It seems more and more Timeshare resorts, airlines, car hire companies along with banks and phone providers are becoming progressively more creative when it comes to hidden extras and sneaky ruses designed to rip you off.
According to Action Fraud, scams have increased by nearly 18% in 2016. There were over 5,800 reported holiday scams, with holidaymakers losing a reported 7 million pounds. Phoney websites and fake photos advertising accommodation are the main sources of fraud.
Using an agent which is a member of the Association of British Travel Agents gives you extra protection. Be wary of any deal that looks too good to be true and always use a reputable website such as Booking.com or similar and only make payments through the website’s payment system. Never send money directly to the owner.
The infamous low budget airlines are critiqued for their ever-increasing hidden extras. The latest is separating families, therefore, forcing them to pay for pre-paid seats to avoid children sitting without their parents.
Another common scam can be car hire, some firms making money by overcharging customers for trivial damages. Booking a hire car can be like buying a timeshare these days, stereotypically every contract comes with an excess of £1,000 or more. This can be reduced to zero with an excess waiver agreement. However, purchasing this cover can more than double your hire costs. A company called Europcar is currently being investigated by Trading Standards over the claim that it systematically over charged customers up to 30 million pounds over a short period of time.
You can purchase such car hire waiver policies yourself before you travel, there are various online car insurance companies who sell these policies from as little as £2.99 a day. When entering into a contract with a car hire firm and before signing any papers always check the vehicle for damages first, once you have the keys and have driven off you have no proof the damage wasn’t already there, therefore take a few minutes to assess the vehicle and take photos. This could stop future problems.
Travel insurance is imperative when travelling abroad, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has confirmed a vast increase in the number of ill or injured holidaymakers who have deliberately been sent to private doctors by hotels and taxi drivers, who in return receive a referral fee. Many of these private clinics charge exorbitant prices for simple treatments. Some clinics have been known to withhold treatment until monies have been paid upfront.
Should a problem occur and medical assistance is required insist on going to a state hospital. A comprehensive travel insurance should cover you in any eventuality, however, always check the small print to see if the cover includes treatment in private clinics, if not you could end up footing the bill yourself.
Holiday makers who receive notification that a flight has been cancelled are usually due to a full refund or an alternative flight. Compensation can be due in some cases, if you were due to fly on a European Union airline, or to or from an EU airport, then you are due compensation as laid out in EU Regulation 261/2004. The same ruling covers compensation for delays of more than three hours. Again, the amount offered depends on the length of the flight. Passengers must claim directly from the airline they booked with.
Compensation can also be paid out for cancelled flights and such pay outs can range from £114 to £547 depending on whether an alternative flight was offered. Not many holiday makers know that if a flight is missed or cancelled they are entitled only to a refund of air passenger duty. However, please note that nearly all airlines charge an administrative fee for this service.
For more information regarding this article or assistance in any other timeshare related issues please contact the TCA on 01908 881058 or email: info@TimeshareConsumerAssociation.org.uk