Trying to get a refund from Booking.com

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2020 4:57pm

6 replies136 views5 members subscribed

SylviaJohn

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Location: Catral

Joined: 3 Jun 2020

Hi everyone

I booked a apartment in Barcelona in March for one week but when we arrived there the apartment was very dirty and the 'Host' was not helpful when I asked if he could get a cleaner in - he said he would have to find one !

So, we did not stay at the apartment - also, the virus had started. The apartment was booked for 11th - 17th March.

I have sent Booking.com many messages. They ask for details and then they do not reply !

Went to our bank as we had paid with a Spanish bank Credit Card but the bank told us we must go to the Police which we did Police said they cannot help as its a consumer problem.

We have been directed to all sorts of places but have not managed to get a full refund and getting very frustrated.

Can anyone please advise ?

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Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2020 7:59pm

Movingon

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Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2020 7:59pm

Do purchases with Spanish credit cards offer the same protections as a UK card would?

Often wondered.

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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2020 8:26am

Adofeegs

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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2020 8:26am

This post that was quoted has been deleted.

Bankia have a Visa chargeback system in place for debit and credit cards. There is a cut off period. From memory think it is 120 days.

Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2020 12:35pm

SylviaJohn

Original Poster

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Location: Catral

Joined: 3 Jun 2020

Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2020 12:35pm

Adofeegs wrote on Tue Jun 30, 2020 8:26am:
Bankia have a Visa chargeback system in place for debit and credit cards. There is a cut off period. From memory think it is 120 days.

We have been several times to Bankia in Catral - they tell us the Debit and Credit card are the same !!!

Told us to go to the Police station... we're so tired of getting the run around. As for Booking.com who have taken the money we will never use them again.

Off to Bankia in Catral again now. Thank you everyone for the advice.

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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2020 12:58pm

Adofeegs

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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2020 12:58pm

SylviaJohn wrote on Tue Jun 30, 2020 12:35pm:
We have been several times to Bankia in Catral - they tell us the Debit and Credit card are the same !!!
Told us to go to the Police station... we're so tired of getting the run around. As for Booking.com who have taken the money we will never use them again.

Read more...

Off to Bankia in Catral again now. Thank you everyone for the advice.

The only other thing I can think of is to phone customer service at Bankia. There is an option for English speaking advisor if you prefer. Might get a sympathetic ear and someone to take ownership. Someone on another thread pointed out it seems to be how willing a person is to help when dealing with Bankia.

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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2020 4:50pm

Kimmy11

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Location: Formentera Del Segura

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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2020 4:50pm

Hi SylviaJohn,

Sorry to hear of your trouble. It's an interesting case..... if I'd booked direct with the apartment owner, I'd have asked him for a "Hoja de Reclamacion" (Customer Complaint Form), but not sure if I would have thought to do that with Booking.com as an intermediary.

I hope you can get it sorted - please let us know how you get on.

Best wishes,

Kim

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Posted: Thu Jul 2, 2020 12:15pm

Ancient Printer

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Posted: Thu Jul 2, 2020 12:15pm

SylviaJohn wrote on Mon Jun 29, 2020 4:57pm:
Hi everyone
I booked a apartment in Barcelona in March for one week but when we arrived there the apartment was very dirty and the 'Host' was not helpful when I asked if he could get a cleaner in - he said he would have to find one !

Read more...

So, we did not stay at the apartment - also, the virus had started. The apartment was booked for 11th - 17th March.
I have sent Booking.com many messages. They ask for details and then they do not reply !
Went to our bank as we had paid with a Spanish bank Credit Card but the bank told us we must go to the Police which we did Police said they cannot help as its a consumer problem.
We have been directed to all sorts of places but have not managed to get a full refund and getting very frustrated.
Can anyone please advise ?

We had a very similar experience in Germany. The "privatzimmer" wasn't fit for purpose. We had paid some €800!! We rejected it and immediately called Booking.com on an English number +44... Very sorry I don't have a record of it but hunt on their website. You'll need your booking number etc which is entered on an auto system but eventually you get through to a human. We explained the state of the apartment in question and the full €800 was refunded. The whole purpose of using something like booking.com is to be assured of a refund if conditions don't measure up. The quicker you do it the better. Not disimilar to Amazon in this respect