Be careful when booking.
Be careful when booking.
I made a reservation on booking.com, on a Sunday, at 11:55 PM, five minutes before midnight, arriving on Monday afternoon. I was to check in that Monday afternoon. I was notified at that late hour that a very ill relative, was terminally ill (who passed away a few days ago), who lived in the Crawley area. I checked the dates, location, and reviews on Booking com, read the basics, and paid for a week in advance.
But because of the tiredness, the late hour, the rush, and the stress of the situation, I overlooked the fact that a 300 pound deposit was required. A little while after booking, at 00:10 a.m., I received a message from the rental agency requesting the deposit and my details.
It was completely out of my budget. So at 00:20 a.m., I sent an email requesting a cancellation and asking for understanding regarding my mistake, hoping they would see it first thing Monday morning. Since I hadn't received a response by 9:00 a.m., I contacted Booking.com and they told me it depended on the agency's goodwill, as I had purchased the option without cancellation. But I was determined to go! I had paid almost £900 for a week! Plus travel and accommodation, and the deposit was way out of my budget. And I had politely requested a refund as soon as I realized my mistake. Booking com said they were relying on the rental agency's goodwill.
The agency replied at 10 a.m., saying they could only refund 50%, meaning 400 + something pounds, and they kept the other 400 + something pounds due to a calculation error on my part. Even though I notified them immediately. And for a stay I didn't even use. I understand that I had to pay a percentage for the inconvenience caused, but charging 50% out of the blue seemed excessive. Since it all happened very quickly, in the early hours of the morning—a matter of hours—I don't think there were many people desperately searching for accommodation in Crawley in the middle of the night with a terminally ill relative, so they can't claim I caused them a great loss.
They're clinging to the cancellation policy. But I contacted them immediately, and they replied after 10 a.m.
Charging 50% of almost £900 seemed excessive and a complete rip-off, given the circumstances.
P.S.: I'm posting this comment here because I also posted it on Booking.com, but mysteriously, the comment is counted as published on my profile, even though it's not publicly visible.