B&B cancellation charges

hi..
I just booked a b&b for my parents and when i rang the lady she asked for my credit card details so i gave them to her and asked her how much she taking out of it and she said for my parents to pay on arrival. She takes credit card details for security reasons..
When i got of the phone with her she sent me an email about Cancellation Charges: See Below
Cancellation Charges:

Notice of 22-42 days:
60% of accommodation cost

Notice of 8-21 days
75% of accommodation cost

Notice of less than 8 days
100% of accommodation cost


What i want to know is does anybody think this is a bit excessive as in hotels if you cancel within 2 working days you sometimes do not have to pay a cancellation fee and in sum cases they take a small deposit from your credit card and if you cancel they keep that..God forbide my parents have accident or something happens that stops them from going. What can they do then??

Any Comments please
thank you

I definitely think this is way excessive. Normally any B&B I've booked I have done so over the phone or by email and I have never been asked for credit card details.

I stayed in a hotel in Limerick a few weeks ago and even though I was paying by cash the girl at reception asked me had I a credit card and she just took the details there and then.

My parents run a B&B in the country and there are always problems with people not showing up and you left with a vacant room for the night.

My mother asks for credit card details as a security however she haas no means of processing them and never would anyhow.

People really seem to make the efford to ring up and cancel if they are not going to make it if they hand over their cc details.

I do agree that the B&B's policy in question is excessive 8 days seems alot.

steph1 said:

I definitely think this is way excessive. Normally any B&B I've booked I have done so over the phone or by email and I have never been asked for credit card details.

I stayed in a hotel in Limerick a few weeks ago and even though I was paying by cash the girl at reception asked me had I a credit card and she just took the details there and then.

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Steph1:
when i rang her she said to me have you a credit card and i take the details for security reasons, i thought maybe she got caught before with people booking rooms and not turning up. but this is for my parents who are in there 50's..So i gave her the details and asked how much deposit was she taking and she said nothing that they can pay when they arrive..
So then i got the email with the cancellation charges and i have stayed in alot of hotels and have never come across something as mad as this.Though it was just me but siad i would post it just to see others reactions!!.

What could i do if they couldnt make the trip steph1. Have the b&b full right to take the full amount of 160e from my credit card.

thanks

Before giving credit card details you should always ask what the cancellation charges are. I always ask a hotel what their cancellation policy is before I book. In this particular case they do seem excessive - in my opinion.

Yeager said:

My parents run a B&B in the country and there are always problems with people not showing up and you left with a vacant room for the night.

My mother asks for credit card details as a security however she haas no means of processing them and never would anyhow.

People really seem to make the efford to ring up and cancel if they are not going to make it if they hand over their cc details.

I do agree that the B&B's policy in question is excessive 8 days seems alot.

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Yeager;
I would ring up personally if mam and dad couldnt make it and would give as much notice as possibly could but im sure any B&B can fill a room in 8 days. but i think there cancellation charges is crazy.. top hotels wouldnt have charges like that im sure!!!

Bronte said:

Before giving credit card details you should always ask what the cancellation charges are. I always ask a hotel what their cancellation policy is before I book. In this particular case they do seem excessive - in my opinion.

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Bronte.
So where do i stand then if they could make it and had to cancel say 4 days before they were to go?. Now in fairness you wouldnt think a B&B would have large cancellation charges. I wouldnt mind them taking a deposit for cancelling but taking the full amount is madness.
Thanks

There is no need to ever get caught out by cancellation charges with hotels

If you cant make your oroginal booking find out whats the cancellation policy to get a 100% refund then ring up and say you are pushing out your booking just gretaer than the cancellation period due to whatever reason. They will be fine with this as they will not be loosing the booking/money in the long run. Then a few days later call again and cancel the pushed out booking - technically you have given enough warning to get your refund.

I have done this in the past and it works - annoys them alot but it works.

they are going in 2 weeks time so if i was to cancel and tell her her cancellation charges are crazy i would still loose 75% of price. Im sure they will go but i just was saying in general if one of them got sick or something came up in the family that they couldnt go!. What comeback have i not paying the b&b anything. They are Bord Failte approved also and they have a lovely website and it never mentioned anything about cancellation charges before i booked it and i didnt think a b&b would have high cancellation charges.

Five minutes after i got of the phone with her she had emailed me the Cancellation charges and it does not mention them on her website and in other b&B's it does mention them. So if they do cancel then, am i at liberty to pay her the full price for my parents for the night or could i say it to her about her crazy charges and that she should have them on her website and not emailing them to me after i have the place booked?

it does seem excessive but i have seen cancellation chanrges like this before.
Its probably not that unusual.

At this stage, if you are worried about one of your parents getting ill and not being able to travel, I would consider travel insurance to cover against this.

They are only travelling about 2 hours away from home, what way would travel insurance help them in this situation if they couldnt go. Im not saying they wont go, just saying you never no what tomorrow will bring tht they may not be able to go

If they are on the bord failte list, report it to bord failte. Usually should be 24-48 hours.

What could i do if they couldnt make the trip steph1. Have the b&b full right to take the full amount of 160e from my credit card.
thanks

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Well I know somebody who has a b&b and I must ask what they do in a case like that. If they cant make the trip give as much notice as possible. Even two or three days should suffice. Sure people are always cancelling at the last minute and for genuine reasons too.

In my opinion I dont think she would have any right to take the full amount from your card.

You could always get on to Bord Failte if its an approved b&b and ask their opinions on it.

My point Lorr was that I wouldn't book with a hotel unless it had a 24 or 48 hour cancellation policy, which most of them do. In your case it is unfair that the website does not mention the cancellation charges and that the B&B did not mention them to you when you booked. But it was also up to you to ask when you decided to give your credit card details what their cancellation policy was. Sometimes I too take the risk particularly when I book Ryanair (reguarly in my case) I pay in advance, have no insurance and get nothing back if I don't fly. But I take the risk that the price is so low that if I miss a flight I win in the long run. What is not clear is if the B & B has the right to take the charge if you do not show up. Bord Failte or your credit card company might be able to help you here.

Thank you all very much for your answers back. I will ring Bord Failte and ask them what the story is as its a bit mad and should be changed.

lorr01 said:

They are only travelling about 2 hours away from home, what way would travel insurance help them in this situation if they couldnt go. Im not saying they wont go, just saying you never no what tomorrow will bring tht they may not be able to go

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Travel insurance covers the cost of accomodation already paid, if someone can't travel because of illness. The distance travelled is not relevant.
Of course, you should check the T&C of any policy to be clear on what circumstances are covered.

I think its a bit of sharp practice not highlight the charges anywhere only in a confirmation email. Especially when they are that excessive. I would just cancel the booking straight away and refuse to pay any charges that you didn't agree to previously. If they have a problem with that, mention the Small Claims Court, and a whiff of Joooooooeeeeee DUfffffffyyy.

i was going to email the girl back at the b&b and ask her what the story is with her cancellation charges and why did she wait till after i booked to email me them cancellation charges and why they not up on her gorgous website for people to view like so many other b&b websites especially since it is bord failte approved. And what happens in emergency's!!!that people cant come. Im very genuine and i would let her no in plenty of notice if mam dad couldnt make the trip but it a bit crazy that by giving her a weeks notice that she takes the full €160 from my credit card. Surely she can fill a room in a week.

I would like to ring her and cancel the trip but there dosent seem to be any other b&b's available due to St. Patricks Weekend.

I really am so maddened by this, i think it is scandalous!!

I don't think this is an isolated case, a quick google revealed other places like myguideireland with similar cancellation fees:
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