

-Toilet blocked 7 times
-when using hairdryer, electrics in room went out EVERYNIGHT!

Did you make it aware to the hotel? Did you request another room? If not nothing you can do about. If you did - valid point.

-Ocean a no go area not allowed in due to strong current

Nothing you can do about - outwith the control of the hotel and First Choice.

-returned from beach and found room left open twice by cleaners or mini bar

Where the cleaners in the vicinity and still cleaning the room or had they finished with the room? If the former nothing you can do about. If the latter - valid point.

-hubby got diarrhoea and sickness for last 5 days and me the last 3, couldnt at and drink properly

What was the cause of it? Only relevant if it was due to poor hygiene or poor food preperation

I presume that you completed a complaint form in the resort? If you didn't you will lose every right to compensation.

Mark

Mark has done a good job of evaluating the points raised. You definitely should have filled in a complaint form at the hotel, though if you never met the rep, I don't see how you could have. Didn't she visit your accomodation at any time during your holiday and what did the help line have to say about this?

Thanks for the speedy replies!

We completed an evaluation sheet that we made notes on.

Yep we reported the hairdryer ad toilet eveytime it happened, they never offered us a room as they kept saying it wont happen again!

Long story about the anniversary package but we have gone into detail in the letter.

Refused breakfast on anniversary details in letter

Cleaners had long left the room when the door was open, it was late on in the day both times.

Def the cause of sickness, never drank the water even to brush teeth.

We didnt see her at any time over the 2 weeks, not sure if she came back. Bythe 2nd week hubby had got sick so he didnt want to do much anyway.

What is a normal amount to ask for? What should I expect?

I am very angry all this happened and it was very stressful to us xx

Ref the sickness - this could be because of a change of diet, dehydration etc. If you want to claim on that you'll need to prove that it was because of the effects of poor hygiene and/or poor food preperation. You are going to need to doctor's letter for that.

You said you completed an evaluation form? What is that? You should have completed a First Choice customer complaint form countersigned by a representative of First Choice.

Ref the breakfast - you got it at the end though after some problems.

Only you can decide what level of compensation is acceptable.

Don't mention anything in your letter that gives them reason to refute easily (such as the "missed" breakfast). Stick to the points that they will find difficult to defend.

Mark

Thanks again Mark

It was the hotels evaluation asking about the holiday etc..... I have never complained before so have no idea about first choice complains form and would never have known to get them signed. Even if I had this wouldn't have happened as she was not even there!!

Yeah we did get the breakfast but not on our anniversary : (

Not going to be able to prove the illness as both fine now and back to work, will still include it in the letter though.

Thanks again

With all means post off the letter but I guess you're going to be stuck as you didn't fill the complaints form in and did not give First Choice the opportunity to rectify matters. That is essential to making a succesful claim as they otherwise would have failed to react to a problem that you highlighted.

Keep your letter short and sweet - no more than two A4 pages and preferably just the one page.

Mark

Whilst commiserating with you both about getting ill, I'm still unsure myself just WHAT you didn't receive that you're wanting compensation for??

It seems to me that a lot of what you've encountered is "caribbean time" experience... so your door was left open... late in the day... some rooms in some resorts aren't cleaned/restocked until late in the day... and did you have anything stolen?

As for the toilet, did it ever work?, and the hairdryer... was it the resorts own or yours? - if yours it might have been too powerful for the fusebox? - in anycase, I presume that all you had to do each time was to walk across the room (or just outside the door) and re-set the trip switch? - irritating, yes, but hardly a cause for compensation?

Sorry it sounds like you didn't enjoy your holiday, but I'll be surprised if you get more than a token gesture from the holiday company..

ATB,J.

We had a fantastic holiday - we really did!! It was in spite of the bad points though.

I am confused as to why we needed to not receive something to claim compensation? People complain all the time with nothing to do with receiving things.

My post it not really about compensation just complaining. I only ever wanted the holiday company to know hat happened and the resort to know. I only mentioned it briefly after researching on the internet and finding people that had complained for the silliest things and received hundreds back in vouchers/money! Thought why not add it to the letter and try too!!

Hair-dryer-the resorts own hair-dryer. Again was never about compensation and no it tripped out out air con with it and had to be re-set every time from the mains!!

Door left open, do not care if I am in the Caribbean or not I did not pay nearly 3K in a 5* resort to find my room door left open twice-no excuses for it!!

Toilet got so bad at blocking we had to flush after every wipe so it would not block-not great with bad stomach and diarrhoea - do the maths, it took ages!!!!

x

finding people that had complained for the silliest things and received hundreds back in vouchers/money! Thought why not add it to the letter and try too!!

And that is what makes it difficult for those with a GENUINE complaint.

Unfortunately we live in a society that thinks they are entitled to compensation simply because they ask for it.

Yes write to a TO if you consider that something is not up to standard or could be improved. I have twice done so with Thomson and been rewarded. Neither time did I ask for or expect any form of compensation. On the first occasion I received a telephone call from Thomson following my letter and they asked how I would improve things and agreed that my suggestion was worth them considering changing things. The second time they failed miserably and admitted so in their reply.

Many of the "complaints" I see are more to do with people not doing their research or reading the T&Cs and are not worthy of the word complaint.

fwh

Just wondering out loud here really, as I have never been to the Dominican Republic, but I wonder if some things are similar to here on Lanzarote? For example, I know I cannot use my hairdryer, if the iron is on, or the oven - the electricity just won't support two heavy duty items at the same time. I don't have airconditioning, but presume that is a heavy duty item? Also, the only things to go down the toilet is human waste - nothing else goes in there, no paper, no wipes etc etc as the system just cannot deal with stuff like that. Not doing these things are now automatic to me , but of course would not be known to visitors.

Perhaps these would have been some of the things pointed out to you, had the rep turned up at the Welcome Meeting?

Following on from Mark's post never mention how much compensation you require. This isn't from me it's from what I remember Ros advising

Thanks for the replies.

Yep could have found some things out if the rep turned up, but to be honest if they had told me about the hairdryer and that i needed to turn every light in the room off and the music/TV id have gone bloody mad! Not what I pay 3K for!!

Tissue can go down the toilet in our resort, I knew that before hand.

Glynis thanks for that. I really didnt want to put anything on the letter as its was never about that, very helpful
xx

Following on from Mark's post never mention how much compensation you require. This isn't from me it's from what I remember Ros advising

Ooh that's something I didn't know. I always thought the advice was to state how much compensation you were asking for- not that I've ever asked for compensation mind. I must be one of the lucky ones whose never had a bad experience, or it could be more to do with loads of research, rather than luck

Found it. Here's what Ros advised for when you get home and wish to complain:-

WRITE A LETTER

You must write to the tour operator within 28 days of your return. Send it by recorded delivery and keep a copy. They must acknowledge receipt of your letter within 14 days and then provide you with a detailed reply within 28 days.

If you have photographs or video - SEND COPIES ONLY in support of your claim - DO NOT send originals and DO NOT send original Customer Complaint Forms as these get "lost."

In your letter of complaint, of which you should keep a photocopy, specify what was wrong on your holiday and ask for compensation, but DO NOT tell the tour operator how much you want as you might think your claim is worth £200 - £300 when in reality it may be worth £2,000 - £3,000. Remember, you are not an expert and you may be denying yourself real compensation.

If you do not receive a reply from the tour operator and the tour operator is a member of ABTA you can report the tour operator to ABTA. You should also seek expert legal advice.

Do you mind me asking which part of DR it was and which hotel as I'm going at Christmas.

Thanks again

It was Excellence Punta Cana - gutted as went to their Riviera Cancun property on honeymoon last year and it was out of the world perfect. Where is it you are going? x

Thanks for replying, we're off to the Gran Bahia Principe Cayacoa in the Samana peninsula. I've never been to the DR before so really looking forward to it.

Sorry to be a pain again, but you keep stressing that you paid £3k for your holiday and seem to have expected 5* quality/ service.... may I just point out that often Caribbean 5* is probably our 3* at best and on islands such as the DR and Cuba may even be less....

I've stayed at EPC, and yes, there were a few problems... but nothing that made us feel that we'd been short-changed for our money...

Perhaps you could submit a review for us?

ATB,J.

Everyone's experiences are different and I am free to have my opinion on the place. If its in the Caribbean or yorkshire I don't care and 5* is 5* no matter what country. I have stayed in many resorts that are AI and 5* in the Caribbean and Mexico and have never experienced this before.

I am complaining. I am sending a letter. I came on here for help not for people question my reasons for complaint, its my right as a customer of first choice.

If you want to read my review the one on tripadvisor called 'great holiday with some inconveniences' its about the 4th down or something. It wont let me post a link.