hotel mistakenly charged my card, causing overdraft fees. Is the hotel legally responsible for rebusmt of fees

Question

reservation made by corp travel, my card used solely for incidentals was used in error by desk clerk.

Answer 1

I don't know if they are legally responsible...but if they are a large hotel chain you should call the general manager of the hotel and explain the situation.

When things like this have happened to be, I've been able to get reimbursed.

The key is to be nice but firm. Tell them what you want.

If you don't get satisfaction from the Hotel Manager, call the customer service department of the national chain.

Still no result, then go on the company's website and find out who the CEO is. Call the main number and ask for the CEO. Usually, they have a special customer service department for people who are so fed up they call the CEO.

Be nice, be firm, ask for help. Never lose your temper.

I think you get reimbursed from the hotel manager...

Good luck!

Answer 2

I think there are two parties, the credit card company and the hotel which should be involved.

Yes, the hotel did mistakenly charge the card. You should demand that the amount charged be credited back to your account. I would get a letter from them too for evidence for the next step if needed.

After the charge back is completed, you should contact your card company and explain that the mistaken debit on your account caused the overdraft fees. I don't see why they wouldn't credit those back to your account.

If they refuse, you have the letter from the hotel saying that it was their mistake. However, in the end I don't see how the hotel could be responsible for overdraft fees. They were not directly responsible for the overdraft. Your account balance being such that the charge caused an overdraft was the reason.

Answer 3

No, the hotel is not legally responsible for your overdraft fees. As to whether they will pay them depends on the circumstances of the overdraft. The time frame of the overdraft is relevant, as is whether you used a debit or a credit card. One more facet of the situation is how or if your corporate travel department made arrangements for paying the hotel. Legally, the party who stays in the hotel is ultimately responsible for paying the bill if the third party, in your case, corporate travel, does not settle the account.

As to the issue of debit versus credit card, all hotels run an authorization on the card presented at check-in. The amount calculated for authorization varies a little from hotel to hotel, but typically calculates to room and applicable taxes plus an allowance for incidentals. With online banking, these authorizations are often reflected as pending charges, leading the guest to believe that he has been charged up front and excessively by the hotel. With debit cards especially, a hold is placed on funds in the account. This often causes a checking account to appear overdrawn. Once the guest has checked out, and the correct amount to charge is relayed to the bank, then the bank adjusts the hold to the amount actually charged. In this situation, you often will find that overdraft fees disappear automatically as the bank realizes you did not overdraw your account.

I recommend calling your bank first to find out exactly how the situation was caused and if they can erase the overdraft fees from the account. Remember you are a customer of your bank, and they owe you good service every bit as much as a hotel.

For contacting the hotel if necessary, contact accounts receivable or the credit manager. As a gesture of goodwill, the hotel sometimes will take care of the overdraft charges. However, as mentioned in the first scenario, if no alternate form of payment was authorized to be used from your corporate travel department, then the hotel has behaved within its authority to collect payment from you.

Sorry if some of this is bad news to you, but I have about 6 years of experience in fielding questions just like yours from the front office and accounting departments of hotels across the country.

Answer 4

Tootsie is correct. As a hotel GM--I would investigate the situation to see why your card was charged and not the corporate card. Legally, if you can not present the credit card that should be charged or if the hotel doesnt have a written consent and photo id/copy of the credit card then the hotel agent followed proper procedure for payment.

The hotel is not at fault if your bank assessed you fees. You will have to speak to your PB to have the fees waived. Normally, that shouldn't be any problem.

Once all the paperwork is approved, then the charges on your card will be credited and the corporate card will be charged. If your card is a debit card, it will depend on the machines/software program the hotel chain uses and your bank to how long the proc ess will take to be reversed.

Good Luck.

Answer 5

No, the hotel is not legally responsible for the reimbursement of overdrafted fees because the hotel just did their part in charging your payment through your credit card in good faith. The error was made by you after all and not by the desk clerk.

Answer 6

I work for a bank, and for good customer service, the hotel should absorb the charges. they may determine it was their merchant billing center that maid the error so you may even get reimbursed by a third party company. if the hotel will not do anything, i would then advise to go through the bank to resolve it, although legally banks can take up to 90 days to resolve those types of claims. best bet and quickest is to go through the hotel first. just be calm and explain to the how frustrating this was for you. no hotel wants bad publicity and should oblige your request.

Answer 7

Yes the Hotel is responsible for all the charges and overdraft.

Answer 8

Take the hotel to small claims court and have them give you back your money

Answer 9

Yes, no question about it. Dispute the charge with your credit card company if they don't respond.

Answer 10

They should be liable. Did they admit the mistake. If they did, than you have recourse