once a holiday is booked and the deposit has been paid, what happens if someone decides to pull out?

Question

Basically, ive booked on a holiday for next september with 2 friends (originally it was my 2 friends and another person-but she has now dropped out, and ive gone in her place) ive paid the deposit in full but im not sure if i can afford to go anymore, if i was to drop out would my friends have to pay the extra difference or would i just loose my deposit?

Answer 1

Ok.. much has been written here but here are the facts.
Usually, it depends on how the booking was made. If it is through a bona-fide travel agent sold as a package then both you and your travel agent will be bound by the terms and conditions imposed by the tour operator.

As it's almost 10 months away, if you have booked a regular package holiday you will lose your deposit. I hope you paid the full deposit at the time of booking, (typically around £120) because if you took advantage of a low deposit the agent is within their rights to pursue you for any monies still owed, however you will not be held liable for any cancellation charges which usually start around 6-8 weeks prior to departure.

If you can get someone else to take your place then you should get away with an amendment fee (usually around £15) and the new person would pay you your deposit back- this is the easiest option.

Now, depending on what kind of accomodation you've booked you may also find that your friends have to pay more if you cancel because say for example you booked self catering based on so many people (could be 3/4) sharing the apartment. The less people who share the more expensive it is, the more people share the cheaper it is, so if the price of your holiday is based on 3 sharing and there are only 2 of them going, there will be a supplement to pay and unfortunatley theres no way around this.

Similarly if you have booked a room in a hotel, there is usually a discount for the 3rd person sharing which is taken off the total price. Again if theres now only going to be 2 of them the discount will not apply and they'll need to pay more.

Please bear in mind that no matter how hard the travel agent pleads on your behalf, they are bound by the T&C set by the tour operator and in my experience the tour operators will not budge in terms of giving people refunds when they are not obliged to.

Now.. just to complicate things. If you have booked a diy type holiday (and travel agents do this kind of holiday more and more for clients) this means you've booked flights with one company, and accom & transfers with another the rules are different and very much depends on the individual contracts with the individual companies but if you've already had a change of name it sounds like it's the first scenario and you've booked a regular package.
So.. technically it's loss of deposit.

If I were you, I'd get saving in time for next year. It'll make no difference if you cancel now in terms of monies due so things might work out and you will be able to go on holiday.

Whatever happens, all the best & good luck.

Answer 2

Usually you would lose your deposit. Only if you could find someone else to go in your place. Maybe you can save up to go. Deposits are usually made for a big purchase and the retailer can be sure they'll get some of the money up front instead of waiting so many months.

Ask your friends, maybe they can give you the deposit back from their own pockets.

Answer 3

Both. Or maybe not. If you had insurance you might be protected. If not, you might only loose the air and then the other two would have to pay the difference. Usually there is not a big difference between a triple and a double.Check with whomever you booked with and it even might not be to late to add insurance if it covers the air. If not, don't take it because you will either get your money back from the other two or take it as a lose, that is up to you.

Answer 4

It would seem that you would lose your deposit as once you took over their place they were no longer under any obligation to go. By them allowing somebody else (in this case you) to take their place and put up deposit in their place they are not obligated at all. By rights as I see it they fulfilled their obligation to either go and pay the fees, or find somebody else to go and that was you. You might be able to get all or some of your deposit money back from the travel agency or whomever if you request it early enough, but still don't see how the other friends are obligated for anything at this point. Cases just like this come up on the tv court shows everyday. Legally once you get somebody else to fulfill your place in the bargain you are off the hook. Maybe you can find somebody to go in your place just as your friend did as well. ?????? Might work..............

Answer 5

Most deposits are refundable up to a certain date. Your friends won't have to pay any extra unless they booked some odd trip that states there must be at least so many people going to get the trip for that cost. Doesn't generally happen that way

Answer 6

Read the Terms and Conditions, usually only if someone is very ill or dies last minute can you get recompense from the Travel Agency but due to the time I guess you could get some back or even think about gettting someone else to go and make arrangements to change name. Usually a small fee involved but worth it for the hastle!!

I have booked a flight to Toronto for next April and if I cancel before I go then all I get back is 50% as long as its over 29 days before I travel.

Good luck

Answer 7

going by personal experience, you will lose your deposit and your friends may have to pay extra to cover the fact that you are not going. There again you might have a sympathetic travel agent!

Answer 8

u never get deposit back but if its say a few months to go you wont have to pay anymore if its in a few weeks 12 or under theyll make u pay rest of holiday

Answer 9

You will lose deposit only and any charges that were made for change of name. If the reasons were "didnt want to go for any reason other than life or death you will not be able to claim on any insurance.

Answer 10

You would lose your deposit,and your Friends would have to pay the difference